Dr. John Holdsworth, Associate Professor at the School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences in the University of Newcastle Australia visited the Observatory last 22 April 2019 to talk about his experience with Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) and discussed how it can also be used in sustainability science.
Speaking in front of BS Environmental Science students from the Ateneo de Manila University and the Manila Observatory community, Dr. Holdsworth shared how LiDAR is being used to monitor environmental activity around ports in Newcastle. He highlights the role LiDAR can play in dust and fence line monitoring. In the case of Australia, being one of the biggest exporters of coal in the world, LiDAR is set up to monitor the process of coal manufacturing to exportation which helps in analyzing which kinds of particulates are found in the atmosphere.
© Manila Observatory
Dr. Holdsworth raised some potential areas for research in sustainability science such as efficient energy storage and transport as sources for renewable energy like waves, wind, and solar which are found far from population centers.
© Manila Observatory
Dr. Holdsworth is a former professor of Physics and department chair at the Ateneo de Manila University before he moved back to Newcastle, Australia.