Master’s Thesis: Remote sensing methods for the monitoring and evaluation of restored landscapes worldwide

17.08.2026, Abschlussarbeiten, Bachelor- und Masterarbeiten

In collaboration with World Vision, which implements ecosystem restoration and regeneration projects worldwide, a remote sensing–based monitoring approach will be developed. We are looking for motivated students to support this goal.

In collaboration with World Vision, which implements ecosystem restoration and regeneration projects worldwide, a remote sensing–based monitoring approach will be developed. To support scalable and cost-effective monitoring across a large and geographically dispersed portfolio, the methodology should rely predominantly on satellite imagery.

The monitoring framework is intended to document restoration outcomes and, ideally, identify the factors contributing to project success. The work will be based on an internal database containing several thou-sand restoration sites across arid and semi-arid regions worldwide. Depending on your interests, the project may focus on a specific region in greater depth or adopt a broader global perspective with a less detailed analysis. A more conceptual thesis with a stronger emphasis on literature review and methodol-ogy development, and less data processing, is also possible.

Challenges
• Highly heterogeneous site characteristics (size, shape, and land use)
• Diverse environmental conditions, primarily in arid and semi-arid regions
• Dedicated reference or control sites are generally not available.

Objectives
• Screen available geospatial datasets for site categorization and develop a data use strategy
• Develop a workflow for regional or global monitoring of ecosystem restoration projects
• Provide recommendations for improving data collection within restoration projects

Requirements
• Basic understanding of tropical and subtropical climates and vegetation
• Experience with R, Python, and/or QGIS
• Interest in working with geospatial and environmental data

Start
Immediately. An introductory meeting can be arranged at any time.

Kontakt: nikolaus.froehlich@tum.de