IFISC researcher Daniel Ruiz is awarded by the Cátedra del Mar Iberostar
April 9, 2024
IFISC (UIB-CSIC) researcher Daniel Ruiz has won one of the prizes awarded by the Iberostar Cátedra del Mar to young researchers with his project "Aerial identification of seagrass meadows at risk using artificial intelligence". These awards promote research in marine ecology, encourage the formation of new research teams, train specialized researchers and facilitate the transfer of knowledge through studies.
In its fifth edition, the Iberostar Cátedra del Mar, a joint initiative of the University of the Balearic Islands (UIB) and the Iberostar Group, through the Iberostar Foundation, has awarded twelve prizes to students and young researchers. These awards, aimed at promoting research and the preservation of the marine environment, recognise bachelor's and master's degree projects, as well as research and doctoral mobility projects. The purpose is to encourage young talent to contribute solutions to the challenges facing marine ecosystems and coastal areas, especially in relation to climate change.
Daniel Ruiz's project aims to map the spatial organization of Posidonia oceanica seagrass meadows along the coast of Mallorca using unmanned aerial vehicles for the acquisition of high-resolution images. By applying mathematical models, which serve as a basis for training algorithms based on deep learning, they aim to develop new monitoring methods to detect seagrass meadows at risk. Recent advances in geospatial remote sensing combined with artificial intelligence techniques, including the use of GPUs for intensive training and computation, open a window of opportunity to automatically detect and monitor seagrass ecosystems at risk, allowing large areas to be covered at reduced cost.
Photo: UIB
