From goggles and floaties to using AI to save sea lions
Ruby Fox made an important discovery while navigating the ocean with goggles and buoys as a child.
Recalling one of her mother’s favorite family stories, Ms Fox told AAP: “I put my face in the water… looked up and said, ‘Mummy, mum, there’s a whole world down there’.”
That moment snorkeling on a reef off Lord Howe Island was the beginning of the marine science student’s enduring passion for life below the surface.
These days, the 22-year-old’s ocean exploration gear is a little more high-tech; It features video cameras and artificial intelligence as it examines the lives of sea lions.
She is part of a team from the University of Tasmania’s Institute of Marine and Antarctic Research that followed 15 women from colonies on the Kangaroo and Olive Islands in South Australia.
Researchers attach lightweight cameras, along with GPS and 3D tracking devices, to the animals’ backs to track them as they forage, socialize and raise their young.
Ms. Fox keeps a spreadsheet of more than 52 million location points recorded over two years, which are then fed into an artificial intelligence system to be collated and mapped.
The study, carried out in collaboration with Flinders University and the South Australian Research and Development Institute, is helping scientists better understand how to protect the habitats of endangered species.
The data showed that one animal foraged for as long as 217 hours before returning to its colony.
This confirms that sea lions always return to the same place, which means protecting their homes is critical.
“It’s a great opportunity to see footage of the colony lazing around on the rocks and then foraging for food,” Ms Fox said.
“No wonder they’re always exhausted.
“But there are very few individuals that move between colonies, which makes this really concerning in terms of any changes caused by humans or climate change.”
But working with a team of highly talented researchers increases optimism that Australia’s coasts, landscapes and unique species can be protected.
Although pursuing a career in marine sciences seemed like a no-brainer from the start, Ms. Fox initially doubted her abilities because math wasn’t her strong suit at school.
The Agrifutures Horizon Fellowship helped him understand the value of his skills, including how AI tools can be used to help the environment.
He hopes to work in marine science and governance, possibly to guide environmental policy in the fishing industry.
“It’s a place that helps people while helping the environment,” he said.
Applications for the 2026 scholarship, which supports full-time students who want to work in agriculture-based sectors, will close on January 26.
