Professional Member Spotlight: Dr. Rafael Paes

Can you introduce yourself and share a brief background about who you are and what you do?

I am currently working for the Brazilian Air Force as a researcher and advisor in satellite imagery technologies. I hold a PhD in remote sensing, as well as a master’s degree, and I have been working in space technologies since 2007. Before that, I worked as a pilot. My professional path has always been related to electronics and technology in general, which made it a natural transition to pursue graduate studies in space technologies.

Since 2015, I have been serving as both a researcher and an advisor, while also engaging with the international community through IEEE and its local scientific societies. Additionally, I teach machine learning and image processing at a local university in the Brasilia city, named Institute of Researh and Development (IDP), and I currently serve as the head of the Brazilian Chapter of GRSS.

I earned my master’s degree in Brazil at the National Institute for Space Research (INPE — Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais), a well-recognized institution in remote sensing with a long-term partnership with NOAA. My PhD was also conducted at INPE, with part of my research carried out in Italy at the University of Naples, where I spent two years as a visiting researcher. This experience was particularly valuable, as I was exposed to different satellites, diverse technical challenges, and the opportunity to collaborate internationally.

Throughout my career, I have focused on target detection, particularly ship detection. Initially, my work was concentrated on the ocean environment, but more recently I have been working on detecting illegal dredging operations in the Amazon rivers. These projects naturally led me to apply machine learning techniques for target detection across different environments.

During my master’s degree, I made extensive use of machine learning, which inspired me to explore new paradigms for my PhD research. While in Italy, I worked with emerging polarimetric satellite technologies, such as hybrid polarization. Although no longer considered cutting-edge today, these techniques are still not widely used on a large scale. At the time, however, they represented an innovative way to extract information comparable to quad-pol data while consuming less energy, enabling broader area coverage. This approach involved both engineering and economic considerations, and it provided a strong foundation for my PhD.

Because of this focus, my PhD was centered more on developing and explaining theoretical models than on applying machine learning. Interestingly, the more physical information and discriminative power you have in the data, the less you need complex processing. In many cases, even simple thresholding techniques can be sufficient. This was an important lesson: richer data often reduces the reliance on advanced processing methods.

How long have you been a member? Tell us about your GRSS journey.

I joined IEEE in 2007 as a student member, at the beginning of my master’s studies. Since then, I have remained involved with the society and IEEE as a whole. In recent years, I have become even more engaged, expanding my connections beyond GRSS to explore other IEEE branches and initiatives. After so many years, it has been refreshing to broaden my perspective, meet new people, and discover different areas of interest. I still deeply value my work with GRSS, but I am also learning to appreciate other IEEE initiatives in Brazil.

What inspired you to join GRSS?

When I began my master’s program, many of my professors and colleagues were already members of IEEE and GRSS. We recognized the importance of key researchers in the field of remote sensing in Brazil, and many of them were active IEEE members. At first glance, joining GRSS seemed prestigious — it felt like belonging to a very special community.

As I learned more about GRSS, I decided to join as a student member. In 2009, I attended my first international conference, IGARSS in South Africa, where I presented my master’s research. This was a turning point in my career. During the conference, I received an invitation to collaborate with an Italian researcher, Professor Maurizio Migliaccio from Naples University “Parthenope”. At that time, I was presenting techniques we had developed to detect the wreckage of the Air France Flight 447 crash in Brazil, using SAR satellite imagery. The event had caused major social impact, and our results were significant enough to present internationally.

That same conference also introduced me to senior IEEE members and helped me build lasting professional connections. From that point onward, my involvement with IEEE grew steadily. Exchanging emails, sharing data, and collaborating with international colleagues became a natural and motivating part of my career.

How has GRSS contributed to your professional growth?

It became clear to me early on that using IEEE resources is extremely valuable. At first, you feel like a single point on the map, but over time you become part of a larger environment. It is something you really need to experience to fully understand. As we say in Brazil, you can promote IEEE’s work in theory, but once you actually participate, the experience is very different — the impact is immediate and powerful.

