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Sea turtles face rising threats from local weather change, air pollution and habitat loss – making modern conservation efforts extra pressing than ever.
However there’s a strong ally of their nook: AI.
We’re fairly acquainted with sea turtles right here at SAS. However, for many who want a refresher, SAS has been collaborating with the UNC Heart for Galapagos Research to assist shield endangered sea turtles utilizing SAS® Visible Analytics and the ConserVision App.
By way of this work, citizen knowledge scientists can match photographs of distinctive turtle facial markings, which helps to coach SAS laptop imaginative and prescient fashions to establish particular person turtles.
Individuals behind the venture
Among the many workforce of knowledge scientists working to avoid wasting the ocean turtles have been two from reverse sides of the world – Jonny McElhinney, an information scientist at SAS from Scotland and Jason Colon, an information scientist at Thrivent, from the U.S.
McElhinney and Colon, who previously labored at SAS, have been offered 40,000 photographs from researchers and requested to coach laptop imaginative and prescient fashions to acknowledge the markings on turtles to assist monitor them. You possibly can hear a few of their story of how they helped create this software within the video above.
“It’s so uncommon and distinctive for a big firm like SAS to get entangled with a venture like saving sea turtles,” McElhinney stated. “I don’t assume many corporations would actively encourage tasks that aren’t immediately income producing like this – it’s such a feel-good story for me.”
Whereas laptop imaginative and prescient is a know-how each McElhinney and Colon actively work inside their day-to-day jobs, this venture allowed them to higher their technical abilities whereas engaged on a venture they have been enthusiastic about.
“To me, the atmosphere (and) preservation of species is one thing that is essential,” Colon stated. “I believed that (being concerned on this venture) would permit me to do one thing that, in the long run, would make a considerable distinction.”
By way of volunteer tasks, staff can collaborate with folks and groups that they won’t usually work together with often. McElhinney and Colon, although separated by an ocean, shaped a long-lasting friendship. Over the summer time, the 2 have been even capable of meet in individual. “The folks, the friendships and the relationships you make by tasks like this are simply as essential as the subject material,” McElhinney stated.
Information for good
Initiatives like this present how know-how could make a real-world distinction – not simply by innovation but additionally by the individuals who energy it.
On the coronary heart of this story is a shared mission: defending endangered sea turtles. The know-how is highly effective, but it surely’s the folks – coming collectively throughout continents – who make it significant. Their collaboration is a reminder that knowledge could be a drive for good when guided by goal and fervour.
That message has resonated past the venture itself. The video above, titled “Individuals Behind the Venture” was not too long ago named the Inspirational Video Winner within the 2025 Ragan Worker Communication Awards. It highlighted not simply the modern work behind the ConserVision app but additionally the human connections it cast alongside the way in which. It’s yet another means this effort continues to encourage – all within the identify of saving sea turtles.
Assume you’ll be able to spot a sea turtle match?
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Mark Wooden contributed the video for this story.
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