18. Satellites, Data and Earth Observation: Signal from Noise – with Dan Hammer

Nov 9, 2023

Dan Hammer, a data scientist, discusses utilizing satellite data for environmental stewardship and creating an open-source foundation for nature. He explores tracking deforestation, illegal activities, and pollution sites using technology. The podcast delves into the emotional impact of observing global issues from a distance and emphasizes the importance of skilled interpretation of satellite data.

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Intro

00:00 • 2min

Utilizing Intelligent Data Architecture for Environmental Stewardship

02:29 • 13min

Balancing Global Data Layers and Local Relevance in Data Science Work

15:22 • 3min

Uncovering Surprising Patterns with Satellite Observations

17:56 • 7min

Discussion on Replication and Impact of Environmental Monitoring Projects

24:34 • 2min

Analyzing Environmental Issues Using Foundation Models

26:24 • 11min

Training Algorithms as Trackers: Exploring Landscapes from Space

37:20 • 3min

Utilizing Satellites for Ethical Earth Observation

40:25 • 15min

How can satellite data and computation fundamentally shift how we understand our place on a changing Earth, and amongst other species? Can we use all that newfound knowledge, transparency, and intelligent data architecture to become better stewards? Allowing the earth to behold itself and its own lifeworld in a whole new way… And what are the ethical implications of having the power of such oversight? In whose hands?

Today our guest is Dan Hammer, Managing Partner at Ode, a data and design agency for the environment, and prior chief data scientist at the World Resources Institute, where he co-founded Global Forest Watch, a tool that tracked and monitored global deforestation patterns. He is founder of Spaceknow, a satellite image analytics start-up, and was a senior advisor in the Obama White House, a Presidential Innovation Fellow at NASA, creator of Global Plastic Watch and Amazon Mining Watch.

His work has used direct earth observation to locate every wastewater pond in rural Alabama; to watch illegal mining unfold in the Amazon; and to find every plastic waste site along rivers in Vietnam. He created the application Climate TRACE for former Vice President Al Gore, the first facility-level global inventory of greenhouse gas emissions, and much more.

In this episode speak about his new endeavour which is attempting to create an open source foundation model for nature – where you can “start to query the landscape like you would Google Maps”. I ask Dan how he manages to strike a balance between high level global information layers, and local relevance, and whether is it really possible that a global model can actually help people on the ground develop a deeper intimacy and action with the lifeworlds of where they reside.

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Look out for meditations, poems, readings, and other snippets of inspiration in between episodes.

Music: Electric Ethnicity by Igor Dvorkin, Duncan Pittock & Ellie Kidd

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