KFS Summer Conference in Yeosu
Minkyu and Hyunjae attended the Summer Conference of the Korean Society of Forest Science in Yeosu. Hyunjae presented our recent work on high-resolution mangrove mapping across the Asia-Pacific. It was great to share our research and catch up with colleagues!
Summer Research Exchange in Gangneung
In Aug 2026, GEL joined Prof. Jaeil Cho’s group from Chonnam National University, Prof. Minseok Kang’s group at KNU Gangneung, and colleagues from the National Center for Agro-Meteorology for a research workshop in Gangneung. We shared our latest work, visited the highland field site, and had a great time exchanging ideas. Looking forward to the next gathering!
Best Poster Award at KFS
Hyunjae's research on multi-satellite forest fire monitoring earned him the Best Poster Presentation Award at the KFS Conference. Congrats, Hyunjae!
Congrats, Dr. Farkhodov!
Dr. Farkhodov won the Best Oral Presentation Award at the KSAFM Conference for his research on detecting semi-mangroves along the Jeju coastline using drone imagery and a U-Net model. Congratulations on this achievement!
AsiaFlux 2025
Minkyu attended AsiaFlux 2025, held in Riau, Indonesia. It was a great opportunity to engage with excellent research and inspiring people. Looking forward to AsiaFlux 2026!
Congrats, Dr. Sukyung Kim!
In Aug 2025, Sukyung successfully defended her dissertation on multi-scale phenology using field data, models, and remote sensing at SNU, under the supervision of Dr. Hyun Seok Kim. She will continue her outstanding research and lead an NSF project to develop a global LSP product.
A few exciting updates from our team!
As of July 2025, we have launched a new research project: “Automatic Wildfire Fire-Line Detection & System Integration,” a 4.5-year initiative funded by the Korea Forest Service (KFS).
Team Spotlight
Jihye Lee, our lab manager and PhD candidate in Environmental Science at KNU, will be overseeing all project budgets and administrative coordination.
Dr. Farkhodov, who recently completed his PhD in AI Convergence at PNU, has joined us as a postdoctoral researcher focusing on wildfire detection.
More updates coming soon. Stay tuned!
New Project on KFS project Selected!
Our new two-year project (2025–2026) has been selected, focusing on assessing forest carbon sequestration under different management practices using National Forest Inventory data. In collaboration with SNU and NIFoS, this research will support region-specific sustainable forest strategies and align with national carbon neutrality goals. It will also create synergies with our ongoing Korea Forest Service (KFS)-funded research, strengthening the scientific foundation for forest carbon management policies!
New Project on KFS project Selected!
Our new two-year project (2025–2026) has been selected, focusing on assessing forest carbon sequestration under different management practices using National Forest Inventory data. In collaboration with SNU and NIFoS, this research will support region-specific sustainable forest strategies and align with national carbon neutrality goals. It will also create synergies with our ongoing Korea Forest Service (KFS)-funded research, strengthening the scientific foundation for forest carbon management policies!
New Funding Alert from NRF!
We’re thrilled to share that GEL has secured competitive funding from the National Research Foundation of Korea (한국연구재단)! In collaboration with Boston University (Prof. Mark A. Friedl’s lab), this project will develop the world’s first moderate-resolution global land surface phenology database using satellite data and cloud computing. Stay tuned as we advance global phenology research!
Phenocam at KNU!
Feb 14th. We've installed a Phenocam at the top of our building! This marks an exciting step in expanding our lab’s capabilities for network-based phenological research. The system is now live, capturing continuous observations that will contribute to broader ecosystem monitoring efforts. Another exciting research journey has begun today!
RDA Supercomputing Center
On Feb 6th, Hyunjae and Minkyu visited the Rural Development Administration (농진청) Supercomputing Center—a great experience! Looking forward to utilizing these powerful computing resources for our research. Exciting times ahead!
Welcome Home, Jaebeom!
As we await upcoming 2025 Spring semester, a KNU Environmental Department alumnus, Jaebeom, has returned home to complete the rest of his PhD journey. He is a widely experienced researcher with expertise in many fields, which will make GEL even stronger. A warm welcome, and best wishes on your joyful journey!
We are growing!
As of September 1st, Sukyung, a postdoctoral researcher, has joined GEL. She expects to complete her PhD dissertation at Seoul National University by February 2025. Her dissertation focuses on vegetation phenology using process-based modeling, PhenoCam, and satellite remote sensing.
At GEL, Sukyunkg will lead a KFS funded project, aimed at estimating forest carbon storage using high-resolution satellite remote sensing and AI approaches to help achieve the national carbon-neutral goal.
Welcome, Sukyung!
One giant leap for GEL!
We attended the 2024 Summer Academic Conference of the Korean Forest Society in Jeju (Aug 26-29, 2024). A small group of scientists gathered to share their recent progress, focusing on mangrove forests, one of the most carbon-absorbing and -storing ecosystems in the world. We are posing with a signature hand gesture symbolizing mangrove tree roots.
We, GEL, presented our recent work mapping mangrove forest extent in Bail Sanur, Indonesia. This is the very first outcome we've made and presented publicly since GEL started.
Let's keep moving on!
Mar 12, 2024
We're thrilled to announce that GEL has been selected as a PI for a new R&D project funded by the Korea Forest Service! This project will focus on assessing forest carbon balance at multiple scales, ranging from single trees to landscapes. We're honored to be part of this important work and look forward to the innovative breakthroughs we will achieve in collaboration with teams from KNU, SNU, and the University of Seoul!
We're also seeking motivated students interested in joining our team for this exciting project. Please contact the PI, Minkyu Moon, via the email; moon.minkyu@kangwon.ac.kr
Dec 20, 2023
GEL is under construction!!!
Lab has been renovated, but more to come!!!