GISTDA Honorable Partnership Award is the token of heartfelt appreciation given to the person(s) who has continuously and sincerely supported GISTDA for long time. The partnership in this award is not only limited to professional cooperation but also cordial and friendship extended to GISTDA.
The 1st Award presenting ceremony was first held during Thailand Space Week 2023. The 1st person who received the commemorative trophy was Dr. Shinichi SOBUE, Deputy Chief Officer of Earth Observation Missions, Space Technology Directorate I, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)
Dr. Shinichi Sobue got a master degree of engineering from Toyohashi university of Technology in Japan in 1989 and got a philosophical doctor of engineering from Kennedy-Western University in USA in 2000. His expertise is image data analysis of earth observation data. He joined JAXA in 1989 and had been dedicate to earth observation satellite ground system development and data research management. From January 2017 to 2021, he held a position of Advanced Land Observing Satellite-2 (ALOS-2) project manager. From 2022, he has served as the deputy chief officer of Earth Observation missions and ALOS-2 mission manager in JAXA. He also plays various roles of co-chair of APRSAF SAFE initiative, co-lead person of GEO GEOGLAM Asia-RiCE team, and co-chairperson of ISPRS commission I workgroup 1.
More than 10 years, Dr. Shinichi Sobue has been coordinated with GISTDA and become one of the key persons who supports GISTDA in developing the system to monitor rice crop area. Moreover, he always strengthens the relationships between GISTDA and Japan’s entities, and sometimes the entities outside Japan, without hesitation. His sincerity profoundly impressed GISTDA executives and every staff who collaborated with him.