Planet Beyond

One day, taking a gearbox out of a vehicle in the middle of the night as a 17-year-old apprentice automotive engineer Helen West had a flash of realisation: “I can’t be doing this when I’m 30!” Today, Helen is global director, marine asset integrity, at Fugro. In this episode, she shares how she plans and manages her career. The key, Helen says, is to decide on where you want to be in ten years’ time, identify the steps you need to take to get there, and to create a flexible plan for the decade ahead. As well as a good plan, it helps to have a supportive partner, and to work together to ensure that both of your life plans can run in parallel. Today, Helen shares this approach with the teams that she works with and mentors. And, in this episode, she talks to Jon Baston-Pitt about how she manages her career by maximising on opportunities, and her experiences as a mentor. Host Jon Baston-Pitt, Fugro Guest Helen West, Global Director, Marine Asset Integrity, Fugro

The International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) has a 100 year history of mapping the world’s oceans. John Nyberg, technical director, explains how the organisation’s role in understanding our oceans is evolving. Now, rather than just recording ocean depths for mariners, the organisation is setting standards for how we record environmental data. In Italy, this approach is being put into effect with an ambitious coastline mapping project. In a bid to reverse a decline in biodiversity, Italy aims to map 7500 kilometres of coastline to a depth of 50 metres. Marco Filippone, global solution director for ocean science and hydrography at Fugro, explains how new technologies ranging from satellite sensors to remote underwater mapping are all playing a crucial role in collecting data for this initiative. One of the first undertakings of the Italian coastline mapping initiatives was to get a better understanding of the seagrass meadows and the role they can play in maintaining ocean biodiversity. Giordano Giorgi, the project director for Italy’s marine initiative explains how the project has furthered our understanding of seagrass’ role in carbon capture and with this knowledge, how the protection of the seagrass meadows can be ensured. Host Jon Baston-Pitt Guests John Nyberg, technical director, the International Hydrographic Organisation Giordano Giorgi, project director, Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA) Marco Filippone, global solution director for ocean science and hydrography, Fugro

TreVaughn Ellis is a recent graduate of American University, and winner of the Scott A. Bass Outstanding Scholarship Award. During his studies, he interned as a researcher with the National Marine Fisheries Service, part of NOAA, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, in Alaska. In this episode, he describes his research in Alaska, where he studied lampreys and their parasites, bringing new light to the relationship between these fish and other commercially and culturally important species, such as cod and salmon.  He is an advocate for greater scientific research of many of the ocean’s understudied co-dependencies if we are to save it, and with it, the livelihoods of many coastal communities that rely on the health of our ocean. He also discusses his involvement with the not-for-profit group Black in Marine Science. He describes the loneliness of working in a largely white field of research, the one tweet from Dr Tiara Moore [https://www.blackinmarinescience.org/tiara-moore.html] that led to the formation of the network, and what it has done to give voice and connection to Black marine scientists. Host Jon Baston-Pitt, Fugro

Young people have the most to lose from climate change, but are not given a voice or a vote in how the crisis is tackled. In this episode, Jon Baston-Pitt speaks to three young women, Raina Ivanova, Chloe McKenna and Paula Garcia Rodriguez, who are taking action to make sure their voices—and those of their peers—are heard.  Chloe and Raina are members of Heirs to our Oceans [https://h2oo.org/] (H2OO), and Paula is a member of the ECOPs [https://www.ecopdecade.org/] programme. While Raina and Chloe are completing an undergraduate degree and a masters, respectively, they both have long careers of engagement and organising behind them. Raina is a member of Children Versus Climate Crisis [https://childrenvsclimatecrisis.org/] and an environmental advocate. Chloe is a National Marine Sanctuaries Foundation [https://marinesanctuary.org/] education consultant for the NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries [https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/], and co-founder of the Ocean Guardian Youth Ambassador Programme [https://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/education/ocean_guardian/youth-ambassador.html]. Paula developed her focus on sustainability as she completed her MSc in Governance of Sustainability [https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/education/study-programmes/master/governance-of-sustainability] at Leiden University [https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/en]. Now a participant in Fugro’s international leadership track, she also volunteers as a Water Quality Officer with the Surfrider Foundation [https://www.surfrider.org/] Netherlands [https://en.surfriderfoundation.nl/]. At Fugro, Paula continues to pursue her interest in ocean health and ocean science. She works closely with Government Accounts Director for the Americas, David Millar, and Louis Demargne, who is currently on secondment from Fugro as Data & Knowledge Management Officer at IOC/UNESCO.  In this episode they describe the obstacles youth face in contributing to humanity’s response to climate change. They describe their own work on climate change, and the work they do to give voice to others. Host Jon Baston-Pitt, Fugro Guests Raina Ivanova, undergraduate student, Geography [https://www.geo.uni-hamburg.de/en/geographie.html], University of Hamburg [https://www.uni-hamburg.de/]. Chloe McKenna, masters student, Marine Systems and Policies [https://www.ed.ac.uk/studying/postgraduate/degrees/index.php?r=site/view&edition=2024&id=872], University of Edinburgh [https://www.ed.ac.uk/] Paula García Rodríguez [https://www.linkedin.com/in/paula-garc%25C3%25ADa-rodr%25C3%25ADguez/overlay/about-this-profile/], Ocean Sciences Programme Support Manager, Fugro International Leadership Track [https://www.fugro.com/careers/working-at-fugro/international-leadership-track], Resources H2OO has prepared a Guide to Organising a Youth Advisory Council for The UN Ocean Decade [https://drive.google.com/file/d/1odeoUFqi7VphVDHzaCsbLso4LwutpRW4/view].

In this Planet Beyond episode hosted by Jon Baston-Pitt, experts Irina Mirkina from UNICEF, Marek Kowalkiewicz from QUT Business School, and Pawel Michalak from Fugro discuss the future of AI and its wide-ranging impact on society. Beyond just language models, like ChatGPT, they highlight its role in disaster management, climate modelling, and decision-making processes. In the last shortcast we heard about the environmental impact of building and running large AI models, however this episode explores how it will, in the near future, impact on our physical world. Irina Mirkina brings attention to global challenges like climate change and digital inequality, emphasising UNICEF’s efforts to equip future generations with responsible AI skills. Marek Kowalkiewicz points out its long history of integration into everyday life and its current evolution towards generative AI. Pawel Michalak shares practical examples of AI in action, demonstrating its use in autonomous data processing for subsurface mapping and sustainable infrastructure projects.  They also explore AI’s potential in predictive analytics for disaster preparedness and improving water access in regions like Sub-Saharan Africa. The discussion also touches on ethical concerns such as data privacy, transparency, and the responsible deployment of AI. While the guests all view the worst, most dystopian outcomes of AI as exceedingly unlikely, they do stress the importance of balanced progress that benefits society while managing potential risks. Host  Jon Baston-Pitt Guests Irina Mirkina, AI Lead, UNICEF Marek Kowalkiewicz, Professor at QUT Business School Pawel Michalak, Global Director of Innovation, Fugro