I first heard of SkyTruth at least a decade ago. I was amazed! Like the Eye of Sauron (but for doing good), they monitored polluters and assessed biodiversity. All right around the corner from my classes in that tiny place called Shepherdstown. I just knew: one day I had to get in.
The Santiago River, referred to in the regional language of Nahuatl as “Río Chignahuapan,” translated as “the power of the nine rivers,” was the backbone of a thriving indigenous community near Guadalajara, Mexico.
Monitoring our planet with satellite imagery over time can reshape our understanding of human activities. When it comes to reshaping ecosystems, the tourism industry is often front and center.
The Gulf of Guinea’s vast fossil fuel reserves spurred dozens of oil and gas fields since the installation of its first oil platforms between 1960 and 1970. Unfortunately, this has led to frequent and devastating spills that continue to wreak havoc on marine life and negatively impact coastal communities.
Machine learning is a powerful tool that SkyTruth employs for a wide variety of conservation goals, from detecting roads to scoping out oil pollution at sea. As a former geology major, I jumped at the chance to leverage computer science skills to promote conservation in this way by applying to be a SkyTruth intern.