Our Lab

BEN STEER

I am a remote sensing scientist from New Zealand. I earned a Master of Science in Geography from the University of Auckland in 2021. My thesis explored the use of remote sensing to detect the impacts of typhoons on atoll island vegetation in the Federated States of Micronesia.

After finishing my degrees, I joined Scion, a forest research institute based in Rotorua, New Zealand. While there, I contributed to the development of a deep learning-based model for detecting plantation forest boundaries in aerial imagery across New Zealand. Additionally, I worked on projects integrating various remote sensing data to detect forest disease and monitor invasive species, mapped the carbon sequestration potential of plantation species, and applied LiDAR to predict individual tree height, diameter and volume, among many other activities.

In 2024, I moved over to Darwin in Australia and joined the Northern Territory Government in using satellite imagery to map land clearing activities across the Territory. I am now excited to move over to Townsville to pursue an opportunity to contribute my skills to the development of the Global Ecosystems Atlas.

Email: benjamin.steer@jcu.edu.au

Scholar: Google Scholar link

Office: The Science Place (142) Level 2. College of Science and Engineering, Bebegu Yumba Campus, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia.

LinkedIn: Ben Steer