Prakash Mehra, from Marine Instrumentation Division of National Institute of Oceanography (Dona Paula, Goa, India) has been awarded a three-month fellowship of IOTWS (Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning System) Program in Sea Level Science and Applications 2008, under the supervision of Dr. Paolo Cipollini, NOCS, United Kingdom. 

He is a 1992 graduate (B.Tech in Electronics) from Regional Engineering College Calicut. He completed a M.Tech (Instrumentation) from Indian Institute of Technology-Chennai in 1998. He has experience in the collection and analysis of oceanographic parameters, with major interest on sea level, from coastal, offshore and inland water bodies. He has been involved in various sites of India (e.g. Zuari Estuary, Gulf of Cutchchh, etc.) and outside India (e.g., Ghana). He has contributed to the interpretation of sea level measurements, leading to the scientific publications in proceedings and peer-reviewed journals, including  contribution to the UNESCO Manual on sea level measurements. 

While at NOCS from 15 October 2008 to 15 January 2009, Prakash will be working with the coastal altimetry team in the Laboratory for Satellite Oceanography (LSO), receiving training from leading researchers in this field. The LSO are currently working for the European Space Agency (ESA) to develop new algorithms for coastal altimetry. Moreover the LSO is currently exploring the opportunity to work with African and Indian experts in remote sensing, modelling, hydrography, coastal dynamics and meteorology to extend techniques originally developed for European waters to different regions of the Indian Ocean.  

The proposed visit by Prakash to NOCS, would coincide with the work undertaken by LSO for ESA, thus he will have the opportunity learn at first hand the principles of coastal altimetry. He will also have a chance to help shape future international research collaboration in this field. Prakash Mehra’s education, combined with his experience from a range of scientific and technical activities, gives him an excellent background for the validation of improved coastal altimetry products.