Dr Julie Oswald awarded the 2024 Conservation Technology Award
Congratulations to Dr Julie Oswald at the SOI for being awarded the EarthRanger’s 2024 Conservation Technology Award. Julie was recognised for her work in marine conservation through the development and deployment of the Real-time Odontocete Call Classification Algorithm (ROCCA), an open-source, user-friendly, freely available, and AI-powered tool that transforms how dolphins and whales (cetaceans) are monitored.
Sara Beery, Assistant Professor at MIT CSAIL and one of the judges for the competition explained, “The Scottish Oceans Institute is taking a beautifully practical approach to integrating automated data processing techniques into global bioacoustic monitoring of cetaceans,” shared . They focus not only on developing models but also on the technical and human infrastructure needed to ensure the technology extends beyond a proof of concept. By working with organizations to create regional acoustic classifiers tailored to local species and contexts, and by investing in open-source software and training programs, they build applied data science and modeling capacity within these organizations. This human investment is crucial to making these technologies, and the time and cost savings they provide, accessible and valuable to local partners on the ground.”
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