Hi, my name is

Cemal Melih Tanis.

I build and manage Earth Observation services.

I'm a Research Engineer based in Finland with over a decade of experience specializing in remote sensing, GIS, and the delivery of operational data services that turn complex satellite data into reliable, actionable information.

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About Me

With a background in Electronics Engineering and a Master's in Space Science, my career has been dedicated to the practical application of technology in Earth Observation. For over 11 years at the Finnish Meteorological Institute, I have been at the forefront of developing and maintaining operational services that are critical for monitoring our planet's cryosphere and hydrological systems.

My work involves not just deep technical analysis and algorithm development, but also leading FMI's contributions to major international projects. This experience has cultivated a passion for not only solving technical challenges but also for improving processes and fostering collaboration. I am now looking to channel this experience into a formal management role, where I can focus on building and guiding teams to achieve operational excellence in service delivery.

Skills

Programming & Data

Python (Primary language since 2014)
Matlab, C
Data Formats (GeoTIFF, netCDF, BUFR, Shapefile, GeoJSON)
Linux Systems & Shell Scripting
Job Scheduling & Version Control (Git)

GIS & Remote Sensing

GIS Software (QGIS, SNAP, Panoply)
Vector & Raster Data Processing
Remote Sensing (SAR, Optical)
3D Graphics (VTK)
Webcam Data Processing
INSPIRE compliant metadata

Web & Cloud

Web Technologies (HTML, CSS, JS, PHP)
Frontend Tools (Bootstrap, Leaflet, Dygraphs)
Mobile Development (FlutterFlow)
Cloud-native (Docker, Object Storage APIs)
HPC (SLURM for parallel processing)
API Integration

Leadership & Management

Project Leadership & Team Coordination
Operational Planning & Process Improvement
Performance Monitoring (KPIs)
Stakeholder Communication
Project Management Tools (JIRA, MS Office)

Experience

Research Engineer, Remote Sensing Expert, Project Lead

Finnish Meteorological Institute (FMI) | June 2013 – Present

Operational Delivery: Manage FMI's technical delivery for the Copernicus High Resolution Snow & Ice (HRWSI) service. Monitor and report on KPIs for Copernicus SWE and EUMETSAT H-SAF snow products to ensure robust operational quality and consistency.
Project Leadership: Lead FMI's technical team in international projects (e.g., Copernicus HRWSI), coordinating tasks, setting priorities, and ensuring alignment with consortium-wide goals.
Stakeholder Collaboration: Serve as the primary technical liaison between the FMI team and external partners, providing clear, consistent progress updates and fostering effective collaboration across different countries.
Technical Innovation: Develop and enhance data processing capabilities through innovative tools (FMIPROT) and advanced algorithms, directly improving the quality and efficiency of data analysis.
Risk Management: Proactively identify technical risks impacting service delivery and develop robust contingency plans to ensure operational resilience.

Sole Proprietor

T-DEV Tmi | 2022 – Present

Consultancy: Provide expert consultancy services, including delivering technical presentations and webinars on specialized topics.
Web Development: Design and develop custom websites and web applications for clients, managing projects from conception to delivery.
Mobile App Development: Independently developing a commercial mobile application, handling the full product lifecycle from initial concept and design to market launch strategy.

Education

Aalto University

Master of Science, 2015-2020
MSc. Degree in Electronics and Nanotechnology (Space Science and Technology Major).
Thesis: Operational Monitoring of Snow Cover Using Digital Imagery

Istanbul Technical University

Bachelor of Science, 2008-2013
BSc. and Engineering Degree in Electronics.
Thesis: CMOS Realization of Novel Circuit Elements Proposed for Active Circuit Design

Projects & Platforms

FMIPROT & Camera Portal

A software toolbox and portal for processing image series from camera networks. I manage, develop, and run all components of this platform.

Role: Platform Manager & Lead Developer

FMI ARK SAT QA Portal

An automated system for the quality assessment of satellite-derived snow products, comparing them against in-situ and webcam data.

Role: Platform Manager & Lead Developer

Kemijoki HOPS

Developed and implemented the frontend of a web-based hydrological forecast system for the Kemijoki hydropower company.

Role: Frontend Developer

EEA HRSI Monitoring

Pan-European High Resolution Snow and Ice Monitoring service, part of the Copernicus Land Monitoring Service.

Role: Technical Lead (FMI)

Copernicus Global Land

Contributed to the development and delivery of global land monitoring products, focusing on cryospheric variables.

Role: Research Scientist

EUMETSAT H-SAF

Developed, maintained, and validated operational algorithms for crucial hydrological products, including snow cover and snow water equivalent.

Role: Algorithm Developer

ESA: Snow CCI

Contributed to the development of long-term, consistent snow cover climate data records as part of the ESA's Climate Change Initiative.

Role: Research Scientist

ESA: Globsnow

Involved in the production and validation of hemispheric snow information services, contributing to a long-term global dataset for climate research.

Role: Research Scientist

SEN3APP

Developed processing lines and operational services combining Sentinel and in-situ data for terrestrial cryosphere and boreal forest zones.

Role: Research Contributor

Life+ MONIMET

Applied innovative observation and modeling techniques for climate change indicators and vulnerability in the Boreal Zone.

Role: Research Contributor

ESSEM COST Action

Participated in a European network for harmonizing snow monitoring for climate change scenarios, hydrology, and NWP.

Role: Action Member

Core-Climax

Coordinated Earth observation data validation for re-analysis for climate services.

Role: Research Contributor

ERA4CS INDECIS

Developed user-oriented climate indicators for high-priority sectors like agriculture, disaster risk reduction, and energy.

Role: Research Contributor

BalticSatApps

Contributed to an initiative for speeding up Copernicus-based innovation in the Baltic Sea region.

Role: Technical Expert

FMI HAV: LUMIKE

Participated in a project focused on developing snow-related services and products.

Role: Research Scientist

Publications

Google Scholar Profile ResearchGate Profile

Use of Webcams in Support of Operational Snow Monitoring

CM Tanis, E Lindgren, A Frey, L Latva, AN Arslan, K Luojus

Geosciences, 2023

Tracking vegetation phenology of pristine northern boreal peatlands by combining digital photography with CO2 flux and remote sensing data

M Linkosalmi, JP Tuovinen, O Nevalainen, M Peltoniemi, CM Tanis, ...

Biogeosciences Discussions, 2022

Cross-country assessment of H-SAF snow products by Sentinel-2 imagery validated against in-situ observations and webcam photography

G Piazzi, CM Tanis, S Kuter, B Simsek, S Puca, A Toniazzo, M Takala, ...

Geosciences, 2019

Digital photography for assessing the link between vegetation phenology and CO2 exchange in two contrasting northern ecosystems

M Linkosalmi, M Aurela, JP Tuovinen, M Peltoniemi, CM Tanis, AN Arslan, ...

Geoscientific Instrumentation, Methods and Data Systems, 2016

Analysis of current validation practices in Europe for space-based climate data records of essential climate variables

Y Zeng, Z Su, JC Calvet, T Manninen, E Swinnen, J Schulz, R Roebeling, ...

International Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation, 2015

Get In Touch

I'm currently seeking new opportunities and my inbox is always open. Whether you have a question or just want to say hi, I'll do my best to get back to you!

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