Meet Rob Stewart

Meet Rob Stewart

What is your job title?

Science Technician

What do you study and why is it important?

Over the last 2 years the emphasis has shifted away from inshore coastal areas to deeper ocean areas such as seamounts. Principally my role is the analysis of images from camera systems deployed on these features. Information gained can give an indication of changes that may be occurring over time to give a direct insight of what is living there.

What will you be doing on the Rumble III voyage?

Routine operations of the deepwater still camera as well as the data management, specimen sorting, and photography as well as some preliminary analysis if time permits.

Where were you educated?

Born and bred in Wellington

How did you become interested in the ocean?

Living next to the sea as a child and pursuing long time interests in diving, fishing and kayaking

Do you get seasick?

Yes! Still searching for the miracle cure. Best to avoid red wine before sailing as I cruelly found out once!

What do you enjoy about your work?

The variety, a great mix of office, laboratory, and field work

What are some of the challenges that you face?

Coming to grips with new technology in deep sea cameras as well as increasing my knowledge of the animals founds on seamounts

What have you learned/discovered? What do you hope to learn?

I have learned a huge amount in recent years about these environments and the tools we use to survey them, time will add to that!

How do you spend your spare time?

Chilling out with my family on the Kapiti coast with our two young boys, aged 7 and 5. Our other pastimes these days seem to include gentle tramping, middle-aged walking, photography, lazy tennis and if I’m really lucky some trout fishing.