The Academy of Science St. Louis to Honor SLU's Vasit Sagan at Outstanding St. Louis Scientists Awards

ST. LOUIS - Saint Louis University researcher Vasit Sagan, Ph.D., a professor of geospatial science and computer science and associate vice president for geospatial science, will be honored by The Academy of Science - St. Louis with the George Engelmann Interdisciplinary Award for Collaborative Science Achievement.

Sagan will receive the award at the 28th Annual Outstanding St. Louis Scientists Awards on April 8, 2026, at the Missouri Botanical Garden.

Since its inception, the Outstanding St. Louis Scientists Awards has honored some of the brightest minds in the region, celebrating their exceptional achievements, groundbreaking discoveries, and lasting impact on science and society.

"Receiving the Outstanding Scientist Award from the St. Louis Academy of Sciences is both humbling and motivating," Sagan said. "It underscores the importance of interdisciplinary, applied science and the power of geospatial technologies and GeoAI to address pressing global challenges. I share this honor with my students, postdocs, and collaborators, whose dedication continues to push the boundaries of geospatial innovation, and I am grateful for the strong institutional support provided by Saint Louis University."

In addition to his roles at SLU, Sagan is the chief scientist for food security & digital agriculture with the Taylor Geospatial Institute (TGI). He also served as the founding/acting director of TGI.

The Academy of Science calls Sagan "a world-renowned scientist in remote sensing and GeoAI, an educator, and a geospatial evangelist who has championed geospatial field building through national-level policy and funding initiatives, including his leadership on the National Geospatial Advisory Committee (NGAC)."

Sagan was named to the NGAC by the U.S. Department of the Interior in 2020. He served a three-year appointment, which was renewed for a second term in 2023, providing advice and recommendations on national geospatial policy and management issues, the development of the National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI) and the implementation of the Geospatial Data Act of 2018.

He has chaired the U.S. National Geospatial Excellence and Innovation subcommittee and co-chaired the Landsat Advisory Group. The committee promotes geospatial data sharing across government, private and non-profit sectors and the academic community.

Sagan's research centers on the nexus of food, water and energy. He integrates geospatial computer vision, digital twins, photogrammetry, and sensor fusion, combining satellite, UAV, and field-based hyperspectral, multispectral, thermal, and LiDAR observations to deliver innovative GeoAI solutions for improving agricultural production, food security, and societal resilience.

Sagan also directs SLU's Remote Sensing Lab. In 2025, the Lab became a coalition member of Climate TRACE. Climate TRACE is a non-profit global coalition focused on tracking greenhouse gas emissions, building the world's largest and most comprehensive emissions inventory to provide accurate and transparent data.

The Remote Sensing Lab (RSL) at Saint Louis University is staffed by 12 research scientists, data scientists, postdoctoral researchers, and software engineers, along with 10 graduate students. The lab advances geospatial science through machine learning and AI-driven analysis of multi-scale remote sensing data, addressing critical challenges in food and water security, environmental change, and socio-ecological resilience.

The Academy of Science of St. Louis honors individuals, institutions and corporations known worldwide for their scientific contributions to research, industry, and quality of life. In each award category, preference is given to candidates who also have a record of excellence in communicating with the public, mentoring colleagues, or leadership in the field of science or industry.

See the full list of the 2026 Outstanding Scientists Awards honorees

The Academy of Science of St. Louis

The Academy of Science of St. Louis advances the public understanding of science and leverages the power of science to transform lives, enrich local communities, and shape a brighter future for our region.

Saint Louis University

Founded in 1818, Saint Louis University is one of the nation's oldest and most prestigious Catholic research institutions. Rooted in Jesuit values and its pioneering history as the first university west of the Mississippi River, SLU offers more than 15,300 students a rigorous, transformative education that challenges and prepares them to make the world a better place. As a nationally recognized leader in research and innovation, SLU is an R1 research university, advancing groundbreaking, life-changing discoveries that promote the greater good.