Caucasus SDI
The Caucasus Spatial Data Infrastructure (C-SDI) Team was established in 2015 in order to improve the spatial data sharing mechanisms and data geoprocessing capacities; to support gap analyses in spatial data availability, infrastructure and institutional arrangements; and to support capacity building of key local actors related to countries’ involvement in international and regional flagship initiatives through the Group on Earth Observation (GEO).
The Caucasus SDI Team is responsible for the Caucasus spatial data GeoNode platform (//sustainable-caucasus.grid.unep.ch), which to date contains more than 100 datasets from various sources (global, regional, national and local) on a wide range of themes.
C-SDI Team:
Dr. Elnur Safarov is a Scientific Researcher at the Institute of Geography (Department of the Caspian Sea Problems) of Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences. He has about 15 years of work experience in a field of oceanology, hydrology, climate, environmental assessment, coastal management of the Caspian basin with the application of Remote Sensing and Geographic Information System (GIS).
Since 2009, he is the National Coordinator of International Oceanographic Data and Information Exchange (IODE) on Database and library in Azerbaijan. Also since May 2018, he is the Coordinator of the Caspian Integrated scientific Network (CASPISNET) International Working Group - created with the aim to develop a decision-making support system at the regional level by pulling national resources towards data analysis while developing an early warning system at the disposal of policy formulators.
Hayk Igityan is a specialist in Geology, Geohazard and Risk Reduction, Geodynamics, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Spatial Data Infrastructures (SDI) at the Institute of Geological Sciences at the National Academy of Sciences RA, and a specialist at “Georisk” Scientific-Research company. In 2016, he was awarded a PhD in Geology. From 2014 to 2015 he was an engineer geologist at Yerevan State University, Faculty of Geography and Geology. Since 2012, he has been working at the Institute of Geological Sciences at the National Academy of Sciences, RA and “Georisk” Scientific-Research company, focusing on earthquake and landslide hazard mapping and risk reduction
Mamuka Gvilava is specialized in a wide range of environmental subjects with 20 years of experience with cooperative projects in the Caucasus and Black Sea eco-regions, and Europe. His expertise includes environmental and strategic (programmatic) impact assessments, environmental informatics (SDI, GIS and remote sensing, earth observations, data cube, hydrological and coastal models), green design and construction, nature based solutions, climate change assessment and development of methodologies and practices in integrated coastal management. Mamuka Gvilava serves as the National Focal Point on Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM); Member of the ICZM Advisory Group to Black Sea Commission; Member of the working group developing EU’s Black Sea Research and Innovation Agenda (SRIA), also Correspondence Contact for GEO Principle of Georgia, as well as Caucasus Spatial Data Infrastructure (C-SDI) Working Group Member and Focal Point, based in Tbilisi, Georgia.
Kamran Shayesteh is an assistant professor at Malayer University Iran. Since 2015 he is the dean of Faculty of Natural Resources and Environment. He is the board member of the Iranian Association for Environmental Assessment, as well as the founding member of the Scientific Network for Caucasus Mountain Regions (SNC-mt) and its Scientific Steering Group. His research interests include: land use change analysis. landscape ecology, ecological economics, carrying capacity.
Since 2016 he is member of the Caucasus Spatial Data Infrastructure (C-SDI) working group and Focal Point from Iran. With SNC-mt he has been involved in number of projects including the project "Supporting Sustainable Mountain Development in the Caucasus" funded by Swiss National Science Foundation and an on-going the project "Strengthening Climate Adaptation Capacities" funded by Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).
Hakan Yiğitbaşıoğlu graduated Ankara State University and holds Ph.D. in Physical Geography. He is a professor at the same university since 2005 and the Head of Physical Geography Sub-department starting from 2001. Before that Mr. Yiğitbaşıoğlu was the Head of Social Environmental Sciences Sub-Department in Social Sciences Institute of Ankara University, as well as the Vice Dean of Faculty of Language and History and Geography at the Ankara University.
Andrei Medvedev graduated the Faculty of Geography at Moscow State University and holds Ph.D. in Geography and Cartography. Since 2006 he is working at the Institute of Geography at Russian Academy of Science. He has profound experience in teaching GIS, remote sensing and topography both in Moscow State University and High School of Economics. He was a member of organizational committees of more than 20 international scientific conferences and more than 20 scientific projects at the Russian Academy of Science, the Russian Geographic Society, the Russian Scientific Foundation. He is also an official expert at the Russian Academy of Science; member of the Technology Committee of standardization in the fields of geographical information, geodesy and cartography; member of Scientific Committee on geodesy and geophysics at International Association of Academy of Science; expert of the European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST).