THIAGO SANNA FREIRE SILVA
307, 1350 Stanley Ave
Victoria, British Columbia V8S 3S7
T 1-250 858-7103
[email protected]
PROFILE
PhD Candidate in Geography, with a MSc. in Remote Sensing and a BSc. (Hons.) in Biology. More than 5 years
of experience in the use of optical and radar satellite imagery for temporal mapping of wetland vegetation cover,
and skilled in most commercial image spatial analysis software platforms. Experience designing, planning and
executing multi-day field work campaigns over extense and inaccessible waterlogged areas in the Amazon
floodplain.
Knowledgeable on plant ecological physiology (tropical wetlands and semi-arid areas), limnology,
biogeochemistry and ecosystems and landscape ecology.
Experience working in collaborative, large-scale long term research programs (NASA Large Scale BiosphereAtmosphere Experiment in the Amazon), and enthusiastic about collaborative and multidisciplinary research.
RESEARCH INTERESTS
My current research interests involve the use of remote sensing and spatial data analysis to understand ecological
processes at landscape and ecosystem level over time, especially in order to assess global climate change and
carbon and nutrient fluxes. I am also interested in spatial analysis and spatial modeling techniques, and how
these can complement traditional static mapping techniques into accurately monitoring dynamic landscapes such
as seasonally flooded floodplain environments.
My current PhD research aims to utilize multiple remote sensing data and spatial analysis techniques to monitor
and model the spatial and temporal dynamics of aquatic vegetation cover and productivity at the Amazon floodplain. The research involves processing and integration of multi-sensor image time series, radiometric characterization of vegetation cover types and the use of tree classifiers and multi-level segmentation to discriminate
aquatic vegetation cover. The research also includes empirical modeling of vegetation productivity, based on
field measurements and radar radiometric response. The expected outcomes of this research will allow improvement of current carbon budget estimates for the Amazon floodplain and its role on the global climate change scenario.
EDUCATION
2004 - 2008
PhD Candidate, Department of Geography, University of Victoria, Canada.
Expected Graduation: Jan-April 2009.
Provisional Thesis Title: Combined use of radar and optical remote sensing for mapping and
primary productivity estimation of macrophytes at the Amazon floodplain.
Supervisor: Dr. Maycira Costa
Committee: Dr. Fred Wrona, Dr. Rosaline Canessa, Dr. Barbara Hawkins
Academic Record: A (GPA of 8.33 in 1–9 scale)
2003 - 2004
MSc. in Remote Sensing, National Institute for Space Research (INPE), Brazil
Thesis Title: EOS-MODIS and Landsat 5 TM images for the study of macrophyte community
dynamics on the Amazon floodplain.
Supervisor: Dr. Evlyn M. L, M, Novo
Academic Record: A (4.0 in a 0–4.2 scale)
1998 - 2003
BSc. (Hons. Equivalent) in Biology. Federal Univ. of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Brazil.
Thesis Title: Seasonal dynamics of semi-arid vegetation in northeast Brazil through the use of
NOAA-AVHRR images.
Supervisor: Dr. Aristotelino M. Ferreira
Academic Record: 8.9 (0–10 scale)
AWARDS
2004 - 2008
Graduate Student Researcher Position
Large Scale Biosphere-Atmosphere Experiment in the Amazon (LBA)
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA / University of California at Santa
Barbara (UCSB), USA
2004
Outstanding Student Poster Presentation - Carbon Dynamics
American Society of Limnology and Oceanography - 2006 Summer Meeting
Victoria, BC, Canada
2005
Derrick Sewell Graduate Scholarship Award
University of Victoria, Canada
2004
Best Graduate Poster Presentation - Carbon Dynamics
II Student Conference for the Large Scale Biosphere-Atmosphere Experiment in
Manaus, AM, Brazil
1999 - 2001
Masters Degree Fellowship
Coordination for Development of Superior Education (CAPES)
National Institute for Space Research (INPE), Brazil
2000
Best Undergraduate Research Report - Biosciences and Health
National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq)
Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil
1999 - 2001
Undergraduate Researcher Fellowship
National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq)
Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil
Amazon.
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
Journal Articles
SILVA, Thiago Sanna Freire, COSTA, M.; MELACK, J. M., NOVO, E. M. L. M. Annual net primary production
of macrophytes at an eastern Amazon floodplain lake. (Submitted to Wetlands).
SILVA, Thiago Sanna Freire, COSTA, M.; MELACK, J. M., NOVO, E. M. L. M. Assessment of two biomass
estimation methods for aquatic vegetation growing on the Amazon floodplain. (Submitted to Biotropica).
SILVA, Thiago Sanna Freire ; COSTA, M. ; MELACK, J. M. ; NOVO, E. M. L. M. . Remote sensing of aquatic
vegetation: theory and applications. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 140:131-145. 2008.
