JOHOR BAHRU, Nov 12 – Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) successfully hosted the IEEE Workshop on Geoscience and Remote Sensing 2025 (IWGRS2025), the 11th edition of the annual flagship workshop of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Geoscience and Remote Sensing Society (GRSS) Malaysia Chapter. The one-day event was held at UTM Johor Bahru and gathered researchers, industry practitioners, students to discuss the latest advances in geoscience and remote sensing. This workshop was in conjunction with the Research, Development, Commercialisation, and Innovation (RDCPI) week at the Faculty of Built Environment and Surveying (FABU), UTM Johor Bahru.
Carrying the theme “Advanced and Emerging Trends in Remote Sensing”, the workshop provided a platform for participants to share knowledge and experience on emerging techniques, technologies and applications in the field. Discussions covered a wide range of topics including radar systems and applications, Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), microwave components and communication systems, surveillance technologies, environmental and disaster monitoring, land cover classification and mapping, Geo-AI, as well as geospatial technologies for monitoring the impact of development.
IWGRS2025 was co-organised by a strong consortium of institutions: Malaysian Space Agency (MYSA), Institute of Geospatial and Remote Sensing Malaysia (IGRSM), Curtin Malaysia, Multimedia University (MMU), Science & Technology Research Institute for Defence (STRIDE), Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) and UTM.
The workshop featured two keynote addresses by internationally recognised experts. Dr. Sun Hong Bo, Principal Scientist and Head of Satellite Communication & Sensing Division at the Institute for Infocomm Research (I²R), A*STAR, Singapore, delivered a keynote titled “Passive Through-Wall Human Sensing with WiFi Signal”, highlighting innovative approaches that leverage WiFi signals for human sensing in complex environments. Dr.-Ing. Wahyudi Hasbi, Head of the Research Center for Satellite Technology at National Research & Innovation Agency (BRIN), Indonesia, presented his keynote on “Remote Sensing and Disaster Mitigation through Small Satellite: Tools for Sustainable Development”, emphasising the role of small satellite technology in disaster mitigation and sustainable development.
UTM played a central role in the technical and organisational structure of IWGRS2025. Sr. Ts. Dr. Alvin Lau Meng Shin from UTM served as Technical Program Committee (TPC) Chair, supported by other TPC members from other institutions.
On the organising side, Prof. Dr. Gs. Chan Yee Kit from MMU served as Chair, assisted by Dr. Nurul Hawani Idris from UTM as Co-Chair of the Organising Committee. The local organising committee, comprising lecturers and students from the Department of Geoinformation, FABU, UTM, also led the domestic arrangements and ensured the smooth flow of the workshop, positioning UTM as a key hub for geospatial and remote sensing activities in Malaysia.
There were 13 papers presented by researchers from MMU, UTAR, UTM, and other institutions. To encourage high-quality research, IWGRS2025 offered a Best Paper Award, which was presented to Nurin Izzati Azmi and Prof. Dr. Norzailawati Mohd Noor for their paper entitled “Urban Development Pattern Detection with Nighttime Light Data in Selangor, Malaysia.”
By successfully hosting IWGRS2025, UTM further reinforced its position as a leading institution in geospatial science, and remote sensing while strengthening collaborations with national agencies, international partners and the wider IEEE GRSS community.
