EURAMET 2026 Autumn School on Sensors and Sensor Networks – Increasing the Trustworthiness of Sensors for Environmental Applications through Metrology
Autumn school objective
The development of new sensing technologies and communication protocols has resulted in an increasing use of sensor and sensor networks in environmental monitoring. Besides their enhanced use, the increasing complexity, dimensions and data volume of sensor networks pose new metrological challenges. This five-day autumn school aims to provide the participants with the knowledge and tools needed to tackle the challenges associated to sensors and sensor networks.
Autumn school outline
Theoretical lecturers and practical assignments will cover the following topics:
- theoretical background on sensing principles;
- (ii) selection of fit for purpose sensors for each intended application;
- (iii) best practices for calibration, (real-time) maintenance and drift assessment, including traditional and digital strategies (e.g., self-calibration, machine learning algorithms, digital calibration certificates); and
- (iv) recommendation for the deployment and maintenance of sensors and sensor networks in the field. Furthermore, in order to get comparable and reliable data, the participants will get insight into unavailable or under development standards, validation processes, data processing – including the implementation of data quality/data assessment procedures – and uncertainty evaluation of sensor network measurements accounting for their architecture, topology and semantics particularities.
In-depth theoretical lecturers will be combined with interactive discussions, hands-on activities and, when possible, demonstrations under real conditions. Participants are expected to bring their own laptops. During the registration process, participants will fill a short form to assess their level of knowledge and expertise on the topic, field of interest (i.e., environmental application) and expectations after the training completion to tailor the lecturers accordingly and set concrete scopes to make the most of the training by each participant.
The autumn school lecturers are internationally recognised experts in their fields coming from various European NMIs/DIs:
- Carlos Borges, IH-LQPM (PT)
- Elena Borisova, METAS (CH)
- Constantinos Bouroussis, METAS (CH)
- Valerio Ferracci, NPL (UK)
- Nathalie Guigues, LNE (FR)
- Maitane Iturrate-Garcia, METAS (CH)
- Martin Koval, CMI (CZ)
- Nicolas Mischler, METAS (CH)
- Shahin Tabandeh, VTT (FI)
- Una Trivanovic, METAS (CH)
- More lecturers tbc.
Who should attend?
The course is primarily aimed at EURAMET earlier career metrologists and those ones working at EURAMET NMIs/DIs, which aim to develop new capabilities in environmental monitoring using sensors and sensor networks. Participants with basic and more advanced knowledge on environmental sensors are invited to participate.
Registration
Registration for EURAMET NMIs/DIs will be opened until 31 July 2026 Acceptance will be communicated by 7 August 2026. Representatives from NMIs/DIs of other RMOs will be invited to register after the registration for EURAMET is concluded, depending on availability.
Maximal number of participants is 50. Priority will be given to early career metrologists and as well as to staff from NMIs/DIs willing to develop new capabilities in environmental monitoring using sensors and sensor networks.
Registration and participation in the autumn school is free of charge.
The registration will open soon.
Online participation is not foreseen.
Local logistic information and accommodation
Participants are responsible for organising their own travel and accommodation.
Coffee breaks and lunches will be offered by the host.
Venue
Federal Institute of Metrology METAS
Lindenweg 50
CH-3003 Bern-Wabern
Practical information about local transport and accommodation can be downloaded here.
Contact
For questions regarding the event, please contact:
- local organizer Maitane Iturrate-Garcia (maitane.iturrate@metas.ch)
- EMN-PolMo chair Nathalie Guigues (nathalie.guigues@lne.fr)
- and/or EURAMET's Capacity Building Officer Tanasko Tasić (tanasko.tasic@euramet.org)
More information will be available here in due course.
This event is organised by EMN-PolMo with partly support of the project CaBuCo and contributions from EMN-Mathmet and EMN-COO.