Beyond the Visible: Summer School on AI, Sensing, and the Future of Terrestrial Resources

The Summer School will take place in person on 14–19 June 2026, on the ETH Zurich Campus Heilbronn, Germany (with excursion). Participants are expected to be present for the entire duration of the program. Please note that this is a full-time, immersive course, and it is not possible to work or pursue other studies in parallel.

To apply, submit your application through the online application portal by Wednesday, 8 April 2026, 23:59 UTC.  

Application portal
external page https://ethzurich.eventsair.com/beyondvisible/application

About the application portal

• The portal does not automatically save your progress. You can prepare your responses in advance Download using this PDF (PDF, 636 KB).
• Your submission is confirmed once you receive a confirmation email. Please check your spam folder if necessary. 
• If you do not receive a confirmation email, please submit your application again.

For help or further information, please consult the FAQ or contact the organizer.

Results and communication

The selection process will take place in April. Outcomes include acceptance, placement on the reserve list, or rejection.

Accepted candidates will be invited to confirm their participation by submitting additional information and paying the participation fee of €450,-.

Timeline

• Until 8 April 2026: application period
• 9–24 April 2026: selection process
• by 24 April 2026: Applicants are informed of the outcome
• 24 April–3 May 2026: Confirmation and registration (accepted applicants)
• From 4 May 2026: Invitations from the reserve list (if applicable)
• 14 June 2026: Start of the Summer School

The Summer School is designed to strengthen interdisciplinary, project-based learning. We welcome Master’s students, PhD candidates, early-career researchers, and young professionals from diverse backgrounds. 

If the number of applications exceeds 40 participants, selection aims to assemble a diverse and balanced cohort in terms of interests, expertise, gender, nationality, culture and life experience.

A successful applicant demostrates: 

• a relevant afinity with and background in technical, environmental or industrial sectors.
• well formulated motivation and interests
• overall fit with the program

No ECTS are awarded. Participants receive a Certificate of Participation and may request recognition at their home institution in accordance with local regulations.

Participation in the Summer School requires a registration fee of €450. The fee includes:

• Accommodation
• Meals and beverages
• Mentoring during the programme
• Excursion and site visits

Participants are responsible for arranging and covering their travel to and from Heilbronn.

A limited number of travel and participation grants are available to support selected participants. These can be used to cover transportation costs and/or the participation fee. Applicants can indicate their interest in financial support in the application portal. Available support:

• up to €600 within Europe
• up to €1,400 outside Europe

Sunday, 14 June — Welcome and Orientation

• Arrival, registration, and informal networking.
• Introduction to the program, its themes, and participants.

Monday, 15 June — Innovation Frontiers

• Understanding key challenges in resource management across sectors.
• Introduction to real-world problem contexts and stakeholder perspectives.
• Formation of interdisciplinary teams.

Tuesday, 16 June — EO and AI Capabilities

• Hands-on sessions introducing Earth observation and AI methods.
• Exploration of satellite, drone, and ground-based data.
• Linking technological possibilities to identified challenges.

Wednesday, 17 June — EO and AI Capabilities (2), and Field Perspectives

• Application of EO and AI tools in real-world settings.
• Excursion to Heuchelberg with live demonstrations.
• Connecting data, landscape, and decision-making contexts.

Thursday, 18 June — Deployment and Scaling Pathways

Moving from solution concepts to real-world implementation. In exchange with founders, public-sector actors, and investors. articipants work on:

• Stakeholder integration and adoption
• Operational and regulatory constraints
• Business and implementation models

Friday, 19 June — Concept Refinement and Final Pitch

Teams consolidate their concepts, including:

• Problem–solution fit
• Technical approach
• Deployment pathway
• Scaling strategy
• Key risks and limitations

Final presentations to an expert panel, followed by feedback and closing.

During this Summer School, you will learn to: 

1. Understand the capabilities and limitations of Earth Observation (EO) data and AI methods for resource management applications, including different data modalities, analytical approaches, and practical constraints.
2. Identify and clearly define a potentially high-impact problem in the domain of resource management, grounded in stakeholder needs and informed by practical, technological and/or regulatory constraints.
3. Design a solution concept that applies EO data and AI approaches to address the identified problem and assess its technical feasibility, considering data availability, methodological suitability, and system requirements.
4. Map a realistic pathway from solution idea to implementation, considering operational constraints, stakeholder adoption, and entrepreneurial and market realities.
5. Present and defend a coherent concept, including solution logic, initial business model considerations, and key risks, to an expert jury.