SORIANO, Eliane Marinho ; SILVA, Thiago Sanna Freire ; MOREIRA, Wagner Sandro da Costa . Seasonal
variation in the biomass and agar yield from Gracilaria cervicornis and Hydropuntia cornea from Brazil.
Bioresource Technology, v. 77, p. 115-120, 2001.
Book Chapters
SILVA, Thiago Sanna Freire ; FREITAS, R. M. ; NOVO, E. M. L. M. . Monitoramento de áreas alagáveis. In:
Bernardo F. T. Rudorff; Yosio E. Shimabukuro; Juan C. Ceballos. (Org.). O Sensor Modise Suas Aplicações
Ambientais no Brasil. 1 ed. São José dos Campos: Editora Parêntese, 2007, v. 1, p. 255-263.
Conference Papers
SILVA, Thiago Sanna Freire ; LIMA, A. ; FONSECA, L. M. G. ; NOVO, E. M. L. M. ; RIBEIRO, M. C. .
Assessment of image restoration techniques to enhance the applicability of MODIS images on Amazon
floodplain landscape studies. In: XIII Simpósio Brasileiro de Sensoriamento Remoto, 2007, Florianópilis. Anais
XIII Simpósio Brasileiro de Sensoriamento Remoto, 2007. v. 1. p. 6969-6976.
LIMA, A. ; SILVA, Thiago Sanna Freire ; LIESENBERG, V. ; ANDERSON, L. O. ; SHIMABUKURO, Y. E. .
Evaluation of TERRA/MODIS images applicability for regional deforestation mapping. In: XI Simposio
Latinoamericano de Percepción Remota y Sistemas de Informacion Espacial, 2004, Santiago. Anales del XI
Simposio Latinoamericano de Percepción Remota y Sistemas de Informacion Espacial, 2004.
LONDE, L. R. ; SILVA, Thiago Sanna Freire ; FRANCA, A. M. S. ; FOLHES, M. T. ; OLVEIRA, F. S. C. ;
NOVO, E. M. L. M. ; SANTOS, A. C. A. ; FALCO, P. B. . Effect of chlorophyll-a concentration on water
spectral response in a Brazilian reservoir. In: XI Simposio Latinoamericano de Percepción Remota y Sistemas de
Informacion Geografica, 2004, Santiago. Anales del XI Simposio Latinoamericano de Percepción Remota y
Sistemas de Informacion Geografica, 2004.
SILVA, Thiago Sanna Freire ; FERREIRA, Aristotelino Monteiro ; MESQUITA, Patrícia dos Santos . Avaliação
da relação entre a cobertura vegetal e precipitação pluviométrica no semi-árido nordestino através do uso de
images NOAA AVHRR. In: VI Congresso de Ecologia do Brasil, 2003, Fortaleza - CE. Anais do VI Congresso
de Ecologia do Brasil, 2003.
Conference Abstracts
SILVA, Thiago Sanna Freire ; COSTA, M. ; MELACK, J. M. . Radar remote sensing as a tool to assess the
seasonal dynamics of macrophyte communities in the Amazon River floodplain. In: American Society of
Limnology and Oceanography Summer Meeting, 2006, Victoria, BC - Canada. ASLO Summer Meeting 2006
Abstract Book, 2006. v. 1. p. 111-111.
SILVA, Thiago Sanna Freire ; COSTA, M. ; MELACK, J. M. . Caracterização da variação sazonal da resposta
radiométrica de comunidades de macrófitas amazônicas em imagens Radarsat e Envisat: dados para modelagem
de produtividade primária. In: II Congresso de Estudantes e Bolsistas do Experimento LBA, 2005, Manaus AM. Anais do II Congresso de Estudantes e Bolsistas do Experimento LBA, 2005. v. 1. p. 59-59.
SILVA, Thiago Sanna Freire ; NOVO, E. M. L. M. ; LIMA, A. . Evaluation of multi-sensor satellite data for
macrophyte populations assessment at the Amazon floodplain. In: III LBA Scientific Conference, 2004, Brasilia
- DF. Proceedings of the III LBA Scientific Conference, 2004.
SILVA, Thiago Sanna Freire ; MELO, Juliana Carla Gomes de Holanda ; FERREIRA, Aristotelino Monteiro ;
MESQUITA, Patrícia dos Santos . Densidade estomática de Pereiro (Aspidosperma pyrifolium Mart.) ocorrente
na Estação Ecológica do Seridó/RN. In: 53º Congresso Nacional de Botânica e 25ª Reunião Nordestina de
Botânica, 2002, Recife - PE, 2002.
SILVA, Thiago Sanna Freire ; MELO, Juliana Carla Gomes de Holanda ; MELO, Maria das Dores ; MESQUITA,
Patrícia dos Santos . Análise estrutural da folha de Aspidosperma pyrifolium Mart. (Apocynaceae) ocorrente no
campus da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte. In: 53º Congresso Nacional de Botânica e 25ª Reunião
Nordestina de Botânica, 2002, Recife -PE.
