SESAC Open Sessions

SESAC Open Session 1 – 27 March 2026

Lunch Seminar on Social Science, Earth Observation & Global Impact

The session will begin with a brief introduction from Dr. Ola Hall, head of SESAC, followed by short reflections from:

Dr. Lina Eklund (Lund University) on using satellite data to study land use in conflict-affected regions.
Dr. Stefanos Georganos (Karlstad University) on combining AI and remote sensing to support sustainable development.

We will also be joined by Jesper Sundewall, who recently stepped into a new role as Head of Research Relations at the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA). He will share insights from his work in international research-practice collaborations and how initiatives like SESAC can help bridge science and real-world impact.

SESAC Open Session 2 – 29 April 2026

Lunch Seminar on Earth Observation, Wellbeing & Welfare

The session brings together leading researchers and practitioners working at the intersection of social science and geospatial data:

John Östh, Ola Hall, and Alexandros Sopasakis will open the session with insights on wellbeing, exploring how spatial and analytical approaches, along with tools like the Human Development Index (HDI) and Earth observation, can deepen our understanding of quality of life.

Alvaro von Borries will follow with a presentation on wellbeing in relation to register data, highlighting how large-scale datasets can be used to study social conditions.

Finally, Florian Sallaba, CEO of Green Urbansights, will provide a practitioner’s perspective on applying satellite data in real-world contexts related to urban environments.