Satellite remote sensing
Atmospheric composition, air quality, Earth observation validation, and environmental change applications.
About
Researching the atmosphere as a connected system
Philipp Schneider
I am a Senior Scientist at NILU – Norwegian Institute for Air Research. My work uses satellite remote sensing, environmental models, sensor networks, and spatial data science to make air-quality and environmental information more useful.
My current research focuses on atmospheric composition and air quality: from global and urban nitrogen-dioxide trends observed from space to high-resolution mapping across Europe. A consistent theme is integration—combining satellite, model, and ground observations through data fusion, geostatistics, data assimilation, and machine learning.
Earlier work includes satellite observations of land and lake-surface temperature, climate applications, wildfire risk, and remote sensing for hydrology.
Expertise
Research focus
Spatial data science
Geostatistical data fusion, assimilation, machine learning, time series, and spatial analysis.
Air-quality monitoring
Urban and regional mapping, low-cost sensor systems, and transparent quality-control approaches.
Related applications
Wildfire, pollen, methane, lake temperature, climate, and land-surface observation.
Career
Experience
Senior Scientist · NILU
Satellite remote sensing of tropospheric air quality and climate; European air-quality mapping, data fusion, low-cost sensors, and validation.
Postdoctoral Research Scientist · NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory / Caltech
Research on large inland water bodies as indicators of climate change.
Graduate researcher & NASA Earth System Science Fellow · UC Santa Barbara
Remote sensing, spatial analysis, carbon-budget research, and wildfire-risk modelling.
Research Associate · LMU Munich
Remote sensing in operational water-balance and flood-prediction modelling.
Education & service
Foundations and contribution
Education
PhD, Geography
University of California, Santa Barbara, 2008
Wildfire susceptibility modelling using MODIS remote sensing and mesoscale weather models.
Diplom (MSc), Geography
Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, 2003
Remote sensing, meteorology, and validation of SRTM X-SAR elevation models for hydrologic applications.
Selected recognition
- NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory Outstanding Postdoctoral Research Award (2009)
- David S. Simonett Memorial Award for excellence in remote sensing research (2008)
- NASA Earth System Science Fellowship (2004–2008)
Professional service
- Member, Research Council of Norway National Reference Group for Horizon Europe Cluster 4: Digital, industry and space (since 2020)
- Reviewer, European Research Council Consolidator Grants
- Management Committee member, COST Action TD1105 EuNetAir (2012–2016)
- Reviewer for journals in atmosphere, remote sensing, and environmental science
Scientific leadership
Supporting the next generation
I have contributed to supervision across Norwegian and international institutions, including master’s and doctoral-level research in environmental monitoring and spatial methods. In projects, I lead and contribute to work packages that connect measurement, modelling, and user needs.