Péter Winkler

After graduating from university, he started working at the Cartographic Company, and then from 1970 at the research department of the Surveying Institute (FÖMI) that was then established. He participated in the development of a computer solution for aerial triangulation block equalization procedures, its quality control and the preparation of its introduction in companies. For about three years, he was the supervisor of the further development of aerial triangulation procedures in seven socialist countries. The prototype of the Hungarian Photogrammetric Data Management Equipment (FAB) was manufactured based on his designs.

Founding member of the Remote Sensing Center of FÖMI. Initially (between 1980-1990) head of the Analog Remote Sensing Department, then from 1990 to 2003 head of the Remote Sensing Center; from 2003 until his retirement, deputy scientific director.

Between 1980 and 1990, he was the Hungarian representative of the Remote Sensing Working Group in the Intercosmos program. He was the domestic organizer of numerous scientific expeditions and a participant in foreign expeditions.
As a supervisor, he managed the research programs "Survey of the Budapest agglomeration based on satellite images" awarded by EUROSTAT and "Application possibilities of ERS-1 radar images" awarded by the European Space Agency (ESA) (1996-1998).
Within the framework of the EU harmonization program, he managed, initiated and partly developed the technologies for the following national programs: aerial photography of the entire territory of Hungary in 2000 at a uniform scale of 1:30,000; by vectorizing the contour lines of topographic maps: production of a high-precision digital elevation model (DDM) with a grid density of 5 mx 5 m for the entire territory of the country; production of a high-precision, 0.5 m resolution digital orthophoto (free of perspective distortions) database (MADOP) for the entire territory of Hungary from these data (2003).
The national aerial photography and orthophoto database has been regularly updated in three-year cycles ever since.

He actively participated in the work of the Hungarian Society of Surveying, Cartography and Remote Sensing (MFTTT) in various positions. He was the secretary of the VII. Remote Sensing Technical Committee of the International Society of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ISPRS) between 1996-2000. In this capacity, he organized the ECO-BP 98' international scientific symposium held at the Hungarian Academy of Sciences in 1998.

Since 1983, he has represented the Hungarian remote sensing research centers in the European Association of Remote Sensing Laboratories (EARSeL) scientific organization founded in 1977. In 1992, at his suggestion, the EARSeL XII Congress was organized in Hungary (Eger), the first in the Central-Eastern European region, and he was the organizer and director of it. Between 1993-1997, he was the East-West Relations Officer in the EARSeL Steering Committee, and between 1997-2001, he was the Treasurer of EARSeL.

Founding member of the Hungarian Astronautical Society. Between 1992 and 2005, he was an expert member of the Hungarian Space Research Council.

He has continuously participated - as an invited lecturer - in the work of domestic higher education institutions, striving to share his knowledge gained during his research and development activities with young colleagues as widely as possible. In 2005, the University of West Hungary (NYME) Székesfehérvár Faculty of Geoinformatics (GEO) recognized his activities in this field by awarding him the honorary title of associate professor.

In addition to the above, he is an organizer and speaker at numerous international and domestic conferences. His articles and publications have appeared in domestic and international journals.

Honors: Outstanding Worker in Cartography (Minister of Agriculture and Food, 1978); Ernő Nagy Memorial Medal (Central Astronautical Department, 1985); Antal Fasching Award (Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, 2000); Honorary Member of EARSeL (EARSeL, 2004); Knight's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Hungary (President László Sólyom, 2006); Lázár Deák Memorial Medal (MFTTT, 2012).