Introduction

The main focus of my research is monitoring vegetation using Earth Observation methods. I have built a focus, in my own work and that of my research group, around developing and applying new methods in this area, with a key emphasis on moving the field from loose empirical correlations to making use of physically-based models. I have always sought to develop a strong, rigorous, capability in modelling within my own work and that of my group (research as well as training elements such as the MSc remote sensing). This has led to a wide range of fruitful collaborations over the years. The approach has provided practical solutions to operational monitoring (e.g. my work over the last 10+ years leading to the development of the NASA MODIS BRDF/albedo product with colleagues at BU¹, NASA, UoW, Swansea², and UCL) as well as providing for greater accuracy in spinoff applications such as model-based burn scar detection in Africa/change detection with colleagues at UMD³/NASA. Gaining a NERC EOSI Lectureship in the last few years (Dr Paul Saich, a