The National Science Foundation (USA) has announced the results of the prestigious International Multilateral Partnerships for Resilient Education and Science System in Ukraine (IMPRESS-U) competition. Among the winners is a project by dr hab Tatiana Solovey, Professor at PGI-NRI entitled GRANDE-U, regarding the use of satellite gravimetry to assess groundwater resources on a European scale.

The aim of IMPRESS-U is to support outstanding scientific and technical research, education and innovation through international cooperation, and to promote and stimulate the integration of Ukrainian scientists into the global scientific community. IMPRESS-U projects must be based on a balanced and complementary contribution from all partner research teams. The programme's Polish partners are: National Science Centre and the National Agency for Academic Exchange.

- The project will start in June 2024 and last 24 months. Its material effect will be the calibration of gravimetric measurements of the GRACE mission using in-situ measurements of the position of the groundwater table and increasing the spatial resolution of gravimetric data using correlation and model methods. These effects will translate into scientific publications and the results will be presented at international scientific conferences. The project will also provide the basis for the training of one doctoral student. The project has tangible scientific benefits and is associated with prestige and increased international visibility for the Institute. In addition, the effects of the project can be used in the activities of the state geological survey, in particular to assess the dynamics of groundwater resources using innovative methods based on direct satellite measurements. - explains dr hab. Tatyana Solovey, professor at the institute.

One important objective of the winning project is the transfer of knowledge and experience between scientists from the US, the Baltic States and Ukraine. Poland is represented by PGI-NRI (coordinator of PL partners) and the Space Research Centre (CBK) of the Polish Academy of Sciences (PAN). Dr hab. Tatiana Solovey, together with dr Justyna Śliwińska-Bronowicz from the CBK PAN, will receive funding from the National Science Centre of almost PLN 1.42 million. The scope of the project includes: Poland, Ukraine, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and the USA. The scientists will also collaborate with the Geophysical Laboratory in Potsdam (Germany).

Partners in the project are:

• University of California, San Diego - Leader
• PGI-NRI
• CBK PAN
• University of Tartu
• Geological Survey of Estonia, Tallinn
• Vilnius University
• New Mexico State University
• Ukrainian Hydrometeorological Institute, Kyiv
• Taras Shevchenko National University, Kyiv
• University of Latvia, Riga
  
  

Text: Artur Baranowski