2020 GEO Awards Winners

GEO recoganized three individuals with the Individual Excellence Award during the virtual GEO Plenary in 2020.

Nancy Searby

Dr. Searby truly embodies GEO’s core values and principles and has demonstrated extraordinary leadership to advance the GEO mission and community. Dr. Searby has worked tirelessly to raise awareness about GEO’s work, underscoring the importance of strengthening GEO and forging productive partnerships to amplify its reach and impact. In particular, she has continually made professional and personal contributions to advance GEO’s capacity development objectives. She blends the skills of connection building, diplomacy, leadership and achievement combined with a deep sense of caring and humility to the benefit of GEO. Her commitment and dedication are exemplary, and she is highly deserving of recognition throughout the GEO community.

Chu Ishida

Mr. Ishida has fulfilled the role of co-lead of GEO's initiative EO4SDG as representative of Japan. He has substantially advanced the EO4SDG activities since its foundation. Of particular note is his achievement of connecting the Earth observation community with the national statistics community. His deep knowledge and passion for Earth observation and belief in the potential power of Earth observation to underpin sound decision making, sustained for more than 30 years, is apparent in the trust afforded to him by his GEO colleagues.

Toisho Koike

Professor Emeritus Dr. Toshio Koike has contributed considerably to establish and expand GEO since its establishment. He has made significant contributions in the last five years. This has been to further develop coordinated and cooperative platforms of Earth observations and user communities. Done through integrating water-related observation data from satellite and in-situ for water resource management, disaster risk reduction, food security, and public health. He also helped convene regional communities in Asia and Oceania by establishing AOGEO. Having led all these activities based on co-design and co-production, his sustainable approach and inclusive leadership have embodied the GEO vision and mission.