Based on the motto: “No lab, no power, no money? No problem!”, this short course provides a practical, hands-on introduction (skills and tools) to build and further develop low-cost, open-source sensors for field ecophysiology. Construction (from assembling to programming) of existing and published systems (all system designs, wiring schemes, code, and bills of materials are freely available under CC-BY 4.0) to monitor (1) environmental variables (e.g., PAR, temperature, humidity), (2) plant responses (e.g., NDVI, PRI), and (3) biogeochemical cycling (e.g., CO₂ and ET fluxes) will be explained and shown through the introduction of an open-access, living-document manual ("Build-It-Yourself: Low-Cost Systems for Field Ecophysiology"; DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.19628527) and a portable, solar-powered maker-space containing all needed to do so.
To amplify this, the course is focused around demonstration and active engagement (banquet style), based on a simple example, handheld NDVI Sensor. Participants will learn, using the portable maker space - equipped with tools, components, and transferable calibration standards - how sensors are assembled using off the shelf available components, follow on-side and video instructions, wiring schemes, upload code, and calibrate devices for field deployment. This will act as a practical example of how researchers can build and maintain their own monitoring systems in resource-limited settings. Co-conveners from West (e.g., Ghana, Benin) and East Africa (e.g., Uganda, Rwanda) will share real-world experiences from field deployments of shown systems across West and East Africa.
The course is designed for early-career researchers, technicians, and practitioners who want to reduce dependency on expensive commercial equipment and build their own monitoring tools. No prior electronics experience is required. The main goal is to democratize science and empower participants to build, adapt and newly develop sensors for their own research.