ASD Announces 2012 Alexander Goetz Instrument Support Program Winners
Posted by Kathryn Beley on Mon, Jan 30, 2012 @ 01:09 PM
Every year, ASD awards several researchers the opportunity to further explore the world of 
reflectance spectroscopy. This year the recipients of the Goetz Instrument Support Program are exploring everything from hyperspectral analysis, the search for gold, to identifying artistic materials.
The award is named for ASD Inc. co-founder and Chief Scientist Dr. Alexander Goetz, is in its sixth year. The seven winners of the 2012 awards, all Ph.D. and master’s candidates in their respective fields, were selected because of their creative approach to apply reflectance spectroscopy to advance understanding in their fields of study.
“ASD pioneered high-performance analytical instrumentation solutions used in the field and labs around the world more than 20 years ago, and one of the ways we continue to drive this innovation is through supporting student researchers,” said Dr. Goetz.
The Goetz Program is co-sponsored by ASD Inc. and the Geoscience and Remote Sensing Society (GRSS), a member organization of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE).
Research topics and winners of the 2012 Goetz Program are:
Barbara Rasaiah, Ph.D. Candidate, Topic: “The Role of Hyperspectral Metadata in Hyperspectral Data Exchange”
Chandi Witharana, Ph.D. Candidate, Topic: “Bridging the Knowledge Gaps on Applications of Advanced Earth Observation for Ecosystem Conservation Efforts Among Developing Nations"
Kurt Prospere, Ph.D. Candidate, Topic: “Establishment of Spectral Libraries for the Identification of Wetland Vegetation in the Black River Lower Morass, Jamaica”
Anuradha Pallipurath, Ph.D. Candidate, Topic: “Non-invasive Identification of Artists’ Materials on Illuminated Manuscripts by Fiber Optics Reflectance Spectroscopy”
Angela Erb, MSc Student, USA and Kiran Gurm, MSc Student, CA, Topic: “Changing Vegetation Composition in the Arctic: Towards Quantifying Climate Feedbacks Through Shortwave Energy Fluxes and Methane Emissions”
Elizabeth Burakowski, Ph.D. Candidate, Topic: “Spectral Surface Albedo of Forested and Cleared Land”
David Browning, Masters of Science Candidate, Topic: “Hyperspectral Remote Sensing In Mineral Exploration Applications: Using Ammonium-Illite as a Pathfinder for Gold”
The students will receive access to the newly introduced FieldSpec 4 spectroradiometer, TerraSpec 4 Hi-Res mineral analyzer, the FieldSpec 3 and HandHeld 2 instruments. Recipients are also eligible to receive up to $500 (USD) toward publication fees whose completed paper is published by an approved journal. They can also use the money to cover travel costs with an accepted abstract for an oral or poster presentation at a relevant scientific conference.