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Meet the Selection Committee

Meet the panel committee that will be judging project proposals under wave four of the Satellites for Biodiversity Award.

 
Ted Schmitt is the Senior Director of Conservation at the Allen Institute for Artificial Intelligence (AI2), where he leads the Skylight program. For over 15 years, Ted has led efforts to bring fit-for-purpose technology solutions to a range of terrestrial and marine conservation issues. He has worked extensively in Africa with field organisations applying technology to secure and manage protected areas. He founded and led the EarthRanger program, which is now used in over 600 national parks, reserves, and protected areas around the world.


For eight years, Sophie has led the co-development of a range of conservation technology solutions, including the use of AI, IoT, and high-resolution Satellite data to monitor and protect species; forging collaborations across conservation, corporations, government, and communities. Today, Sophie oversees Connected Conservation’s technology projects in nine protected areas, working closely with field partners in Kenya, Zambia and South Africa. Prior, she headed up the Zoological Society of London’s Conservation Technology Lab, partnering with Google, National Geographic, and the UK and US governments, to advance ZSL’s Instant Wild, AI solutions for Species Detection and Instant Detect (an anti-poaching technology).  Sophie was part of the steering committee that founded WILDLABS.NET and has run several conservation technology awards.


Japheth Kimeu is a GIS and Remote Sensing professional with over eight years of experience, specialising in the humanitarian, environmental and conservation management sectors. He is passionate about leveraging data science and machine learning technologies to analyse and visualise complex geospatial information. Currently, Japheth serves as the GIS & Data Science Specialist at CCF, where he plays a pivotal role in assisting partners by providing access to satellite imagery, conducting analyses and developing innovative methodologies, machine learning models and use cases.

Before joining Airbus, Dipjyoti Deb (aka DJ) was a venture partner at BSH Startup Kitchen, a Robert Bosch company, fostering startup partnerships. At Bosch Research in Stuttgart, he specialised in quantum technologies and led deep-tech investments, later moving to the Bosch Centre for Artificial Intelligence in Silicon Valley to work with startups. DJ mentored female entrepreneurs, particularly in the social and environmental sectors, focusing on education and hunger elimination. He has collaborated with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the World Food Program Accelerator in Munich. DJ also taught entrepreneurship at Munich Business School and TUM. His expertise includes carbon-based climate projects and measuring the societal impact of ecological initiatives. At Airbus, he contributes to wildfire prevention and serves on the Airbus Foundation advisory council. Personally, he is involved in biodiversity and ecological projects in West Bengal, India, aimed at social and ecological development in mangrove areas.

Find out more about the Satellites for Biodiversity Award scheme here.

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