Ryan Kastner (UC San Diego)

Engineers for Exploration

Engineers for Exploration is a one of a kind program that develops intelligent systems that aid research in conservation, cultural heritage, and exploration. We work closely with archaeologists, biologists, ecologists, and marine scientists to create technologies to facilitate their scientific research. Applications include determining population counts for endangered and rare animals (e.g., vaquitas, whale sharks, and Mexican gray wolves). and creating and visualizing data to undercover ecological and archaeological discoveries (e.g., understanding environmental impacts on coral reefs and mapping Maya structures). The program centers around student led teams that undertake a systematic design process beginning with the development of detailed project plans, continuing with proof of concept prototyping, and finally deploying the system in the field alongside scientists and explorers. This talk describes the iterative process of imagine, design, prototype, test, and deploy for a subset of these remote sensing technologies.