From Software Distribution to Species Distribution: an Engineer’s Journey into Marine Spatial Ecology

Speaker: Mr. Jason Roberts, Research Associate, Marine Geospatial Ecology Lab, Duke University

Hosted by: Dr. DelWayne Bohnenstiehl, Professor in the Department of Marine, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, and CGA Faculty Fellow

Summary: Species distribution models increasingly drive regulatory and policy decisions for the ocean by providing data needed to balance ecological and economic priorities. This trend will only accelerate as additional satellites and drones come online, providing new modes of remote sensing and ever-expanding coverage. In this Geospatial Forum talk, I’ll discuss my career transition from a software engineer focused on operating system development to a marine ecologist who specializes in modeling spatial distributions of marine megafauna. I’ll describe what I do, what I’ve learned on this journey so far, and how I think the field will continue to develop.

About the speaker: Originally a software engineer with a passion for scuba diving and other marine hobbies, I left Microsoft in 2003 to pursue a full time career in marine research and conservation. At the Duke Marine Geospatial Ecology Lab since 2006, I split my time between writing software tools and conducting scientific research. I’m interested in facilitating progress in marine ecology and conservation by developing, applying, and helping others apply advanced software tools, statistical methods, and modeling approaches. Currently, I spend most of my time developing species distribution models for the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale and other marine mammals that inhabit the western North Atlantic.