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FAROUK EL-BAZ TO CHAIR NATIONAL ACADEMIES COMMITTEE ON IMAGING SCIENCE
April - 5th, 2010

(Boston) – Professor Farouk El-Baz, Director of the Center for Remote Sensing and Research Professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering of Boston University, was appointed chair of the steering committee of the 2010 National Academies Keck Futures Initiative on imaging science.

The letter appointing Dr. El-Baz was signed by the three presidents of the National Academies: Ralph Cicerone, President of the National Academy of Sciences; Charles Vest, President of the National Academy of Engineering; and Harvey Fineberg, President of the Institute of Medicine.

The topic of the 2010 initiative is imaging science in its various applications, including in the medical field. Dr. El-Baz will take the lead in organizing a national conference and related activities including seed grants by the Keck Foundation.


Dr. El-Baz, a veteran of NASA’s Apollo program of lunar exploration, is a pioneer in applying space imaging in the fields of geology, geography and archaeology. He is particularly noted for research on desert landforms and the location of groundwater resources in arid lands. Under his direction, the Boston University Center for Remote Sensing was selected in 1997 by NASA as a “Center of Excellence in Remote Sensing.”

 
The W.M. Keck Foundation was established in 1954 in Los Angeles CA. It is one of the nation's largest philanthropic organizations that provide far-reaching benefits for humanity. In recent years, the Keck Foundation has focused on science, engineering and medical research as well as undergraduate college education. Its grants invest in people and programs that are making a difference in the quality of life, now and in the future.

Boston University was founded in 1839. It is an internationally recognized institution of higher education and research. With more than 30,000 students, it is the fourth largest independent university in the U.S. It has 17 colleges and schools and a number of multi-disciplinary centers and institutes, which are central to its research and teaching mission.