David R. Williamson
+4773559627
+4798808329
Schøninghuset Kalvskinnet, Trondheim
About
My background is as a reasearcher in computer vision, with a particular interest in the use of novel imaging and automated systems for understanding animal behaviour and development.
Current research
I am part of the Machine Vision for Natural History research group within the Department of Natural history, using computer vision and machine learning to investigate the NTNU University Museum's vast collection of natural history specimens with the goal of making them digitally available to researchers and using digitised records to enable research in biology, ecology and taxonomy.
I previously completed my PhD at NTNU, working with SINTEF Ocean and NTNU's Applied Underwater Robotics Laboratory to investigate the effects of pollutants on cod development using novel laboratory imaging hardware, autonomous underwater vehicles, and machine learning.
Research
Publications
2026
-
Antonelli, A.;
Fry, C.;
Smith, R. J.;
Eden, J.;
Kersey, P. J.;
Larridon, I.;
Paton, A. J.;
Simmonds, M. S. J.;
Ainsworth, A. M.;
Bachman, S. P..
(2026)
State of the World's Plants and Fungi 2026.
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
Research report
-
Williamson, David;
Hartop, Emily Anne;
Speed, James.
(2026)
Learning from Digital Collections: Digitisation and Machine Learning for Large-Scale Museum Studies.
Biodiversity Information Science and Standards (BISS)
Academic article
-
Verdonen, Mariana;
Barrio, Isabel C.;
Barbero-Palacios, Laura;
López–Blanco, Efrén;
Speed, James David Mervyn;
Defourneaux, Mathilde;
Criado, Mariana García;
Moullec, Mathilde Le;
Mellard, Jarad;
Salazar, Alejandro.
(2026)
Borealization of tundra ecosystems with climate and land-use change.
Environmental Research Letters
Academic article
2025
-
Williamson, David Roddan;
Prestø, Tommy;
Westergaard, Kristine Bakke;
Trascau, Beatrice Maria;
Vange, Vibekke;
Hassel, Kristian;
Koch, Wouter;
Speed, James David Mervyn.
(2025)
Long-term trends in global flowering phenology.
New Phytologist
Academic article
2024
-
Williamson, David Roddan;
Togunov, Ron Ronald;
Davies, Emlyn John;
Ludvigsen, Martin;
Hansen, Bjørn Henrik.
(2024)
Automated monitoring of early life-stage development in Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) embryos exposed to a reference toxicant.
Limnology and Oceanography : Methods
Academic article
-
Williamson, David Roddan;
Davies, Emlyn John;
Ludvigsen, Martin;
Hansen, Bjørn Henrik.
(2024)
Flow-through imaging and automated analysis of oil-exposed early stage Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua).
Toxicology Mechanisms and Methods
Academic article
-
Williamson, David Roddan;
Ludvigsen, Martin;
Davies, Emlyn John;
Hansen, Bjørn Henrik.
(2024)
Automated monitoring of the early life stages of fish.
Norges teknisk-naturvitenskapelige universitet
Doctoral thesis
2023
-
Williamson, David Roddan;
Moreira Fragoso, Glaucia;
Majaneva, Sanna Kristiina;
Dallolio, Alberto;
Halvorsen, Daniel Ørnes;
Hasler, Oliver Kevin;
Oudijk, Adriënne Esmeralda;
Langer, Dennis David;
Johansen, Tor Arne;
Johnsen, Geir.
(2023)
Monitoring Algal Blooms with Complementary Sensors on Multiple Spatial and Temporal Scales.
Oceanography
Academic article
2022
-
Oudijk, Esmée;
Hasler, Oliver Kevin;
Øveraas, Henning;
Marty, Sabine;
Williamson, David Roddan;
Svendsen, Torbjørn Karl;
Berg, Simen;
Birkeland, Roger;
Halvorsen, Daniel Ørnes;
Bakken, Sivert.
(2022)
Campaign For Hyperspectral Data Validation In North Atlantic Coastal Waters.
Workshop on Hyperspectral Image and Signal Processing, Evolution in Remote Sensing
Academic article
-
Williamson, David Roddan;
Nordtug, Trond;
Leirvik, Frode;
Kvæstad, Bjarne;
Hansen, Bjørn Henrik;
Ludvigsen, Martin;
Davies, Emlyn John.
(2022)
A flow-through imaging system for automated measurement of ichthyoplankton.
MethodsX
Academic article
2021
-
Hansen, Bjørn Henrik;
Farkas, Julia;
Piarulli, Stefania;
Vicario, Silvia;
Kvæstad, Bjarne;
Williamson, David Roddan;
Sørensen, Lisbet;
Davies, Emlyn John;
Nordtug, Trond.
(2021)
Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) embryos are highly sensitive to short-term 3,4-dichloroaniline exposure.
Toxicology reports
Academic article
Journal publications
-
Williamson, David;
Hartop, Emily Anne;
Speed, James.
(2026)
Learning from Digital Collections: Digitisation and Machine Learning for Large-Scale Museum Studies.
Biodiversity Information Science and Standards (BISS)
Academic article
-
Verdonen, Mariana;
Barrio, Isabel C.;
Barbero-Palacios, Laura;
López–Blanco, Efrén;
Speed, James David Mervyn;
Defourneaux, Mathilde;
Criado, Mariana García;
Moullec, Mathilde Le;
Mellard, Jarad;
Salazar, Alejandro.
