IGARSS Continues to Impress and Excite Attendees of Multiple Conferences

By Kevin P. Corbley

IEEE GRSS wrapped up another very successful IGARSS Conference in August 2026. Held in Washington, D.C., this year’s event attracted a combination of first-time and repeat attendees. Of those who had attended IGARSS conferences in the past, many reported having participated in the GRSS flagship event multiple times over the course of their careers.

We caught up with several of the repeat IGARSS attendees after they returned home and had a chance to reflect on – and recover from – the activity-filled week in the U.S. capital city. The top-most questions on our mind were, “What has brought you back to IGARSS so many times, and what are the main benefits of attending?” 

Frank Avila is a 38+-year remote sensing professional recently retired from the U.S. government. Since his first IGARSS in 2000, Frank has participated in eight of the conferences in many capacities – as an attendee, exhibitor with NGA, and organizing committee member/session moderator in 2026. He offered these comments:

“In my view, IGARSS is the global premier remote sensing symposium, covering all aspects of the majority of sensing modalities. Attending IGARSS is one of the best ways to stay on top of the latest sensing technologies and data processing techniques, meet new and established professionals in this field, and advance my professional development.”

Haonan Guo is a PostDoc Researcher at Wuhan University in China who attended and presented papers at IGARSS in 2024 and 2025. For the 2026 event, Haonan expanded his participation and served as Co-Chair of Young Professional Events. Here is why he has returned: 

“What keeps me coming back is the community. IGARSS is one of the best places to learn about new developments in remote sensing. But for me, the most valuable part is that every year I meet people who are at completely different stages of their careers—students attending their first international conference, young researchers searching for their next opportunity, senior scientists who have shaped our field, journal editors, industry leaders, and volunteers from all over the world.

My relationship with IGARSS has also changed every year. At my first IGARSS, I was asking, ‘What can I learn here?’ Now I increasingly ask, ‘What can we create here for the next generation?’ That change is probably the strongest reason I keep coming back.”

Haonan continued, “The greatest advantage has been the opportunity to grow together with an international community rather than simply attend a conference. Many important relationships in my GRSS journey did not begin with a formal collaboration. They began with a conversation after a session, a workshop, a volunteer activity, or simply saying hello to someone at IGARSS. Those small interactions accumulated over time. They helped me become more confident internationally, understand how a global professional society works, meet researchers outside my own immediate research circle, and eventually find opportunities to contribute to GRSS myself. For a young researcher, that kind of exposure can be as important as presenting a paper.”

Francesco Mauro, PhD, is a researcher in AI and Quantum Computing at Sannio University in Benevento, Italy. His first IGARSS was 2023 in California, and he has attended all four since then, presenting papers and working as an exhibitor.

“IGARSS feels like my professional home and gives me the opportunity to be part of a community that shares my research interests and professional goals. The most important advantage has been the opportunity to connect with people from all over the world, strengthen existing relationships, and build new professional collaborations…What stands out most to me is the strong sense of community at IGARSS and the opportunity to meet colleagues and researchers in person, exchange ideas, and create connections that continue well beyond the conference.”

Another repeat participant in Washington, D.C., was Evan Kramer, PhD, of Caltech in California. He first came to IGARSS as an attendee in 2023 and has presented twice since then. Evan had several comments about his experiences:

“It’s a place where academics, industry and government personnel gather to discuss the technological forefront and usage trends of the sector I have spent my professional career in up to this point. I find IGARSS to be a place where I can go to make sure the work I do is relevant to colleagues in the field and practitioners adjacent to the field… IGARSS’s entrepreneurial sessions have been the most valuable to me. They are what initially spurred my entrepreneurial interests and what have connected me with other entrepreneurially minded people in the industry.

The entrepreneur session during IGARSS Brisbane 2025 was particularly valuable since it allowed me to hear about other people’s journeys and provided an opportunity to have one-on-one meetings for practicing pitches and receiving feedback.”

All four repeat participants were enthusiastic in encouraging GRSS members, especially students, who have yet to attend an IGARSS to make it a future goal.

Francesco Mauro summed up a common theme: “I would encourage every GRSS member to attend IGARSS at least once. It is much more than a scientific conference: it is an opportunity to become part of an international community, meet people working in your field, exchange ideas, and create professional relationships that can have a lasting impact on your career.”

Haonan Guo went a step further and offered some detailed advice for getting the most out of a first visit to IGARSS:

“I would tell them, ‘Do not come to IGARSS only to present your paper.’ The technical program is extremely important, but some of the experiences that may stay with you longest can happen outside your own session. Attend a Presentation Skills Workshop. Meet journal editors at How to Publish Your Research. Go to a YP Mixer even if you do not know anyone there. Listen to other volunteers share their journeys at Membership to Leadership. Introduce yourself to someone from another country or another research field. Especially if you are shy, do not worry. I was shy at my first IGARSS too. You do not have to network with hundreds of people. One workshop, one conversation, one mentor, or one new friend can be enough to change how you see the research community. My own experience is a good example. I first came to these activities as a student trying to learn. A few years later, I was helping organize them as a GRSS Young Professionals Co-Chair.” 

Planning for IGARSS 2027 is already underway. It will be held July 11-16 in Reykjavik, Iceland.