About me

Katarzyna Ostapowicz
I am a research scientist in Environmental Data Science and Earth Observation, working at the intersection of Land System Science, biodiversity, and climate research. My work focuses on land-use and land-cover change, ecosystem dynamics, and human–environment interactions across Arctic and temperate regions.

I develop spatial modelling frameworks that integrate satellite time series, spatial analysis, and GeoAI to investigate long-term environmental change and climate-driven ecosystem responses.

In addition to my research, I have experience leading and managing research laboratories as well as international and national research projects, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and knowledge exchange. I am also dedicated to teaching and mentoring students at various academic levels, contributing to the development of future scientists in this field.

Academic Degrees

Expertise

2007: PhD in Earth Sciences (Geography), Jagiellonian University in Kraków, Poland

2004: MSc in Physics (specialization: Nuclear Physics), Jagiellonian University in Kraków, Poland

2002: MSc in Physical Geography within Environmental and Mathematical Studies (specialization: Geographic Information Systems), Jagiellonian University in Kraków, Poland

Selected Research Projects

Research

2025 - PI
Sen2Veg project: Sentinel-2 Seasonal Composites for Vegetation and Land Cover Monitoring
Research Council of Norway (NINA's strategic initiative programme SATS)

2024 - PI
POLARSIF Project: Assessing Vegetation Phenological Changes in Polar Regions Using Solar-Induced Fluorescence Data
Research Council of Norway (NINA's strategic initiative programme SATS)

2019-2024 - Researcher
CHARTER project: Drivers and Feedbacks of Changes in Arctic Terrestrial Biodiversity
European Commission – Horizon 2020

2019-2023 - PI
TRACE project: Trajectories, causes and consequences of land cover and land use changes in Central Europe
National Science Centre Poland

2016-2019 - PI
RS4FOR project: Forest change detection and monitoring using passive and active remote sensing data
National Science Centre Poland

Selected Publications

Research

Mapping roadless areas in regions with contrasting human footprint
Hoffmann M.T., Ostapowicz, K., Bartoń K., Ibisch P.L., Selva N., 2024, Scientific Reports, 14, 4722, doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-55283-3

The northernmost hyperspectral FLoX sensor dataset for monitoring of high-Arctic tundra vegetation phenology and Sun-Induced Fluorescence (SIF)
Tømmervik H., Julitta T., Nilsen L.; Park T., Burkart A., Ostapowicz K., Karlsen S.R., Parmentier F., Pirk N., Bjerke J.W., 2023, , Data in Brief, 50, 109581, doi.org/10.1016/j.dib.2023.109581

Evaluation of machine learning algorithms for forest stand species mapping using Sentinel-2 imagery and environmental data in the Polish Carpathians
Grabska E., Frantz D., Ostapowicz K., 2020, Remote Sensing of Environment, 251, 112103, doi.org/10.1016/j.rse.2020.112103

Reconstructing forest-cover change in the Swiss Alps between 1880 and 2010 using ensemble modelling
Bolliger J., Schmatz D.R., Pazúr R., Ostapowicz K., Psomas A., 2017, , Regional Environmental Change, 17, 8, 2265–2277, doi.org/10.1007/s10113-016-1090-4

Assessing differences in connectivity based on habitat versus movement models for brown bears in the Carpathians
Ziółkowska E., Ostapowicz K., Radeloff V.C., Selva N., Kuemmerle T., Śmietana W., 2016, Landscape Ecology, 31, 1863-1882, doi.org/10.1007/s10980-016-0368-8em>