Elwandle scientist selected for international course

Dr Kim Bernard, who has joined the SAEON Elwandle Node as Coastal Data Scientist, is currently involved in designing the zooplankton monitoring programme for the Algoa Bay core site. (Picture © SAEON Elwandle Node)

Dr Kim Bernard joined the Elwandle Node of SAEON in mid-January 2007 as Coastal Data Scientist.

Kim’s primary role at the node is data management. She is also involved in designing the zooplankton monitoring programme for the Algoa Bay core site and is co-supervising one of the Node’s Masters students.

Kim was recently selected to attend a course in Mombasa, Kenya, on “Methods and Applications of Ocean Colour Remote Sensing in African Coastal and Regional Seas”. She will be one of 20 candidates selected from various African and Western Indian Ocean countries.

The course has been jointly organised by the Institute for Environment and Sustainability (IES) of the European Commission Directorate-General Joint Research Centre (JRC) and the Kenya Marine Fisheries Research Institute (KMFRI). Other international partners include the International Ocean Colour Coordinating Group (CCG), the Group on Earth Observations (GEO), the Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association (WIOMSA), the Partnership for Observations of the Global Oceans (POGO) and the Global Ocean Observing System (IOC/GOOS-Africa).

The course will broaden Kim’s analytical skills, providing her with a sound theoretical background of ocean colour remote sensing techniques as well as coastal zone monitoring and management applications. The latter will be particularly useful in the context of SAEON and the Elwandle Node, which is mandated to monitor the marine nearshore environment of South Africa.