At Tritonia, we are proud to support the next generation of marine scientists by providing opportunities to gain hands-on experience in photogrammetry and marine survey work. This summer, we had the pleasure of welcoming Kirsten Golding, whose passion for marine ecosystems and technical expertise made a great contribution to our projects.
Kirsten’s journey began in Australia, where she developed a strong research background in coral and seagrass monitoring:
“In 2023, I conducted my honours research using photogrammetry to investigate the impacts of a severe flooding event on the coral communities inside Moreton Bay, a large, tidal embayment neighbouring the city of Brisbane, Australia. Following on from this, I began working as a research assistant in the Marine Ecosystems Monitoring Lab at The University of Queensland, where I used both photo quadrat and photogrammetry methods to monitor the long-term health of corals and seagrass in Moreton Bay and at Heron Island, on the Great Barrier Reef.”
She also found creative ways to bring her research to a wider audience:
“I’ve collaborated with local artists in Brisbane who have used some of these digital models in public art installations to share the beauty, vulnerability and importance of protecting local marine ecosystems to broader audiences.”
Kirsten’s motivation to join Tritonia was sparked during a chance conversation on Heron Island:
“On the way to our field work on Heron Island last year, I got chatting with Joanna Smart, a PhD student who had just started in our lab. She told me about an internship she did as a part of her OWUSS scholarship year at Tritonia, a marine survey consultancy in Scotland that specialises in photogrammetry. I realised an internship in Scotland with Tritonia, where I could enhance my technical photogrammetry skillset, would be the perfect next step in my career.”
During her time with Tritonia, Kirsten quickly immersed herself in a wide range of work:
“Working with Tritonia so far, I’ve assisted with ROV photogrammetry and high-resolution imagery field surveys, data management, ROV maintenance and integration of new camera systems and built upon my existing photogrammetry skills base creating underwater, georeferenced 3D models for a range of projects and clients. I am really enjoying the technical challenges presented when surveying and modelling the sea bed in often harsh conditions and have learnt a lot from the work I’ve done here already.”
Outside of project work, Kirsten embraced life in Oban and took every opportunity to explore Scotland’s unique marine environments:
“Here in Oban, I love how close we are to the sea and am making the most of all the local snorkel and dive sites to really get to know the workings of these new ecosystems, which are quite different to where I have worked in Australia. I’ve felt so incredibly welcomed and supported by the team here and hope I can continue my connection with Tritonia into the future.”
Kirsten has now returned to Australia, and we would like to thank her for all her hard work, energy, and enthusiasm during her internship. We thoroughly enjoyed having her as part of the team and look forward to following her career in marine science as she continues to explore the potential of photogrammetry to better understand and protect our oceans.
