Summer School on Water Informatics: Science and Systems (WISS) 2017

May 21-23, 2017. School of Science and Engineering, LUMS, Pakistan

The LUMS Centre for Water Informatics and Technology will host its third School on ‘Water Informatics: Science and Systems’ from 20th to 23rd of May, 2017 in Lahore, Pakistan. This School follows the Fall School that was held in November, 2016 that attracted a large body of students, academics and professionals engaged with water management.

The aim of the workshop is to bring together academics (students, researchers, scientists) and practitioners (policy makers, government representatives) and engage them in addressing water management through a multidisciplinary approach. This is important because addressing water challenges requires water managers to apply an integrated and interdisciplinary approach, involving hydrological, economic, institutional, legal, policymaking and planning aspects.

The workshop is critical for building capacity in the water sector and will help to bridge the gap between academia and practice, and establish a fruitful co-operation between the academic community and industry, development agencies, NGOs, public administration, local communities, and other relevant institutions for building capacity in innovation and technology for water management.

EXPECTED AUDIENCE

This workshop is targeted towards water professionals to broader their perspectives and towards students and researchers aiming to reconfigure their research towards water issues. The audience may include policy-makers, engineers and managers responsible for planning, developing and implementing water resources projects and programmes. Participants will gain a new understanding and a broad view of management tools aimed at tackling problems of water and water-related issues in water scarce regions.

CONFIRMED SPEAKERS

1. Dr. Afreen Siddiqi MIT, USA

2. Dr. Susan L. Ustin – UC Davis, USA

3. Dr. Stefano Vignudelli – CNR, Italy

4. Dr. Elena Rovenskaya - IIASA, Austria

5. Dr. Waqas Qazi– IST, Islamabad

6. Dr. Danial Hashmi – IST, Islamabad

7. Dr. Zubair Khalid– LUMS

8. Dr. Abubakr Muhammad – WIT, LUMS

9. Dr. Asif Khan, UET, Peshawar

TECHNICAL PROGRAM COMMITTEE

1. Dr. Abubakr Muhammad - WIT, LUMS

2. Dr. Afreen Siddiqi - MIT, USA

3. Dr.Sanval Nasim - LUMS

4. Dr. Zubair Khalid - LUMS

5. Dr. Imran Cheema - LUMS

LOCAL ORGANIZING COMMITTEE

1. Fazilda Nabeel - WIT, LUMS/University of Sussex

2. Talha Manzoor - LUMS

3. Zehra Shah - WIT, LUMS

4. Soban Hameed - WIT, LUMS

Contact

• Administrative queries: Sobam Hameed Saigol, WIT, LUMS, email: soban.hameed@lums.edu.pk 
• Technical queries: Fazilda Nabeel, WIT, LUMS, email: fazilda.nabeel@lums.edu.pk 
• Phone: +92-42-3560-8000 Ext:3763 

CONTENT

The Summer School on ‘Water Informatics: Science and Systems’ is focused on building capacity through two key modules on a) Systems Analysis and b) Remote Sensing. The two modules will be knit together by demonstrations, field visits and case studies on how the two aspects of sensor data collection (science) and data analysis (systems) can be combined in unified water informatics frameworks.

The module on Systems Analysis aims to introduce students to systems theory, systems analysis, and applications for quantitatively and qualitatively analyzing critical linkages between water, energy, and food systems in the Indus Basin that are vital for effective policy making and sustainable management of natural resources. The module on Remote Sensing aims to give participants an introduction to the science and principles of remote sensing of the Earth, remote sensing data acquisition (specifically satellite data sets in public domain), as well as hydrological applications of remote sensing. The two modules will be knit together by demonstrations, field visits and case studies on how the two aspects of sensor data collection (science) and data analysis (systems) can be combined in unified Water Informatics frameworks.

