2026 IOCCG Summer Lecture Series
Frontiers in Ocean Optics and Ocean Colour Science: 5 – 19 July 2026
Overview
Venice International University (VIU) campus, on the island of San Servolo in the Venetian lagoon.
The 7th edition of the advanced IOCCG Summer Lecture Series took place on 5 – 19 July 2026 in Venice, Italy, and was hosted by the Institute of Marine Sciences (ISMAR) from the Italian National Council of Research (CNR) and the Venice International University (VIU). The course was held at the VIU campus, which is on the island of San Servolo, located in the Venetian lagoon between the Venice city center and the island of Lido.
As in previous years, this high-level training course was dedicated to the fundamentals of ocean optics, bio-optics and ocean colour remote sensing. Several experienced research scientists provided lectures on cutting edge research, with focus on current critical issues in ocean colour science. The course was structured so that students would have ample opportunity to meet with lecturers for in-depth discussions.
The IOCCG Summer Lecture Series is an advanced training course targeted at students conducting ocean color research, and is not suitable for beginners with limited knowledge of remote sensing. The course addresses theoretical aspects of ocean colour science and advanced science questions, rather than practical applications.
Course Content
Reviewed Before Attending:
- Interaction of Light and Matter, Dariusz Stramski (PDF, video 1, video 2)
- The nature and properties of light, Dariusz Stramski (PDF, video)
Lectures
Fundamentals
- Optics of Marine Particles, Mike Twardowski
- Radiometry and apparent optical properties (AOPs), David Antoine
- Fundamentals of IOPs and their relationship with AOPs, Zhongping Lee
- Ocean Scattering, Mike Twardowski
- Radiometry, apparent optical properties, measurements & uncertainties, David Antoine
- Introduction to Radiative Transfer Modelling, John Hedley
- IOPs Inversion and applications, Zhongping Lee
- Optical properties of phytoplankton, Pierre Gernez
- Atmospheric corrections of satellite OCR observations, David Antoine
- Fundamentals on shallow water remote sensing, John Hedley
- Principles of LiDAR, Davide Dionisi
- AC for turbid and complex waters, Quinten Van Hellemont
Applications, Wider Context
- Past, present and future of satellite OCR, Vittorio Brando
- Ocean biogeochemical cycles, Bob Brewin
- Primary production, export production and climate-driven changes, Bob Brewin
- Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs), Pierre Gernez
- Perspectives on hyperspectral optics and remote sensing, Jeremy Werdell
- Tools for shallow water mapping, Claudia Giardino / Laura Zoffoli
- Phytoplankton community composition derived from optics and remote sensing, Ivona Cetinic
- Fine scale satellite – applications to turbid waters, Vittorio Brando
- Applications of LiDAR to ocean color science, Davide Dionisi
- OC multi-sensors , Vittorio Brando
- Inland waters, Claudia Giardino
Course Participants
Course Sponsors
We thank the following sponsors for supporting the 2026 Summer Lecture Series.
- Italian National Council of Research (CNR), Institute of Marine Sciences (ISMAR)
- Venice International University (VIU)
- EUMETSAT (European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites)
- The Copernicus Programme of the European Union
- European Space Agency (ESA)
- Mercator Ocean International
- Biodiversity Gateway
- Ocean Carbon & Biogeochemistry (OCB) Project Office, Woods Hole, MA, USA
- Scientific Committee on Oceanic Research (SCOR)
- International Ocean Colour Coordinating Group (IOCCG)
Course Lecturers
- David Antoine (Curtin University, Australia)
- Emmanuel Boss (UMaine, USA)
- Federica Braga (CNR-ISMAR, Italy)
- Vittorio Brando (CNR-ISMAR, Italy)
- Bob Brewin (University of Exeter, UK)
- Ivona Cetinic (NASA, USA)
- Francesco D’Amico (EUMETSAT, Germany)
- Davide Dionisi (CNR-ISMAR, Italy)
- Claudia Giardino (CNR-IREA, Italy)
- Pierre Gernez (UNantes, France)
- John Hedley (NCL, UK)
- Zhongping Lee (Xiamen University, China)
- Ben Loveday (EUMETSAT, Germany)
- Mike Twardowski (FAU, USA)
- Quinten Van Hellemont (RBINS, Belgium)
- Jeremy Werdell (NASA, USA)
- Laura Zoffoli (CNR-ISMAR, Italy)
Selected Students
- Tomás Acuña Ruz, Sorbonne University, France
- Mariam Ayad, University of California, Santa Cruz, USA
- Brittany Barreto Martinez, San Diego State University, USA
- Zoé Besnard, ISOMer – Nantes University, France
- Amir Chegoonian, University of Waterloo, Canada
- Bruno Nicolas Cremella Palmerini, Laboratoire d’Océanographie de Villefranche, CNRS/Sorbonne Université, France
- Madhusmita Dash, Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research Warnemünde (IOW), Germany
- Jeniffer De Maligaya, Philippine Space Agency, Philippines
- Ivan Farace, CNR – ISMAR / Sapienza University of Rome, Italy
- Congju Fu, CNR – ISMAR / Sapienza University of Rome, Italy
- Mauro Gonzalez Vera, Comision Nacional de Actividades Espaciales (CONAE), Argentina
- Vinícius Guimarães, National Institute for Space Research, Brazil
- Jong-Seok Lee, Korea Institute of Ocean Science & Technology, South Korea
- Mengyu Li, CNR-ISMAR, Italy
- Xu Li, Xiamen University, China
- Maria Lima, University of Algarve, Portugal
- Thainara Lima, Mississippi State University, USA
- Jutarak Luang-on, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC), Japan
- Adam Lucas, University of North Carolina Wilmington, USA
- Amihan Manuel, National University of Singapore, Singapore
- Antonija Matek, University of Zagreb, Croatia
- Munawaroh, National Research and Innovation Agency of Republic of Indonesia, Indonesia
- Winnie Owoko, King’s College London, UK
- Mirna Pohorylow, CESIMAR CENPAT CONICET, Argentina
- Muhammad Prasetyo, Tohoku University, Japan
- Brynn Presler-Marshall, University of Strathclyde, United Kingdom
- Rebekah Shunmugapandi, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, India
- Md Shahin Hossain Shuva, Curtin University, Australia
- Xavier Warren, University of Connecticut, USA
- Wenlong Xu, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology (JUST), China
Logistics
Accommodation is provided on the Venice International University Campus for the following dates:
Check-in: Sunday 5 July 2026
Check-out: Sunday 19 July 2026
Read details about accommodation on San Servolo Island here. Rooms are pre-assigned. Participants will be notified of room assignments upon arrival.
Accommodation address:
Venice International University
Isola di San Servolo
30133 Venice,
Italy
phone: +39 041 2719511
The nearest airport to the VIU Campus on San Servolo is Venice Marco Polo Airport – Aeroporto di Venezia (VCE). Transit is available to navigate from VCE to San Servolo.
Some directions and tips on how to go from VCE to San Servolo
Those requiring visas to attend the course should have indicated this in their acceptance.
Supporting documents provided by CNR are for participants to apply for visas in the student visa category. It is the participant’s responsibility to check the Italian Consulate for their jurisdiction to ensure the correct documents for visa applications, as well as to check all entry requirements for Italy.
Sponsored participants should contact their respective sponsors for flight and travel information where needed to support visa applications. If you are unsure, please contact the IOCCG Project Office at raisha@ioccg.org.
The 6th International Ocean Colour Science (IOCS) meeting was held in Darmstadt, Germany from 1 – 4 December 2025, hosted by EUMETSAT and ESA. All meeting material is available is on the archive webpage.