Dr. Simone Franceschini is a marine ecologist and data scientist at the Hawai‘i Institute of Marine Biology, where he develops AI-driven tools to support conservation and sustainable fisheries management. His work combines deep learning, remote sensing, and ecological modeling to monitor marine ecosystems, with a focus on detecting reef halos, mapping artisanal fishing activity, and assessing the impact of marine protected areas. Passionate about quantitative ecology, he is committed to bridging technology and local knowledge to inform decision-making. At HIMB, Simone supports the Pacific Islands Region of the Office of National Marine Sanctuaries through spatial analysis and satellite-based monitoring of remote reefs.