Dr Lisa-Maria Rebelo.

Digital Earth Africa (DE Africa), a pan-African imagery platform, has named Kenyan-based Dr Lisa-Maria Rebelo as acting managing director of the program management office.

Dr. Rebelo became the lead scientist for DE Africa in 2022, managing a team of African and global scientists working on Earth Observation-based tools and applications to improve decision-making across Africa.

According to the organisation, Dr Rebelo's leadership will be critical in delivering meaningful results across the continent.

Dr Rebelo holds a PhD in Remote Sensing from University College London and has 20 years of remote sensing expertise across Africa and Asia.

She is also an active member of several scientific advisory groups, having served as vice chair of the Ramsar Convention's Scientific and Technical Review Panel, principal investigator and wetlands coordinator for the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency's science team, and panel member for the Global Ocean Observing System's Biology and Ecosystems Panel.

Commenting on her new appointment, Dr Rebelo said: “While I will continue to lead the science team, it is a privilege to take on a broader leadership role in guiding the program’s critical areas, including capacity development, stakeholder engagement, platform management, program delivery, and communications.”