SILVA, Thiago Sanna Freire ; SORIANO, Eliane Marinho . Extração e determinação da produção do ágar da
agarófita Gracilaria sp. In: 53º Reunião Anual da SBPC, 2001, Salvador - BA.
SILVA, Thiago Sanna Freire ; OLIVEIRA, Elisângela Carla Alves de . Biomassa e produção de ágar de
Hydropuntia cornea (J.Agardh) M. J. Wynne (Rhodophyta - Gracilariaceae). In: X Congresso de Iniciação
Científica da UFRN, 1999, Natal - RN, 1999.
SILVA, Thiago Sanna Freire ; COSTA, Geiza Tavares da ; OLIVEIRA, Elisângela Carla Alves de . Algas
(Rhodophyta) de potencial econômico do Rio Grande do Norte. In: IX Congresso de Iniciação Científica da
UFRN, 1998, Natal - RN, 1998.
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
2008
Guest Lecturer
Introduction to Radar Remote Sensing (2 lectures)
Remote Sensing of the Environment - 3rd year undergraduate course
Department of Geography, University of Victoria, Canada
2004 - 2008
Teaching Assistant
Biophysical Systems and the Human Environment (3 semesters) - 1st yr. undergr. course
Digital Remote Sensing (1 semester) - 3rd yr. undergr. course
Special Topics in Geographic Data Analysis (2 semesters) - 3rd yr. undergr. course
Department of Geography, University of Victoria, Canada
2000
Teaching Assistant
Invertebrate Zoology (2 semesters) - 3rd yr. undergraduate course
Department of Botanics, Ecology and Zoology
Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil
PAST ACTIVITIES
2003 - 2008
Large Scale Biosphere-Atmosphere Experiment in the Amazon (LBA)
LC-07 / LC-32 Group
Position: Graduate Student Researcher
Principal Investigators: John M. Melack, Evlyn M. L. M. Novo, Maycira Costa
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA / University of California at Santa
Barbara (UCSB), USA / University of Victoria, Canada / National Institute for
Space
Research (INPE), Brazil.
2000 - 2003
Project: Integration in Ecology
Phenology and ecological physiology of plants in the Brazilian semi-arid biome
Position: Undergraduate Researcher
Principal Investigator: Dr. Aristotelino M. Ferreira
Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil
1998 - 2001
Project: Ecology and Aquaculture of Aquatic Organisms
Biotechnology and cultivation of macroalgae
Position: Undergraduate Researcher
Principal Investigator: Dr. Eliane Marinho-Soriano
Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil
SKILLS
Knowledgeable in ecology, biogeochemistry and plant physiology of tropical wetlands and semi-arid
ecosystems.
Experience in acquisition, pre-processing and processing of multiple remote sensing data: Radarsat-1, Envisat
ASAR, JERS-1, NOAA-AVHRR, EOS-MODIS, Landsat, CBERS.
Experience in the use of commercial remote sensing and GIS packages: RSI ENVI, PCI Geomatica, Clark Labs
Idrisi, ESRI ArcGIS, SPRING.
Experience in the use of statistical packages and programming languages: Minitab, SPSS, R, Matlab, HTML.
Experience in database design, administration and SQL (MySQL).
Experience in design, planning and execution of large scale field data collection: 3 sampling missions in the
Amazon floodplain, each spanning about 10 days, and including boat surveys of vegetation biomass, plant
morphometry measurements, field spectrometry and GPS surveying over a 5,000 km2 area.
Experience in scientific data interpretation and analysis, and elaboration of written reports and peer-reviewed
articles.
Experience in preparation and execution of oral and poster presentations at both national and international
conferences and meetings.
Experience working collaboratively on large scale research programs spanning multiple institutions.
Comfortable both in leadership and management positions and working under direction.
Very motivated, innovative and detail oriented.
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
Canadian Remote Sensing Society (CRSS)
Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation (ATBC)
CITIZENSHIP
Brazilian (Resident in Victoria, BC, Canada)
LANGUAGES SPOKEN
English
Portuguese
Spanish
French
Fluent writing and speaking
Fluent writing and speaking
Basic reading and speaking
Basic reading
REFERENCES
Dr. Maycira Costa
Department of Geography - University of Victoria
P.O. Box 3060 STN CSC
Victoria, BC
V8W 3R4
Canada
Phone: 1-250-721-7334
[email protected]
Dr. John M. Melack
Bren School of Environmental Science and Management - University of California
Santa Barbara, CA
93106
USA
Phone: 1-805-893-3879
[email protected]
Dr. Evlyn M. L. M. Novo
Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais
Avenida dos Astronautas, 1758
São José dos Campos, SP
12227-10
Brazil
Phone: 55-12-3945-643
[email protected]