Funktion und Aufgaben:

Simon Besnard is a senior researcher in the Global Land Monitoring Group at the GFZ Helmholtz Centre Potsdam. His research focuses on understanding the past, current, and future dynamics of terrestrial ecosystems and their feedback on environmental conditions. He has extensive knowledge of developing and applying new methods to extract information from large volumes of EO and climate data to better understand ecosystem functioning in an ongoing changing climate. His work aims to answer questions related to the role of climate and vegetation variation in shaping biogeochemical cycles. His research activities have reduced the uncertainties in estimating land-atmosphere carbon fluxes, though significant uncertainties remain. Currently, he is investigating changes in forest structure over the past decade and providing evidence for the co-variation between the carbon cycle and forest dynamics.

Wissenschaftliche Interessen:

• Terrestrial carbon cycle and vegetation dynamics
• Disturbance dynamics
• Earth observation data
• Data-driven statistical modeling
• Deep-learning methods

Karriere:

• Senior Researcher (present): GFZ-Potsdam, Germany. Combining recent developments in sensor technologies, data integration, and data-driven learning methods to monitor large-scale land processes.
• Lead Data Scientist, Nature-based Solutions (2021): South Pole, The Netherlands. Focus on developing and integrating data-driven models into digital Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification systems for Nature-based Solution projects.
• Post-doctoral Researcher (2019): Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry, Germany. Work involved integrating long-term above-ground biomass time series into a carbon cycle modeling framework.
• Visiting Researcher (2014): Wageningen University, The Netherlands. Participated in the Global Comparative Study on REDD+, CIFOR (MSc. Thesis).
• Consultant (2013): GIZ GmbH, Germany. Developed recommendations to streamline GIZ REDD+ MRV activities to comply with UNFCCC modalities on MRV.
• Consultant (2013): Ecosystem Marketplace, United States. Contributed to the annual State of the Voluntary Carbon Markets and State of the Forest Markets reports.
• Research Intern (2012): Environmental Defense Fund, United States. Researched the State of Soil Carbon Sequestration Offset Policy Design.
• Project Manager (2011): Global Green Carbon, Nicaragua. Implemented a reforestation/afforestation carbon offset project with forestry and agroforestry systems.
• Visiting Researcher (2010): Institute of Research for Development, South Africa. Researched the relationship between farming practices and land degradation in a communal watershed (MSc. Thesis).
• Intern (2009): CERAI, Tunisia. Researched the introduction of new farming practices and the implementation of new economic activities in agro-forestry irrigated systems.
• Research Assistant (2008): INRA, France. Studied the spatiotemporal evolution of soil hydrodynamics properties with conventional and conservation tillage practices (BSc. Thesis).

Werdegang / Ausbildung:

• Ph.D. (Sept. 2019): Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry, Germany and Laboratory of Geo-information Science and Remote Sensing, Wageningen University, The Netherlands. Dissertation on "Controls of forest age and ecological memory effects on biosphere-atmosphere CO₂ exchange."
• MSc. (March 2015): Wageningen University, The Netherlands. Major in Remote Sensing and Geo-Information Science.
• MSc. (Nov. 2010): Montpellier SupAgro/Institut des Regions Chaudes (IRC), France. Major in International Land Management.
• BSc. (June 2008): University of Rennes 1, France. Major in Environmental Sciences.

Projekte:

2023 - 2027 FORWARDS, role: member

2023 - 2027 OpenEarthMonitor, role: member

2024 - 2027 HYPER-AMPLIFAI, role: WP co-lead