Student Member Spotlight: Sofiane Bouaziz

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Student Member Spotlight
Sofiane Bouaziz

Written by: Kevin Corbley

Originally from Algeria, Sofiane Bouaziz is a PhD candidate specializing in AI, Multimodal Learning, and Computer Vision at INSA Centre Val de Loire in Orléans, France. Much of his research focuses on multimodal remote sensing datasets to analyze urban heat island phenomena. He earned his Engineering and MSc degrees in Computer Science at ESI Algiers in Algeria. Sofiane joined GRSS in September 2025 after attending the MIGARS conference in Bucharest, Romania, and the IEEE GRSS IADF Summer School on Computer Vision in Earth Observation held in Benevento, Italy. When he isn’t working in the laboratory on his research, Sofiane enjoys traveling, and so far, his favorite city is Rome.

Why did you decide to join GRSS?

Let me give you some context. Since my background was AI, transitioning into my PhD was challenging. My PhD focuses on applying AI to satellite data, and at first, I felt a bit lost as I tried to find my place in this new research community. All of my connections on LinkedIn were [involved in] in applied AI for computer vision. So, I wanted to switch. I was searching online. I found this community [called GRSS] that has lots of journals, conferences, workshops, and presentations. So, this is how I first knew about it. When I went to the GRSS page on LinkedIn, I connected with many researchers there and talked with them. So, I realized this is a great opportunity to join. And it’s not that expensive. It’s only one euro, so why not? Right? And I just joined, and honestly, it was a really good decision.

How do you expect GRSS will help you in your current academic pursuits?

I really enjoy the conferences, workshops, and presentations because they are genuinely engaging. My first conference before joining GRSS was more focused on general computer science. If I had presented something related to remote sensing, no one would have been interested. That’s why I appreciate GRSS events – the audience is immediately engaged, they ask questions, and you can build connections that may even lead to collaborations. GRSS is a truly specialized community with a wide range of conferences and workshops, and that makes a big difference.

Looking towards the future, what are some other GRSS activities that you plan to participate in?

My first GRSS events were the MIGARS conference in Romania and the IADF Summer School in 2025 in Italy. Regarding journals, I have already submitted a paper to an IEEE GRSS journal, which is currently under revision, and I was recently invited by the MIGARS organizers to submit to IEEE Geoscience & Remote Sensing Letters. Beyond that, I am eager to participate in more conferences, such as IGARSS 2026, which will be held in Washington, DC.

Looking longer term, how do you think GRSS will benefit you in your career after completing your PhD?

[The main benefit is] collaboration. With so many members, I’ve already met a lot of people, such as Madeleine Dawson and many of the PhD students at the Summer School. I’ve also established connections with professors, and I’m currently exploring potential collaborations with my PhD supervisors. I believe these long-term collaborations are what will truly support my career. Right now, I plan to continue as a researcher, though probably not in a university setting; I would prefer to work at a space agency.

Have your experiences with GRSS differed in any way than what you expected, either good or bad?

It’s been way better than I expected because I didn’t know that these kinds of communities were active. So, when I joined at first, I just wanted to get the news to stay in touch with the advancement in the field. But then I found out there are lots of journals, conferences, workshops, and summer schools. If I didn’t join, I wouldn’t even know about this. Even in that period before I was a member, GRSS still helped me to find these kinds of conferences. So, yeah, it was way more than I expected. And I’ve met a lot of individuals, researchers, that are inspiring, and it was nice to collaborate and exchange my research and get feedback from them.

Speaking of conferences, at what GRSS events can people expect to see you in the near future?

I plan to submit a paper to IGARSS 2026, which will take place next summer in Washington, DC. My paper will likely focus on 3D remote sensing.

What words of encouragement would you offer to other students who are thinking about GRSS, but they haven’t decided yet?

Just go for it, and you’ll discover the experience for yourself. As I mentioned earlier, it’s not expensive, so you won’t lose any money, but the experience you gain is invaluable. Plus, the people you meet will often remain a part of your life for years to come.

You can connect with Sofiane here: www.linkedin.com/in/sofiane-bouaziz/

Do you know an IEEE GRSS Student Member who deserves to be recognized? We invite you to submit a nomination by sending a brief message to ir_pub@grss-ieee.org with the subject: “Student Member Spotlight.”