Training School on Ground Penetrating Radar

for Civil Engineering and Archaeology

Msida, Malta, January 25-29, 2016

interpretation of GPR data, electromagnetic modelling of  GPR scenarios, European regulations for GPR manufacturers and end users, and safety issues in near-surface geophisical prospecting.

Two half-days were devoted to practical training: surveys were carried out in the Nymphaeum of the Argotti botanical gardens in Floriana and in the Jesuits' church in Valletta. During the  practical sessions, both a commercial pulsed GPR system and a stepped-frequency GPR prototype were used. Hence, the school represented a valuable opportunity to  get acquainted with stepped-frequency systems which are rarely used. Both radar systems were brought to Malta from Italy.   The Training School included a half-day touristic tour of Malta.

The Coordinators of the Training School were Dr Sebastiano D'Amico (University of Malta, Malta, TU1208 MC Member), Dr Raffaele Persico (CNR, Italy, TU1208 WG Member) and Dr Lara Pajewski (Roma Tre University, Rome, Italy, TU1208 MC Chair).

The Team of Trainers  was composed by Dr Sebastiano D'Amico, Dr Raffaele Persico, Dr Lara Pajewski, Prof Vega Pérez-Gracia (Universidad Politécnica de Cataluña, Spain, TU1208 MC Substitute Member), Prof Janet Mifsud (Country representative for Malta, COST NCP and CSO Ministry), Dr Ruben Paul Borg (University of Malta, Malta).

Class Scheduling

Monday, 25 January  2016

Introduction to the COST programme and to the Action TU1208. GPR basic principles. Electromagnetic properties of media.  Pulsed and  stepped-frequency GPR systems.    

Tuesday, 26 January 2016

Non-destructive testing in civil engineering. COST activities in Malta. Practical training 1.

Wednesday, 27 January 2016

Practical training 2. GPR data processing. Integrating prospecting by combining GPR with other NDT methods.

Thursday, 28 January 2016 

Non-destructive testing in archaelogy. Electromagnetic modelling of GPR.

Friday, 29 January 2016

Touristic Tour in Malta. Processing of data collected during practical sessions. Safety recommendations and European regulations.

Training School Grants for PhD Students & ECI

COST Action TU1208 is proud to offer free courses: this school did not have a registration fee and students from all Countries were very welcome to  attend it for free.   

COST Action TU1208  offered  12 grants of 650,00 EUR  to Trainees from COST Countries and  approved institutions in Near-Neighbour Countries (NNC); for the list of COST Countries and NNC, please visit  www.cost.eu.  Trainees coming from Malta could not apply for a grant. 

To submit a Grant application, the following items had to be sent to school@gpradar.eu:

1. Curriculum vitae including the list of publications.
2. Motivation letter written by the Applicant.
3. Support letter written by the PhD Supervisor (for PhD Student) or by a colleague (for Early-Career Investigators, i.e., Trainees who received their PhD no more than 8 years ago).

The  selection of Granted applications was based on the COST key principles of excellence and inclusiveness. COST is supported by the EU Framework Programme Horizon2020 and its policy contributes to the "Spreading Excellence and Widening Participation" Horizon 2020 goal. To identify excellent applicants, we ask applicants to submit a curriculum vitae, a motivation letter and a support letter. At the same time, we aim at achieving inclusiveness. This objective is developed by COST around three main elements: support to Early-Career Investigators, fostering of gender balance and support to researchers coming from less-research intensive COST Member Countries.  

 List of Granted Trainees

1. Salih Serkan Artagan (Turkey & Czech Republic)

2.  Davids Berzins (Latvia)

3. Michal Dabrowski (Poland)

4. Emanuela Longo (Italy)

5. Fabio Martorelli (Italy)

6.  Giovanni Musolino (Italy)

7.  Francesco Panzera (Italy)

8.  Igor Prokopovich (Russia, NNC)

9.  Santo Prontera (Italy)

10. Hamza Reci (Albania, NNC)

11. Victor Salinas Naval (Spain)

12. Alessio Ventura (Italy)

Further Trainees who attended the Training School

13. Adriana Alescio (Malta)

14.  Daniel Banaante (Malta)

15.  John Betts (Malta)

16. Joan Cassar (Malta)

17. Joanna Causon Deguara (Malta)

18. Nathalie Deboro (Malta)

19. Daniela Farrugia (Malta)

20. Glen Farrugia (Malta)

21. Pauline Galea (Malta)

22. Nico Muscat (Malta)

23. Jennifer Porter (Malta)

24. Mohamed Rouai (Morocco, NNC)

25. Christian Schembri (Malta)

26. Kenneth Spiteri (Malta)

27. Giovanna Vessia (Italy)

28. Adriana Zammit (Malta)

29. Rosarianna Zumbo (Malta)

30.  Lara Marie Walker (Malta)

• 30 Trainees
• 10 Countries (7 COST, 3 NNC)

Facebook group:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/947751101983143

Photos:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.460827894106856.1073741833.156379751218340&type=3