Benjamin Williamson’s research includes marine and terrestrial sensing, with a focus on environmental science. His research interests include sensor fusion, remote sensing above and under water, computer vision and machine learning, with applications from measuring the environmental and ecological effects of marine renewable energy devices to marine plastic litter. He has a background in smart grids (link), prior to hydroacoustics and developing subsea multi-sensor platforms to track the interactions of fish, seabirds and marine mammals with marine energy devices. He is Lead Scientist for the ‘Energy’ Research Theme at the ERI based out of the Centre for Energy and the Environment (CfEE) and Chair of UHI Energy Innovation.

His PhD was in robotics and developed hybrid-ROV/AUVs for near-shore habitat mapping of kelp beds using multibeam sonar and video (link). He has a keen interest in developing novel sensor platforms to investigate biophysical interactions in the marine environment, such as using UAVs (link) to investigate behavioural associations of top predators with fine-scale hydrodynamic surface features at tidal energy sites.

Current projects include PELAgIO investigating ecosystem effects of offshore wind (press release), PREDICT improving understanding of fish migration patterns and providing a vision for next-generation monitoring techniques (press release) and IFLOW investigating effects of floating offshore wind on fish and marine mammals. More widely, current projects include island energy systems (ROBINSON), sustainable aviation (SATE), wave energy for off-grid communities (INGINE), and two KTPs supporting knowledge and technology transfer with industry.

Previous projects range from using drones to map surface currents and seabirds at marine energy sites (V-SCORES) to mapping floating plastic litter (TISPLALI), and from marine renewable energy resource assessment (Gibraltar) to validating reliable environmental monitoring for ocean energy (OERA Pathway Program) or hydrogen utilisation and green energy (HUGE).

Accepting PhD/MRes students and internship / placement students.

2017 IET Chartered Engineer (CEng)
2013 PhD Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University of Bath
2011 Member of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (MIET)
2007 MSc (Distinction) Mechatronics, University of Bath
2006 BEng (Hons) Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University of Bath