Dr. Maycira Costa

Professor
Geography
- Contact:
- Office: DTB B126 maycira@uvic.ca 250-721-7334
- Credentials:
- PhD (Victoria)
- Area of expertise:
- Remote sensing, coastal oceanography, wetlands, biogeophysical processes
- Related links:
About
Oi (means Hi in Brazilian Portuguese).
Our research group in the SPECTRAL Lab is working towards:
- developing research methods to make more effective use of remotely sensed imagery for understanding and monitoring biophysical processes in ocean waters and wetlands
- researching light attenuation in coastal and riverine waters
We have an interdisciplinary group of young researchers with expertise in oceanography, geography, biology, computer science and environmental science. We are conducting interdisciplinary research with several international collaborators in Brazil, Canada, the United States and Japan.
In my life, what I like the most is spending time with my boy, Nattan, my very young daughter, Maiara, and my husband, Kevin.
Research
I built a great lab - SPECTRAL - for investigating spectral characteristics of the Earth's surface. The first of its kind in Western Canada, the lab focuses on the interaction of light energy with organic and inorganic material in water.
The lab is equipped with a high-precision liquid chromatograph for analysing phytoplankton pigment, a set of hyperspectral radiometers for above and in-water measurements (Satlantic), a set of fluorescence, hyperspectral absorption and attenuation sensors (ac-S), a darkroom for simulating controlled environmental conditions and much more!
In my work, what I like most is field work! Most of my field work takes place in the BC coast and in Brazil, more specifically, in the Amazon and Pantanal. I have to admit that field work in Brazil is more pleasurable because of the warm temperatures (no need for survival suits!). However, BC waters are incredibly diverse (optically speaking), which makes our work very exciting.
Teaching
- GEOG 228 - Intro to Remote Sensing
- GEOG 319 - Remote Sensing of the Environment
- GEOG 420 - Field Studies in Coastal Geomatics