Join us in this session with Dr. Subrata Sarker on Affordable Approaches for Coastal Ecosystem Monitoring Affordable monitoring is vital for expanding coastal ecosystem data in vast, understudied regions while strengthening community stewardship and ocean literacy. SAGITTA and C4CEM are the two NANO (NF-POGO Alumni Network for the Ocean)-led affordable coastal monitoring initiatives supported by the Nippon Foundation and POGO. SAGITTA (Social Agitation for Temperature Analysis), launched in 2018, collects water- column temperature profiles using a compact, low-cost, scientifically reliable profiler. The system combines a sensor-based probe (temperature/pressure sensors, battery, microSD storage), a web data portal, and an android application. This probe is now under filed test in Bangladesh. Citizen for Coastal Ecosystem Monitoring (C4CEM), created in 2022 under NANO-DOAP Global Project, engages local communities in Bangladesh to monitor species diversity, fishing activity, and plastic pollution using an Android app that captures geo- referenced photos and uploads them to a database for expert validation. Both SAGITTA and C4CEM provide scalable, accessible tools to reduce data gaps, map biodiversity hotspots, and promote inclusive coastal conservation.

Speaker

Dr. Subrata Sarker
Associate Professor and Head of the Department of Oceanography, Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST)

Dr. Subrata Sarker is an Associate Professor and Head of the Department of Oceanography at Shahjalal University of Science and Technology (SUST). His research interests include coastal ecosystem monitoring and conservation, marine ecology, ecological modeling, time series data analysis, and the application of numerical and statistical methods to understand marine ecosystems better. He is also interested in developing oceanographic services that directly benefit local communities. One key aspect of his activities is to translate the research findings into actionable policy recommendations that support sustainable coastal and marine resource management.