Niki’s Reflection: Reflections from IGARSS 2024

Attending IGARSS 2024 as a mentor representing the Inspire, Develop, Empower, and Advance (IDEA) committee’s Women Mentoring Women (WMW) program was an enriching experience which allowed me to focus primarily on networking and supporting the growth of this committee and program. I had the privilege of attending and/or assisting five IDEA-led events during the conference, all of which I believe played a crucial role in supporting voices with valuable perspectives. My involvement not only allowed me to contribute to the overall success of the events, but also offered valuable insights into the discussions held and ideas shared. Additionally, I was able to support the conference as a whole by advocating for attendees to join the Geoscience and Remote Sensing Society (GRSS), IDEA Committee, and WMW program through volunteer efforts at the society’s booth.

The primary focus of my volunteer time was supporting the needs and outcomes of these five IDEA events. The first event was a panel discussion among women in industry in GRSS, which aimed to give insights into navigating careers in this field from multiple women’s perspectives, mine included. My role involved participating as a panelist and fielding questions related to opportunities and obstacles in the field of remote sensing, how they have impacted my career, and what I have done to work through them. I was in the company of three additional panelists, all of whom gave unique perspectives and shared experiences, giving me a deeper understanding of how women are continuing to successfully support and defend themselves in this male-dominated field. The second event, the Diversity in GRSS Luncheon, was designed to support conversations around diversity and inclusion in the field of remote sensing, provide a forum for networking and sharing ideas, and present information on initiatives including the WMW program and Women in Africa Initiative. This experience gave me the ability to widely advocate for the WMW program by providing a moment for me to speak about my own experiences in the program in front of all luncheon attendees. Additionally, I helped support the success of the luncheon by monitoring and helping to facilitate the networking event, which involved a game which was exciting to both witness and participate in!

The third event, the IDEA Breakfast – A Technical Talk, was a breakfast lecture, with the renowned speaker Dr. Karen St. Germain, the Division Director of the Earth Science Division, in the Science Mission Directorate at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Headquarters. My responsibilities included attending the breakfast and joining the conversation with Dr. St. Germain. Unfortunately, attendance to this event was sparse, which is something to be addressed in future IGARSS. The fourth event was my favorite, the Speed Mentoring Event hosted by IDEA and Young Professionals (YP). I was able to help coordinate the activities for this event and see it through to successful completion, where several dozen mentees were able to meet and begin conversations with over a dozen mentors in an informal setting. The final event, the IDEA Indigenous Inclusion event was a thought-provoking and insightful event where I again supported through attendance. This was an intimate setting designed to bring forward the needs and goals of indigenous peoples as they relate to the field of remote sensing. This event was a chance to hear new perspectives from voices that are too frequently overlooked, and audience participation was high, with insightful dialogue from each of the panelists.

Volunteering at each of these events provided me with valuable personal and professional insights. One of the most significant takeaways was the importance of listening to understand, not just to hear. While supporting the events relied on adaptability and quick thinking to run each event successfully, the overall theme I felt was to find better ways to support others, both technically and nontechnically. This theme arose across all events, where the idea was to foster inclusion and support diversity throughout GRSS, and providing a platform for indigenous leaders, attending a lecture for a (female) NASA director, and networking with both male and female mentors does just that. This experience has reinforced the importance of understanding and appreciating diversity in all its forms, while also instilling in me the desire to continue supporting these initiatives and further develop the IDEA committee.

My experience as a WMW advocate at IGARSS 2024 was incredibly rewarding. Not only was I able to contribute to the success of multiple IDEA events, but I also gained valuable organizational skills and diversity-driven insights that I will carry forward in future endeavors. The opportunity to engage with professionals at all levels, support the needs of the committee (and GRSS community), and gain firsthand experience at this level has left a lasting impression. I am grateful for the chance to have been a part of this experience and look forward to applying what I have learned throughout my career.