Staff profiles: Science

At Huon, we have many talented staff members with scientific backgrounds. Featured on this page you will find a snapshot of some of our science-based roles, as well as the the fascinating insights and backgrounds of the people who fill them.

 

Hannah Millward-Hopkins – Farm Attendant – ROV Pilot

Huon’s Hannah Millward-Hopkins has always been fascinated with how and why things work –
“I was a very inquisitive child (annoyingly so soz mum and dad) creating snail farms, growing rock crystals and generally making a mess around the house,” Hannah said.

Hannah went on to study Marine Biology at university, which combined, as she puts it, “her enthusiasm for science and love of messing about in rock pools!” She then went on to complete a Master’s in Marine Environmental Management and she also finished an Associate Degree in Aquaculture last year, which she started just before joining Huon.

“I first started with Huon on the ROV team (Remotely Operated Vehicle) working on the water undertaking things like net inspections and fish health checks. After 2 years in this role I moved into the feed control room where I now remotely feed and monitor our fish,” Hannah said.

“My background in marine science has help me in both roles as understanding fish biology, behaviour and the environmental conditions we farm in are critical for successful operations.”

Tim Jackson – Control Systems Manager

Huon’s Control System Manager, Tim Jackson, first became interested in science when his ‘cool’ Aunty did a science degree at UTAS. His uncle (sorry uncle, no mention of cool status here) also worked as an Electronics Engineer developing pacemakers – something that fascinated him greatly. As a kid he also liked Aussie science shows like Beyond 2000 and The Curiosity Show.

These interests, combined with a knack for maths and science subjects, led Tim to complete a degree in Engineering (Mechatronics) at UTAS.

In his role, Tim is responsible for overseeing the feed control room operations based at our Hobart office. On a daily basis, he checks that all feed systems and radio networks are operating as expected and rectifies any issues as they occur.

Tim said they are currently working on improving Huon’s SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition) program (operation screens), as well as testing new camera technology for our underwater cameras.

“The recent advancements in camera and radio technology have made a real impact on what we can deliver to the control room,” Tim said.

Emmaline Kelly – Technical Officer (Hatchery)

The wonderful Emmaline Kelly is a Technical Officer for our southern hatcheries. What does that role entail you ask? Well a ‘typical’ day for Emmaline involves water tests; weight counts or osmolality testing, doing routine checks at our hatcheries, fertilising (eggs), analysing eggs, monitoring fish health, setting up feeders, and vaccinating (just to name a few!).

“I really enjoy being involved in the whole process from fertilisation to when we send the fish out to sea. I’m constantly learning something and love getting to see science in action,” Emmaline said.

Through working at Huon, Emmaline has learnt that aquaculture is in constant development.

“We use science to ensure our fish continually have the best treatments and quality of life possible,” Emmaline said.

Tom Pinkiewicz – Data Engineer – Machine Learning

Meet Tom Pinkiewicz, he’s a Data Engineer (Machine Learning) at Huon. As a young teen, Tom was interested in history of warfare. With computers becoming more common, he wanted to use that knowledge to make strategy games. This eventually led him to pursue computer science as a career.

In his role at Data Engineer at Huon, Tom works with a multi-disciplinary team to ensure the functioning and efficiency of our computer-operated equipment and programs. Through his role he has learnt that solving technology problems in aquaculture requires people from different areas and disciplines –
“While I try to provide my knowledge to others, I find it invaluable learning from them about their areas of expertise,” Tom said.

We asked him what he would say to someone who wants to get into science, to which he responded:
“Maths is the language of science, so don’t avoid it, learn it. Don’t just settle for what you learn at school – there are so many resources available on the internet. I also think programming is good to know because you can use tools like Python to analyse your data. In my opinion, both of these skills help to wire your brain so you can become a good problem solver.”