Research group

Digital Oceans

Blue digital dots forming a horizontal wave KanawatVector© stock.adobe.com

A collaborative platform for exploring advancements and exchanging expertise in digital technology within the marine and maritime space. We foster innovation and research.

About

Research areas

Marine solutions and economies are expanding along with increasing threats to the marine environment. Harnessing progress in digital oceans is essential for addressing global and local challenges.

Digital Oceans focuses on advances in marine digital technology, in areas such as:

  • artificial intelligence
  • data infrastructure and management
  • ocean mapping
  • simulation
  • visualisation such as digital twins

Digital Oceans is a special interest group that aims to establish a collaborative platform for researchers to engage in marine digital applications and methods. Their interest is in a deeper understating of our oceans and in data-driven insights that can inform sustainable practices. They use digital innovation to address practices and changes affecting our marine environments. 

Digital Oceans facilitates efficiency and accessibility. This is achieved through advances in artificial intelligence that improve data analysis and decision-making processes; the optimisation of data structures and management; and new frontiers in ocean mapping, simulation and visualisations.

Our ambition is to:

  • promote and champion Digital Oceans
  • increase awareness to marine digital technologies 
  • foster collaborations and the exchange of ideas 

The Digital Oceans group strives to bridge the gap between cutting-edge marine digital technologies and social and human sciences. 

Our vision is to promote environmental stewardship and help innovations to impact our oceans and the global community.  

To find out more about the Digital Oceans Special Interest Group and what we do, get in touch with group champions Alexandra Karamitrou, Crystal El Safadi, Philip Leadbitter and Hugo Putuhena.

Join the SMMI Community to sign up to this group and our other special interest groups.

People, projects and publications

People

Professor Paul Hughes BSc. Ph.D.

Professor of Palaeoecology
Connect with Paul

Professor Paul Kemp

Professor of Ecological Engineering
Connect with Paul

Professor Paul Lewin

Professor of Electrical Power Engineerin
Connect with Paul

Professor Paul White

Prof of Statistical Signal Processing

Research interests

  • Paul has research interests which include signal processing, underwater acoustics and bioacoustics (the way animals, especially marine mammals, use sound). He is primarily concerned with developing tools to assist in the computer-aided analysis of underwater sounds and understanding the role of those sounds in the marine environment.
  • Acoustics, in the form of sonar, is an important tool for the exploration of the marine environment. It is used by the seismic industry to locate oil and gas reserves, by the military to detect objects, by oceanographers to make measurements and by marine mammals to survive.
  • Man-made underwater acoustic systems rely upon computers to process the data coming from sensors to interpret the environment. The processing methods within the computer systems are a critical component often defining the overall success of the instrument.
Connect with Paul

Professor Paul Wilson

Professor

Research interests

  • Greenhouse climates
  • Ice sheet instability
  •  Monsoons and Rainfall Deserts and Aridity 

Accepting applications from PhD students

Connect with Paul

Professor Peter G.R. Smith

Professor in Electronics & Comp Science

Accepting applications from PhD students

Connect with Peter G.R.

Professor Peter Sunley

Professor in Human Geography

Accepting applications from PhD students

Connect with Peter

Professor Peter Wells

Professor

Research interests

  • Heterogeneous Catalysis
  • Operando Spectroscopy
  • Nanoparticle Design

Accepting applications from PhD students

Connect with Peter

Dr Philip Leadbitter

Research Fellow (PSDI)

Research interests

  • Digital lab Notebooks and paperless note-taking
  • Human and technological road blocks to paperless note-taking
  • Use of Autonomous Underwater Platforms to further research in remote ocean regions
Connect with Philip

Related research institutes, centres and groups

Related research institutes, centres and groups

Connect with us

Enquiries

If you're interested in joining us or collaborating, get in touch with the Southampton Marine and Maritime Institute.