Amit Millo
Amit is a geologist and UAS pilot working for the Aerial Imaging and Mapping Group (AIMG). His work focuses on using modern techniques to assist/improve traditional field methods in the map-making process.
I originally trained as a mathematician before pivoting to become a geologist. In hopes of fusing my math/computer skills with my newfound love of rocks, I chose a master's project that utilized modern technology and mathematical modeling to assist in geologic mapping. Fusing these tools helped me establish new Mesoproterozoic outcrops in New Mexico, describe their tectonic/deformation history, and (potentially) find the first Precambrian fossils within the state.
To avoid the heat of the Southwest deserts, I spent my grad school summers in the arctic desert, working with the Alaska state geologic survey to describe the sedimentation/stratigraphy of the North Slope. My time on the Slope also allowed me to: (1) collaborate with USGS scientists on a research drilling project, (2) work on the Arctic Strategic Transportation and Resources (ASTAR) project, and (3) learn the ways of the muskox.
Upon receiving my master’s degree, I joined the Woods Hole team as a FAA Part 107 pilot, earning my DOI A450 certification. My job involves collecting, processing, and publishing UAS data/map products to support the needs of researchers at the science center, along with local, state, and federal partners. I’m also researching ways to incorporate computer vision techniques with multispectral imagery to algorithmically generate geologic maps of outcrops.