Beyond the Visible: Summer School on AI, Sensing, and the Future of Terrestrial Resources, June 14–19, 2026, Heilbronn (Germany)

Sunday, 14 June — Welcome and Registration
Participants arrive, register, and meet fellow participants, organisers, and mentors. The evening introduces the goals and structure of the Summer School and offers an opportunity to get to know the community before the programme begins.

Monday, 15 June — Innovation Frontiers
The week opens by exploring emerging challenges in resource management and the role of Earth observation and AI in addressing them. Keynotes and discussions highlight how new data and analytical capacities are transforming our understanding of land, ecosystems, and infrastructure systems.
Working in interdisciplinary teams, participants begin identifying high-impact challenges and framing the problem spaces they will work on throughout the week.
The day concludes with a public evening programme at experimenta – the Science Center, including a keynote and demonstration of Marco Tempest in the Science Dome.

Tuesday, 16 June — EO and AI Capabilities
Participants are introduced to the technical foundations of Earth observation and AI through a series of deep dives into data modalities, analytical methods, and applied workflows. Hands-on sessions and demonstrations allow teams to explore different types of EO data and their potential applications.
Hands-on sessions allow teams to explore satellite, drone, and ground-based data and begin connecting these capabilities to the challenges identified on Monday.

Wednesday, 17 June — Tools, Methods, and Field Perspectives
The programme moves from exploration to application. Participants connect digital analysis with real landscapes and operational contexts.
In the afternoon, participants head to Heuchelberg for an excursion combining landscape perspectives with live demonstrations of Earth observation technologies in practice.

Thursday, 18 June — From Idea to Implementation
Attention shifts from technical feasibility to real-world implementation. Through conversations with founders, practitioners, investors, and innovation experts, teams explore how promising ideas evolve into deployable solutions.
Participants refine their concepts by considering operational constraints, stakeholder adoption, and early market perspectives.
In the evening, participants join the opening of Heilbronn’s Lichterfest, one of the city’s summer highlights.

Friday, 19 June — Concept Refinement and Final Pitch
Teams consolidate their work into a coherent concept that integrates the problem definition, technical approach, and initial business model thinking.
The programme concludes with team pitches presented to a high-level expert panel, followed by feedback and an award ceremony recognising outstanding ideas.

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.

A detailed programme and speakers will be published on this website ahead of final registration.

Application period
Monday 9 March – Wednesday, 8 April 2026, 23:59 UTC

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

Important information

• This portal does not automatically save your progress. Applicants are therefore advised to prepare their responses inadvance using Download this PDF (PDF, 637 KB), and copy them into the portal when submitting.
• Your application is official once you receive the confirmation email. This may take a few minutes; please check your spam folder if necessary. If you do not receive a confirmation email, the email address may have been entered incorrectly during submission. In that case, we advise submitting your application again.
• For help or further information, please consult the FAQ or contact the organizer. Both can be found below.

We welcome Master’s students, PhD candidates, early-career researchers, and young professionals from diverse disciplines, including:

• resource management and policy
• earth observation, remote sensing, artificial intelligence, and technology development
• entrepreneurship
• related fields in academia, industry, or the public sector

Applicants with other relevant backgrounds or perspectives are also welcome to apply. Selection aims to assemble a diverse and balanced cohort of participants with complementary expertise and perspectives.

Up to 40 participants will be selected through a competitive process. Applications will be evaluated based on:

• the quality and relevance of the application
• the applicant’s motivation and interests
• the overall fit with the program

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

Accepted candidates will then be invited to complete Phase 2 (Registration) and confirm their participation by submitting additional information and paying the participation fee.

Part of the Monday programme takes place at Experimenta Heilbronn, Germany’s largest science centre. Known for its interactive exhibitions and striking riverfront architecture, Experimenta embodies the connection between science, society, and innovation. Its Science Dome will host the Summer School’s public evening event.

The excursion day leads participants into the surrounding landscapes—from the Heuchelberg hills, known for fruit cultivation and sustainable land-use practices, to Heilbronn’s Streuobstwiesen, traditional orchard meadows that connect biodiversity, agriculture, and cultural heritage. These sites illustrate how technological innovation and ecological practice intersect in a forward-looking regional context.

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. 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.

Participants work in interdisciplinary teams throughout the week. The programme is supported by facilitators and organisers 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. In addition to the working sessions, the week includes a public evening with invited guests, and informal moments such as the 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.

Participants will work in interdisciplinary teams formed at the beginning of the programme. Teams are designed to combine different disciplinary backgrounds and professional perspectives.

The Summer School is open to Master’s students, PhD candidates, early-career researchers, and young professionals from diverse disciplinary backgrounds. We particularly welcome applicants working in areas such as resource management and policy, remote sensing and AI, technology development, entrepreneurship, and related fields in academia, industry, or the public sector. Applicants with other relevant backgrounds or perspectives are also encouraged to apply.

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.

Participants traveling from within Europe may receive up to €600, while participants traveling from outside Europe may receive up to €1,400. Grants may be used to cover transportation costs and participation fees.

Applicants who wish to be considered for financial support can indicate this during the Phase 1 application.

We are looking for participants with a strong motivation to engage with the themes of the summer school, a background in at least one relevant area, and an interest in exploring how different disciplinary perspectives, methods, or technologies can contribute to addressing societal or environmental challenges. A diversity of academic and professional backgrounds is encouraged.

The Summer School brings together participants from different disciplinary, cultural, and professional backgrounds. We aim to assemble a cohort that reflects a diversity of perspectives, experiences, and expertise, as this is essential for addressing complex challenges in resource management.
We also strive to include participants from different regions and contexts.

Applicants from outside the immediate region are warmly encouraged to apply, and we aim to support international participation wherever possible. Financial support for travel and participation can be requested during the Phase 1 application.

The summer school is designed for a limited group of up to 40 participants, and applications are reviewed through a competitive 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.

Applicants will be informed of the outcome of their application by 24 April 2026 at the latest (see timeline above. If the dates do not match, please follow the one indicated in the timeline).

Accepted applicants will be invited to complete Phase 2 (Registration) and confirm their participation by submitting additional information and paying the participation fee before the deadline (see timeline above).

Applicants on the reserve list may be invited to participate if places become available after the registration deadline for accepted applicants (see timeline above).

Please first check your spam or junk folder. 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.

If the issue persists, please contact us and confirm that you have already attempted to submit the application twice.

If you submitted your application more than once (for example due to a missing confirmation email), only the first 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.

If you encounter technical issues while completing the application, 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.

Please contact for any questions not addressed on this page.