Tom August is a computational ecologist at the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology. His research focuses on the use of technology to better our understanding of biodiversity, both through innovative data collection methods and engaging communications.
Tom comes from a background in field and applied ecology, now focussing on applying AI methods to improve the quality and quantity of data that we collect about biodiversity. From remote monitoring stations and mobile applications, to natural language processing and virtual reality, Tom has shown that these novel methods can be used to improve our biodiversity research.
In this webinar, Tom discusses recent advances in technology and AI for monitoring biodiversity, including computer vision and AI tools for processing audio. When we look to bring AI into biodiversity monitoring we are bringing it into a field with a long history, established norms, and strong links to public engagement in science. As such there are additional challenges and opportunities that Tom explores as he discusses the work that UKCEH is undertaking to create AI tools that support our understanding of the environment.
Further information and details, this and the wider webinar series is online at https://digitalenvironment.org/webinars/cde-webinar-series-upcoming/#7august .