A highly motivating learning experience that strengthened technical capacity and laid the groundwork for future applications in coastal and inland water monitoring.
Published on 09 January 2026 | News
The Decade Collaborative Centre for Coastal Resilience has successfully concluded a traineeship with Esther Kadiene, focused on strengthening technical skills in remote sensing and geospatial analysis for aquatic environments, with direct relevance to coastal resilience and climate-related ocean services.
The traineeship offered a valuable opportunity to combine advanced technical training with applied research, supporting the development of skills that are increasingly essential for coastal monitoring and decision-making. Through a mix of coursework, independent study, and hands-on activities, the trainee strengthened her ability to analyse satellite-derived water-quality indicators—such as chlorophyll-a and suspended sediments—using multi-sensor Earth observation data.
While the DCC-CR’s mandate is primarily centred on coastal systems, inland water bodies were also used during the traineeship as methodological test environments. This approach enabled the development and validation of robust, transferable workflows that can be applied to coastal and estuarine contexts, particularly in data-limited regions. The experience highlighted how satellite-based monitoring can support scalable and long-term observation strategies aligned with the needs of climate adaptation and coastal resilience.
Beyond its technical outcomes, the traineeship directly contributes to one of the strategic objectives of the DCC-CR: promoting equitable access to education, skills, and scientific information. By supporting capacity development and knowledge transfer, the initiative helps reduce disparities in access to advanced ocean science tools and strengthens the ability of researchers and institutions to engage in evidence-based coastal management.
The traineeship also proved valuable in reinforcing collaboration between the DCC-CR and UNESCO-IOC, aligning capacity-building efforts with broader priorities on sustained observations, climate resilience, and inclusive science under the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development.
Looking ahead, the DCC-CR considers this traineeship a positive and impactful experience and plans to replicate and expand similar training opportunities in the coming year, further supporting early-career researchers and practitioners and strengthening global capacity for coastal resilience.