Module 1: Systems Analysis

Systems Analysis as a method of inquiry, provides a holistic or system view of the problem at hand by decomposing it into smaller components and solving each one independently whilst simultaneously accounting for the interconnections among the components. This philosophy makes Systems Analysis a perfect candidate to tackle the global transformation challenges such as climate change, pollution, the energy crisis and nexus problems such as the water-energy-food nexus. Systems Analysis has now begun to be viewed as an art which requires experience in linking extremely disparate disciplines and an ability to form integrated solutions to complex issues. This module seeks to provide the audience with an exposure to Systems Analysis techniques through the following Module Learning Objectives 1. Methods for understanding complex systems 2. Multi-criteria Decision Making 3. Technical advances in Systems Analysis 4. Harnessing Systems Analysis tools for solving global issues 5. Water-Energy-Food Nexus

Module 2: Remote Sensing

Remote sensing is the science and technology enabling acquisition and interpretation of information from a distance, using sensors that are not in physical contact with the subject. Remote sensing of the Earth’s environment is a vast subject with many compelling applications in diverse areas such as natural resource management (e.g. agriculture, forestry, mining), hazard assessment, urban monitoring, and climate change. This module will provide a broad introduction of remote sensing of the Earth’s environment, with particular emphasis on hydrological applications. This module will present: a) An introduction to the science and principles of remote sensing of the Earth b) Remote sensing data acquisition (specifically satellite data sets in public domain) c) Hydrological applications of remote sensing

SCHEDULE

Day 0 - Saturday May 20th, 2017

Arrival of speakers and participants. No lecture sessions will take place on Saturday, May 20th 2017.

CONTENT

The Summer School on ‘Water Informatics: Science and Systems’ is focused on building capacity through two key modules on a) Systems Analysis and b) Remote Sensing. The two modules will be knit together by demonstrations, field visits and case studies on how the two aspects of sensor data collection (science) and data analysis (systems) can be combined in unified water informatics frameworks.

The module on Systems Analysis aims to introduce students to systems theory, systems analysis, and applications for quantitatively and qualitatively analyzing critical linkages between water, energy, and food systems in the Indus Basin that are vital for effective policy making and sustainable management of natural resources. The module on Remote Sensing aims to give participants an introduction to the science and principles of remote sensing of the Earth, remote sensing data acquisition (specifically satellite data sets in public domain), as well as hydrological applications of remote sensing. The two modules will be knit together by demonstrations, field visits and case studies on how the two aspects of sensor data collection (science) and data analysis (systems) can be combined in unified Water Informatics frameworks.

Module 1: Systems Analysis

Systems Analysis as a method of inquiry, provides a holistic or system view of the problem at hand by decomposing it into smaller components and solving each one independently whilst simultaneously accounting for the interconnections among the components. This philosophy makes Systems Analysis a perfect candidate to tackle the global transformation challenges such as climate change, pollution, the energy crisis and nexus problems such as the water-energy-food nexus. Systems Analysis has now begun to be viewed as an art which requires experience in linking extremely disparate disciplines and an ability to form integrated solutions to complex issues. This module seeks to provide the audience with an exposure to Systems Analysis techniques through the following Module Learning Objectives 1. Methods for understanding complex systems 2. Multi-criteria Decision Making 3. Technical advances in Systems Analysis 4. Harnessing Systems Analysis tools for solving global issues 5. Water-Energy-Food Nexus

Module 2: Remote Sensing

Remote sensing is the science and technology enabling acquisition and interpretation of information from a distance, using sensors that are not in physical contact with the subject. Remote sensing of the Earth’s environment is a vast subject with many compelling applications in diverse areas such as natural resource management (e.g. agriculture, forestry, mining), hazard assessment, urban monitoring, and climate change. This module will provide a broad introduction of remote sensing of the Earth’s environment, with particular emphasis on hydrological applications. This module will present: a) An introduction to the science and principles of remote sensing of the Earth b) Remote sensing data acquisition (specifically satellite data sets in public domain) c) Hydrological applications of remote sensing

SCHEDULE

Day 0 - Saturday May 20th, 2017

Arrival of speakers and participants. No lecture sessions will take place on Saturday, May 20th 2017.

Day 1 - Sunday May 21st, 2017

Day 2 - Monday May 22nd, 2017

Day 3 - Tuesday May 23rd, 2017