Plenary Speakers
Meet the leaders from academia, industry, and government speaking during the IGARSS 2026 Welcome Ceremony & Plenary Session.
Academic Academic Plenary Speaker - Prof. Indroyono Soesilo
Presentation Title
To be announced.
Biography
H.E. Prof. Dr. Ir. Indroyono Soesilo, M.Sc. is the Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia to the United States of America and one of Indonesia's pioneering figures in geoscience and remote sensing. Trained as a geological engineer at Institut Teknologi Bandung, he continued his graduate studies in the United States, earning an M.Sc. in Remote Sensing from the University of Michigan and a Ph.D. in Geologic Remote Sensing from the University of Iowa.
His scientific career has focused on the application of Earth observation technologies for geological exploration, natural resources inventory, marine and fisheries management, environmental monitoring, and disaster mitigation. As a Research Professor in Geology and Remote Sensing at Agency for the Assessment and Application of Technology (BPPT), he helped advance the operational use of satellite data in Indonesia and promoted remote sensing as a strategic tool for science-based policy and national development. His publications and professional contributions span geology, satellite remote sensing, marine science, fisheries, natural resources management, and disaster risk reduction.
Prof. Indroyono later served as Director General of Indonesia's Agency for Marine and Fisheries Research, Director of Fisheries and Aquaculture Resources at FAO in Rome, and Indonesia's Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs. Of particular importance to the IEEE IGARSS community, he is the founding figure of the Indonesian Society for Remote Sensing (MAPIN), established in 1990, and has played a central role in building Indonesia's remote sensing community. The Asian Society for Photogrammetry & Remote Sensing Annual Award is being dedicated and named for him.
Date:
Monday, August 10, 2026
Time:
9:40 - 10:10 AM
Location:
International Ballroom Center
Industry Featured Industry Speaker - Rei Goffer
Presentation Title
Breaking the data barrier - how commercial weather satellites will change everything
Biography
Rei Goffer is Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer of Tomorrow.io, the global leader in weather intelligence. With over $500M in funding to date, the company operates the world's largest commercial constellation of weather satellites and proudly serves hundreds of commercial and government customers around the globe.
Rei leads Tomorrow.io's public sector business, shaping partnerships with governments worldwide and advancing new models for delivering critical weather capabilities through the commercial sector. He also led the development of the company's space program from its genesis. Under his leadership, Tomorrow.io became the only private company to ever deploy spaceborne weather radars.
Before co-founding Tomorrow.io, Rei served for a decade in the Israeli Air Force as an F-16 navigator and completed assignments in R&D and joint operations divisions. He holds an MBA from MIT Sloan School of Management and a Master of Public Administration from Harvard Kennedy School.
In addition, Rei serves as Chair of the Board of TomorrowNow.org, a nonprofit advancing climate resilience by expanding access to weather intelligence for vulnerable communities, including more than 10 million smallholder farmers across Africa.
Date:
Monday, August 10, 2026
Time:
10:40 - 11:10 AM
Location:
International Ballroom Center
Government Government Perspective - Karen St. Germain
Presentation Title
To be announced.
Biography
Biography forthcoming.
Date:
Monday, August 10, 2026
Time:
11:10 - 11:40 AM
Location:
International Ballroom Center
Government Government Perspective - Timothy Walsh
Presentation Title
Designing for Decades: Strategic Agility and Scaling NOAA's Cloud-Native Architecture for Operational Environmental Intelligence
Biography
Timothy Walsh is Acting Deputy Assistant Administrator for Systems for the National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Services (NESDIS). Tim has more than 29 years of experience in supporting NOAA satellite programs. He served as the Office of Low Earth Orbit Observations (LEO) director from 2022 to 2026.
Tim joined the Senior Executive Service as deputy director of NOAA's Office of Satellite and Product Operations (OSPO) in January 2021. Prior to his time at OSPO, Tim supported the JPSS program as deputy director, where he supported preparations for the upcoming JPSS-2 mission. Tim also served in a number of roles in the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES)-R Series program, including acting program director for the GOES-17 launch campaign in March 2018 and as the deputy project manager for the GOES-R Flight Project.
Before joining NOAA in 1996, Tim supported a number of NASA missions, including the launch and check out of the GOES-8 and GOES-9 spacecraft as a member of the GOES Mission Operations Support Team. He also supported the development of multiple projects for air traffic and fire-control radar systems, electronic warfare and strategic communications systems.
Tim received a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from Duke University and a Master of Science degree in electrical engineering from Johns Hopkins University. He has received Department of Commerce/NOAA Gold, Silver and Bronze Medals and a NASA Outstanding Leadership Medal for his support of NOAA satellite programs.
Date:
Monday, August 10, 2026
Time:
11:40 AM - 12:10 PM
Location:
International Ballroom Center