(2026)
Borealization of tundra ecosystems with climate and land-use change.
Environmental Research Letters
Academic article
-
Williamson, David Roddan;
Prestø, Tommy;
Westergaard, Kristine Bakke;
Trascau, Beatrice Maria;
Vange, Vibekke;
Hassel, Kristian;
Koch, Wouter;
Speed, James David Mervyn.
(2025)
Long-term trends in global flowering phenology.
New Phytologist
Academic article
-
Williamson, David Roddan;
Moreira Fragoso, Glaucia;
Majaneva, Sanna Kristiina;
Dallolio, Alberto;
Halvorsen, Daniel Ørnes;
Hasler, Oliver Kevin;
Oudijk, Adriënne Esmeralda;
Langer, Dennis David;
Johansen, Tor Arne;
Johnsen, Geir.
(2023)
Monitoring Algal Blooms with Complementary Sensors on Multiple Spatial and Temporal Scales.
Oceanography
Academic article
-
Oudijk, Esmée;
Hasler, Oliver Kevin;
Øveraas, Henning;
Marty, Sabine;
Williamson, David Roddan;
Svendsen, Torbjørn Karl;
Berg, Simen;
Birkeland, Roger;
Halvorsen, Daniel Ørnes;
Bakken, Sivert.
(2022)
Campaign For Hyperspectral Data Validation In North Atlantic Coastal Waters.
Workshop on Hyperspectral Image and Signal Processing, Evolution in Remote Sensing
Academic article
-
Williamson, David Roddan;
Nordtug, Trond;
Leirvik, Frode;
Kvæstad, Bjarne;
Hansen, Bjørn Henrik;
Ludvigsen, Martin;
Davies, Emlyn John.
(2022)
A flow-through imaging system for automated measurement of ichthyoplankton.
MethodsX
Academic article
-
Williamson, David Roddan;
Togunov, Ron Ronald;
Davies, Emlyn John;
Ludvigsen, Martin;
Hansen, Bjørn Henrik.
(2024)
Automated monitoring of early life-stage development in Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) embryos exposed to a reference toxicant.
Limnology and Oceanography : Methods
Academic article
-
Williamson, David Roddan;
Davies, Emlyn John;
Ludvigsen, Martin;
Hansen, Bjørn Henrik.
(2024)
Flow-through imaging and automated analysis of oil-exposed early stage Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua).
Toxicology Mechanisms and Methods
Academic article
-
Hansen, Bjørn Henrik;
Farkas, Julia;
Piarulli, Stefania;
Vicario, Silvia;
Kvæstad, Bjarne;
Williamson, David Roddan;
Sørensen, Lisbet;
Davies, Emlyn John;
Nordtug, Trond.
(2021)
Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) embryos are highly sensitive to short-term 3,4-dichloroaniline exposure.
Toxicology reports
Academic article
Report
-
Antonelli, A.;
Fry, C.;
Smith, R. J.;
Eden, J.;
Kersey, P. J.;
Larridon, I.;
Paton, A. J.;
Simmonds, M. S. J.;
Ainsworth, A. M.;
Bachman, S. P..
(2026)
State of the World's Plants and Fungi 2026.
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
Research report
Student thesis or dissertation
-
Williamson, David Roddan;
Ludvigsen, Martin;
Davies, Emlyn John;
Hansen, Bjørn Henrik.
(2024)
Automated monitoring of the early life stages of fish.
Norges teknisk-naturvitenskapelige universitet
Doctoral thesis
Outreach
2026
-
Other presentationHartop, Emily Anne; Veer, Eva van der; Benichou, Laurence; Koureas, Dimitris; Puillandre, Nicolas; Stathi, Iasma; Williamson, David R.. (2026) Future Developments in Integrative Taxonomy. CETAF 59th General Assembly
2025
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Conference lectureHartop, Emily Anne; Williamson, David R.. (2025) The R.H.L. Disney Phoridae Collection: Evolving a Legacy for the Taxonomic Future. Dipterists Forum Annual Meeting
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Conference lectureHartop, Emily Anne; Williamson, David R.. (2025) Too Many Flies, Too Few Taxonomists: Let Machines Do the Boring Bits. Norsk symposium i biosystematikk
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Conference posterWilliamson, David R.; Welch, Mark; Connolly, Erin M.; Yiu, Anna; Hartop, Emily Anne. (2025) Museum Collections and the Taxonomic Future of Dark Taxa: Phoridae as a testcase. Dipterists Day
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Conference lectureWilliamson, David Roddan. (2025) Learning from Digital Collections: Digitisation and Machine Learning for Large Scale Museum Studies. Living Data 2025
-
Conference lectureWilliamson, David Roddan. (2025) Long-term trends in global flowering phenology; or, Machine learning for large herbarium datasets. OIKOS Norway 2025
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Conference lectureWilliamson, David Roddan. (2025) Long‐term trends in global flowering phenology. NordBorN Meeting 2025
2022
-
Conference lectureWilliamson, David Roddan; Kvæstad, Bjarne; Hansen, Bjørn Henrik; Ludvigsen, Martin; Davies, Emlyn John. (2022) Laboratory and in-situ imaging and automated analysis of marine particles. Ocean Sciences Meeting 2022
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Conference posterWilliamson, David Roddan; Løvås, Håvard. (2022) Monitoring the Arctic with Autonomous Underwater Vehicles. Arctic Frontiers