Nine students are making their mark in Antarctic research through the Centre for Antarctic and Southern Ocean Technology (CAST) Undergraduate Engagement Program. Halfway through the year, these students are broadening their knowledge and making real contributions to scientific discovery.
From ocean mapping to engineering, their projects cover diverse disciplines, providing valuable insights into the future of marine science. The program offers them real-world challenges and the chance to apply their skills in meaningful ways.
Here’s a glimpse of what they’ve been up to during their placement at CSIRO’s Hobart site and how their CAST experience is unfolding.
Ruby Fox
Ruby has been delving into the mysteries of the seafloor with CSIRO’s Geophysical Survey and Mapping Team. Her work involves processing and publishing bathymetry data from CSIRO research vessel (RV) Investigator, aiming to make this information accessible via the AusSeabed website.
A key moment for her was attending the 2024 Hydrospatial Conference and touring RSV Nuyina, which fuelled her desire to contribute to Antarctic research. “It inspired me to contribute to Antarctic science and hopefully visit the continent later in my career,” she shares.
Anh Doan
For Anh, this year is all about automation. Anh has been revolutionising the metadata archiving and publishing process at CSIRO by developing Python scripts that streamline these tasks, previously done manually.
Navigating CSIRO’s vast system architecture was challenging, but Anh delivered a project that will have lasting benefits. His success is a testament to perseverance and effective mentorship.
“The most rewarding part has been seeing my work make a real impact, knowing that it will save the team countless hours in the future,” Anh reflects.
David Vonk
David’s work has taken him from the classroom to the deck of RV Investigator, where he’s developing replacement sensor interfaces for this state-of-the-art research vessel. His project has combined hands-on programming with hardware tinkering—a dream come true for any aspiring engineer.
A highlight of David’s year so far was a guided tour of RV Investigator, where he saw firsthand the inner workings of the ship and imagined what it would be like to join its crew as a scientist or engineer. His biggest takeaway? “Trusting your judgment and knowing when to push forward is key,” David said.
Patrick Quinlan
Patrick has spent the start of this year focusing on the cutting edge of underwater exploration technology. Specialising in electronics and mechatronics, Patrick has been working on establishing connections between a camera and a computer module with an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV). He’s also designed a Printed Circuit Board (PCB) for the AUV—a project that’s pushed his skills to the limit.
For Patrick, the real reward has been seeing the theoretical knowledge from his degree come to life in the real world.
“It’s been challenging, but incredibly rewarding to work with brilliant engineers and scientists,” Patrick said.
Reuben Dunne
Reuben’s project involves enhancing underwater camera systems to perform better in high-drag conditions and unpredictable ocean environments.
His hands-on experience with design and testing has improved his engineering skills and deepened his understanding of marine environments. “It’s been a fascinating journey, from concept to testing, and seeing the improvements in performance has been incredibly satisfying,” Reuben reflects.
Nicolyn Kwok
So far this year Nicolyn has been working on the Gaslab static site generator, a tool designed to render data into accessible web pages. The moment when all her efforts came together—when the data was rendered correctly, and the site functioned as it should—was a triumph. But the path wasn’t always smooth.
Nicolyn frequently faced challenges that left her stuck, despite trying multiple solutions. Yet, each challenge was a learning opportunity, and with perseverance, she continued to push the project forward. “The key is to keep learning and adapting,” Nicolyn said.
Fionn Banks-Gorton
Specialising in bioacoustics, Fionn has been collaborating with CSIRO bio-acousticians to enhance fishery stock assessments. His project involves developing calibration procedures for echosounders, tools that are crucial for understanding fish populations and their habitats.
By fine-tuning this technology, Fionn is helping to unlock its scientific potential, providing researchers worldwide with more accurate and reliable data. His work is a blend of fieldwork and technology, and the satisfaction of contributing to global fisheries research is immense.
“It’s amazing to see how a small tweak in calibration can have a huge impact on the data we collect,” Fionn shares.
Oban Cottier
Oban has been focused on developing software for reporting on the homogeneity and stability of low-nutrient seawater samples used in bulk quality control. Recently, he had the opportunity to test his code on a new batch of samples, a significant step in his project.
Oban has found creating software for others to be both challenging and rewarding, pushing him to think beyond his own use cases.
Looking ahead, he plans to monitor the nutrient stability of the new samples, which could help determine their expiration date. “This work is essential to maintain the reliability of our research data,” he explains.
Charlie Cooper
Charlie’s tasks have ranged from fixing data parsing bugs to optimising data aggregation for RV Investigator. Meeting with the creator of OpenRVDAS and other CSIRO developers was a highlight, providing valuable learning and collaboration opportunities.
“It was a great opportunity to learn and see collaborative discussions in action,” he said. He’s eager to resume his data comparison project once the ship returns to Australian waters. “I’m eager to make progress once the systems are back online,” he added.
Applications for the 2025 CSIRO-University of Tasmania Studentships are now open!
