Meet Harmen Romeijn, Senior Data Scientist and Geospatial Analyst of Spatial Vision

Meet Harmen Romeijn, Senior Data Scientist and Geospatial Analyst

Harmen has been with Spatial Vision for eight years, focusing on collating and integrating data into models and workflows, developing processes and applications to solve client challenges, and using spatial data to build relationships and insights that communicate effective solutions.

Describe your career to date

My career to date has been a blend of research and applied sciences across academia, the public sector, and private consultancy, focusing primarily on agriculture and natural resource management with an emphasis on climate applications. I began with a science degree in agriculture and completed additional studies in conservation and land management at TAFE. I then worked at the Victorian Department of Primary Industries (now AgVic and DEECA), where I applied climate change data to map agricultural suitability across Victoria. Following this, I joined the University of Melbourne as a Research Assistant in geospatial studies and pursued my master’s degree, continuing similar research but with a stronger academic focus. After my master’s, my team transitioned to Deakin University, where I continued as a Research Assistant in agricultural suitability and climate impact studies.

Over eight years ago, I moved into private consultancy and joined Spatial Vision as a Senior Geospatial Analyst. Here, I have worked across various projects, from utility management to transport modelling, but I have always come back to climate impact and vulnerability assessments, natural resource management and agriculture. I guess you could say these are the areas I’m most passionate about.

“Every problem is unique. Your problem will always be unique to your experience, location or context. While (at a higher level) the overall problem may be the same as others in a similar situation, the (spatial) context and your lived experience and insights will make the problem unique. This requires a constant open mind, to shift our perspective and tailor a response that is fit for the problem at hand”.

Harmen RomeijnSenior Data Scientist and Geospatial Analyst

What attracted you to the geospatial industry?

The practical and applied nature of geospatial science allows for the application of spatial knowledge across multiple domains, resulting in a broad knowledge base. From agriculture to transportation to community and water resources; making the possibilities almost endless.

What are your main responsibilities at Spatial Vision?

As a Data Scientist, my main responsibilities include collating and incorporating data into our models and workflows, as well as developing processes and applications to solve clients’ problems. From a spatial perspective, I use spatial data to build relationships and understand the problem at hand, allowing me to communicate the solution, findings, and insights.

What has been the most interesting project you’ve worked on so far?

Broadly speaking, anything related to climate has been particularly interesting. One project that stands out is our collaboration with SECCCA and the Minderoo Foundation, where we built a model and workflow detailing community vulnerability to climate change. During this project, Spatial Vision developed a process to identify the most vulnerable communities and opportunities to enhance their resilience to climate change. This work facilitated better community-led responses and informed government decision-making, including the provision of new or improved services and facilities for communities before, during, and after extreme weather events. We also created a suite of Project Process Guidelines to support a reusable framework for applying vulnerability analysis to various defined geographic areas across Australia.

I also enjoyed working on the Migratory Birds Analysis project, which involved analysing bird observation and survey records across NSW to investigate migration patterns. We employed density-based clustering to assess connectivity outputs as part of the NSW Biodiversity Indicators Program. Further examinations revealed observation bias using geostatistical methods, highlighting disparities between effort and sightings, which are crucial for evaluating data reliability.

Where do you see opportunities for Spatial Vision over the next few years?

Opportunities exist in the climate arena, including building a knowledge base, adaptation, resilience, and communication. Earth observation and the practical use of satellite and aerial imagery are rapidly advancing, moving beyond the research foundations they have been under for many years. With free and accessible imagery, work and products in this space are evolving quickly.

What does ‘paving the way for positive change’ mean for you? How will you bring that to life for your team and customers?

For me, it means not gatekeeping or black-boxing our contributions in the geospatial industry. It involves sharing our knowledge and encouraging others to use spatial in their solutions

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