Keynote Speakers

ForestSAT 2026 is honored to host internationally recognized leaders in remote sensing, artificial intelligence, and forest science. Our keynote speakers represent academia, industry, and government research, and are shaping the future of Earth observation and global forest monitoring.

Dr. Paul Siqueira

Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Massachusetts Amherst

Dr. Siqueira is Co-Director of the Microwave Remote Sensing Laboratory (MIRSL) at UMass Amherst. His work focuses on the design and application of microwave remote sensing systems for Earth science.

He has worked at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, served as a visiting scientist for the European Commission, and was a Bullard Fellow at Harvard Forest. He is an investigator in NASA’s CMS, ABoVE, and ESTO programs, PI of the airborne SNOWWI instrument, and Ecosystems Lead for the NISAR mission launched in July 2025.

Dr. Valerie Pasquarella

Senior Research Scientist, Google

Dr. Pasquarella develops foundational geospatial datasets at Google that enhance the usability of Earth Observation imagery at global scales. Her expertise spans ecological remote sensing and time-series analysis.

She earned her PhD in Geography from Boston University and previously held research appointments at Boston University and Harvard University before joining Google in 2022.

Dr. Joanne C. White

Research Scientist, Canadian Forest Service

Dr. White specializes in lidar and satellite time-series applications for forest inventory and monitoring. She has authored more than 250 peer-reviewed publications and is recognized as a Highly Cited Researcher.

She received the Canadian Remote Sensing Society Silver Medal and the King Charles III Coronation Medal in 2025 for her contributions to forest science and public service.