Climate change, biodiversity loss, and environmental degradation are among the most pressing challenges of our time. Satellite imagery and Earth observation data offer unprecedented opportunities to monitor, analyze, and communicate these challenges – but only if we can make this data accessible and actionable.
This intensive two-week course teaches participants how to build interactive web-based dashboards that transform complex satellite data into clear, compelling visualizations for decision-makers, researchers, and the public. Students will gain hands-on experience with frontend web development, geospatial data visualization, and satellite image processing—all while addressing real-world sustainability challenges.
By the end of the course, each team will have developed and deployed a functional web dashboard for an environmental monitoring application – a tangible portfolio piece demonstrating both technical skill and sustainability impact.
3 ECTS
Laptop required
Master’s Pathway: Credits earned in this course may be applied toward the ISU MSS or MSc program, with possible tuition reduction, upon successful completion and admission.
Program Summary
Weekdays 9:00–17:30 | ~80% hands-on
Week 1: Foundations
Introduction to Earth observation and sustainability applications
Web development fundamentals (HTML, CSS, JavaScript)
Working with geospatial data formats (GeoJSON, raster data)
Introduction to mapping libraries (Leaflet.js)
Accessing open satellite data platforms (Copernicus, USGS, Google Earth Engine)
Week 2: Building & Deployment
Satellite image processing for web visualization
Interactive dashboard design principles
Building responsive, user-friendly interfaces
Integrating real-time and historical Earth observation data
Project development and deployment
Final presentations
