Biography
Lachlan is a postdoctoral researcher with CSIRO’s AquaWatch mission. His research is focused on applying artificial intelligence to improve coastal modelling capabilities and water quality forecasting. Lachlan draws on his experience in ecology and ocean dynamics to develop novel approaches to AI development. His current projects include developing neural networks to predict future river outflows; and pairing hydrodynamic, biogeochemical and optical models to simulate satellite products for AI pre-training. Lachlan is part of NASA’s PACE Early Adopter Program in which he is developing new methods to efficiently train neural networks on hyperspectral imagery for water quality forecasting applications.
In 2023, Lachlan received his PhD from Macquarie University with his thesis “Resolving the impact of the intensifying East Australian Current southern extension: from physics to predators” in which he investigated how intensification of the East Australian Current is driving changes in a coastal pelagic ecosystem in one of the fastest warming regions in the southern hemisphere. The project involved extensive field work where spend three months each year on Montague Island (Baranguba) deploying biologging devices on penguins and conducting boat based pelagic surveys.
Academic Qualifications
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2023
PhD
Macquarie University -
2018
Masters of Research (Marine Science)
Macquarie Univeristy -
2016
Beachelor of Marine Science with First Class Honours
University of Tasmania -
2013
Bachelor of Science Majoring in Botany
University of Tasmania
Achievements and Awards
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2020-2020
Barbara Rice Memorial Award
Macquarie University -
2019-2019
Research Excellence Scholarship (MQRES)
Macquarie University -
2017-2017
Finalist for Rhodes Scholarship
Rhodes trust