Through GRSS, I gained access to state-of-the-art research, high-quality datasets, and outstanding professionals. This exposure has been a constant source of inspiration and continues to drive my professional growth.

During the pandemic, for example, we organized an online conference in Brazil. To our surprise, it created opportunities to connect with many Portuguese-speaking colleagues from Africa — something we had not expected. We also established stronger ties with colleagues in Asia, particularly in Singapore and the southern region, where collaboration with Brazilians is already strong. I realized that through IEEE, you can very easily connect with people all over the world, often in ways you would never imagine.

In Brazil, similar to the United States, the size of the country can make it easy to become isolated within local or regional contexts. Without access to international networks and emerging technologies, you risk stagnating. This is why IEEE and GRSS are so important: they provide opportunities to break these boundaries and expand horizons.

What advice would you give to individuals considering joining the GRSS community?

For young professionals, my main advice is to look beyond what is immediately in front of you. Sometimes we focus too much on financial concerns and question whether it is worth paying in dollars to join an international society like IEEE GRSS. However, if you can overcome this mindset, you will avoid being limited by local boundaries.

Take a moment to reflect: What do I know? What am I confident about? What don’t I know, and what lies beyond my current perspective? Growth often comes when you step outside your comfort zone and expose yourself to new challenges.

Personally, I am very enthusiastic about IEEE, its tools, and the opportunities it provides. Membership is also a way to evaluate yourself continuously. Each stage of your career requires self-reflection: Am I proficient in what I do now? Am I ready to take the next step? Who can I learn from, and what new perspectives can I explore? IEEE and GRSS provide the perfect environment to answer these questions and keep evolving.

What has your experience been like leading a GRSS chapter? Any challenges and how have you addressed them?

For me, it has been a very rewarding experience because it allows me to embrace a culture of thinking differently and to learn how to adapt leadership to diverse contexts.

Why do you think establishing a chapter in your region is important, and how do you maintain membership engagement?

One of our main cultural challenges in Brazil is that most of our members come from universities and academia. While we do have some members from industry, the majority are researchers and students. Over the years, this has created a perception that IEEE is only for academic purposes — which is not true. Through my involvement with colleagues worldwide, I have learned the importance of finding a balance between academia, industry, government, and other sectors.

My main challenge as Chapter Head has been encouraging this balance and motivating colleagues from industry to take a more active role in our events and activities. Another significant challenge is the size of the country itself. Because Brazil is geographically vast, most of our interactions are online. While this enables collaboration, it also means we sometimes miss the personal, human element of professional interaction. That is why I have been working on new ways to strengthen engagement.

For example, we are planning to change how we manage the chapter by integrating the student branches more closely with the national chapter. Currently, student branches and the Brazilian GRSS Chapter operate independently. The idea is for the national chapter to act as a key supporter of these local student branches — providing funding, networking opportunities, and visibility. This new governance model could make the chapter more dynamic and impactful.

Another cultural aspect I would like to change is the overly formal nature of our activities. In Brazil, IEEE events often follow a rigid academic style, but I believe more informal initiatives — such as networking sessions or social gatherings — could be powerful tools to attract and retain members. These activities help foster connections and create a stronger sense of community. Our goal is to build a broader, national vision that unites students, academics, and professionals, while also reaching out internationally to attract new collaborations.

What has been achieved in your chapter that you are proud of?

Whenever we participate in conferences, our chapter is viewed with admiration and respect. We are seen as a group of high-quality professionals, and our sessions consistently attract large audiences. This reputation is a source of pride for us.

What is your vision for the future of your chapter?

I believe our greatest potential lies in bringing together academic and young professionals on a larger scale. I am particularly enthusiastic about the IEEE Young Professionals program, which provides unique opportunities for growth and leadership. I also see great value in IEEE’s other resources, such as IEEE Women in Engineering, IEEE Entrepreneurship, and IEEExtreme. Also, its data platforms and technical committees, which can help us expand our impact nationally and internationally.