Episode 5 | Dr Guy Coleman — Open Source Tech, Weed Detection, and Self Learning

In this episode of The Dirt, we sit down with Dr Guy Coleman — a Western Australian innovator who's carved out a unique path in agtech through self-learning and curiosity. Now a postdoc at the University of Copenhagen, Guy shares how he went from WA to the cutting edge of agricultural robotics research in Europe.

We cover:

• Guy's unconventional journey into agtech and how self-learning shaped his career
• His current research including the OWL project and advances in automated weed management
• Why Guy is passionate about open-source technology and why it matters for agriculture
• How the European agtech landscape compares to Australia
• The skills he developed along the way and what he thinks the future ag workforce needs
• The technologies he believes will be most transformative over the next decade
• Practical advice for anyone looking to carve out their own path in agtech

This is a must-listen for students, early career engineers, and anyone who's ever wondered whether you need to follow the traditional path to make an impact in agriculture.

Open Weed Locator (OWL) as mentioned in the episode: https://openweedlocator.org/

Hosts: Dr Wesley Moss and Associate Professor Andrew Guzzomi

Produced by Stephanie Lye

This podcast is brought to you by The University of Western Australia's Centre for Engineering Innovation: Agriculture and Ecological Restoration. Find out more about our research or get in touch at https://www.uwa-cei.org/