The Heilbronn Summer School 2026 is organised by the Forest Resources Management Group (FORM) at ETH Zurich, in close collaboration with ETH Zurich Campus Heilbronn.

ETH Zurich, the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, is one of the world’s leading universities in science and technology. It hosts more than 25,000 students from over 120 countries and employs around 560 professors dedicated to advancing research and education at the highest international level.

Scientific Committee

• Prof. Dr. Verena Griess, ETH Zurich Professor Forest Resources Management / Director ETH Swiss GeoLab
• Dr. Nanja Strecker, ETH Space / ESA BIC Switzerland
• Dr. Felix Seidel Caprez, ETH Swiss GeoLab, Managing Director 
• Dr. Inge Jonckheere, ​European Space Agency, Head of Green Solutions Division
• Dr. Benjamin Koetz, European Space Agency, Head of Sustainable Initiatives Office in the Earth Observation Directorate
• Prof. Dr. Martina Boehm, DHBW Heilbronn, Dean of Wine Technology and Management

Organising Committee:

• Maaike Goedkoop, ETH Zurich, Project Manager
• Dr. Michele De Lorenzi, ETH Zürich Campus Heilbronn gGmbH, Managing Director
• Sophia Dieterich, ETH Zürich Campus Heilbronn, Event & Hospitality Manager

The Obstversuchsgut (farm for fruit research) Heuchlingen, operated by the external page LVWO Weinsberg, is a 34-hectare fruit research farm in southern Germany where a wide range of trials on fruit cultivation, management, and sustainable production are conducted. During our visit on wednesday afternoon, we will explore how remote sensing technologies are used for monitoring and gain insight into these approaches in practice.

During the Summer School, participants will also experience Heilbronn’s annual Lichterfest, a public celebration that transforms the city with light installations, music, and events along the Neckar River. The festival offers a moment to step beyond the academic setting and engage with the city and its community, marking the Summer School’s close connection to local cultural life.

Participants work in interdisciplinary teams on real-world challenges in resource management, guided by mentors from both the academic field as well as from industry. Throughout the week, teams move from identifying a problem to developing a concept that combines technical feasibility, real-world implementation considerations, and initial business model thinking. The programme culminates in a final pitch to an expert panel.

Prior expertise in Earth Observation or artificial intelligence is not required. 

While participants with technical expertise are strongly encouraged to apply and will play an important role in the interdisciplinary teams, others should have a clear affinity with related domains such as environmental systems, policy, economics, or innovation.

The programme is supported by facilitators who help ensure a constructive working environment and healthy group dynamics. They accompany the teams during the programme, support collaboration when needed, and help maintain a respectful and productive atmosphere for all participants.

Yes. The programme is designed to encourage interaction between participants, speakers, and mentors. The week includes informal moments such as a public evening, an excursion to Heuchelberg and participation in the opening of Heilbronn’s Lichterfest.

The outline published on the website provides an overview of the structure and themes of the summer school. The detailed schedule and speaker lineup are currently being finalised and will be shared with participants before final registration.

No, a diversity of participants with academic and professional backgrounds is encouraged.

No. While many participants will come from academic institutions, the summer school is also open to young professionals and practitioners from industry, the public sector, and other relevant fields.

The summer school is intended for Master’s students, PhD candidates, early-career researchers, and young professionals. Applicants should have a background to at least one relevant field.

Yes. A limited number of travel and participation grants are available for selected participants.

The summer school is designed for a limited group of up to 40 participants, and applications are reviewed through a selection process. Candidates are selected based on the quality of their application, their motivation, and their overall fit with the program, while also aiming to assemble a diverse and balanced group of participants.

Let your application be guided by your ambitions and curiosity, not by doubts about whether you are good enough or wether you fit in.

Applicants will be informed of the outcome of their application by 24 April 2026 at the latest (see timeline under 'How to apply?' - if the dates do not match, please follow the one in the timeline).

When applicants are accepted, they will be invited to submit additional information and pay the participation fee before the deadline (see 'How to apply?').

Applicants on the reserve list may be invited to participate when places become available after the registration deadline for accepted applicants expires (see 'How to apply?').

1. Please first check your spam or junk folder. 
2. If the confirmation email cannot be found, the email address may have been entered incorrectly during submission. In that case, we always advise you to submit your application again, using the exact same answers.
3. If the issue persists, please contact us and confirm that you have already attempted to submit the application twice.

The most recent application received will be considered during the review process.

In cases of suspected misuse of the application process, the organizers reserve the right to exclude the application from the selection process.

Please try refreshing the page or accessing the portal using a different (or incognito) browser. If the problem persists, contact us and briefly describe the issue.