Today, we introduce you to Tim Newman in our ‘Meet the experts behind Earth Blox’ series. As Head of Product, Tim is responsible for understanding the needs of our customers and working with the design and software teams to make it happen. Learn more about Tim’s journey to Earth Blox, and how his work at Ordnance Survey gave him a strong foundation for translating technology into products that customers love.
How and when did you become interested in Earth observation?
My interest in Earth observation didn’t really begin until my first job, working for Ordnance Survey (OS),where I became aware of a whole new realm of geospatial data beyond that which we can capture on the ground or through aircraft. It felt like such a new and exciting world of possibilities. I didn’t get as involved with that type of geospatial data at OS as much as I would have liked, so when this opportunity came up at Earth Blox, I knew I couldn’t miss it.
Tell us about your qualifications and experience.
My first degree was an integrated Masters degree in Chemistry at the University of Oxford. The highlight was definitely my fourth-year research project, where I was investigating whether chemical reactions could help birds navigate when they’re migrating. I was looking at whether a magnetic field as weak as the Earth’s could affect a chemical reaction in birds’ eyes, which might allow them to actually see magnetic fields and work out which direction to fly in.
It was a really cool project that made me realise how much I enjoy digging into data and figuring things out. But I was also looking for something a bit more tangible. In Chemistry you're generally studying things that are too small to see (and where the weird world of quantum mechanics means you can’t reason by analogy with the ‘normal sized’ world!) And whilst that’s interesting, I wanted to have a go at studying things I could see and touch. So I enrolled on a second Master’s degree at the University of Sheffield, which was focused on climate change and glaciology. It was here that I got my first introduction to the world of GIS and satellite data. I worked on two main projects; the first was to use GIS to test a new way of modelling floods, and the second was looking at the effect of summer snowfall on glaciers in the Alps. Based on the geography and GIS I’d been working on, I decided to join a graduate scheme at Ordnance Survey where I was initially focused on building prototypes of geospatial data products. It was interesting to learn about geospatial data, how to use it, manipulate it, and extract value from it. After a few years, I moved into product management for the same company. I found having a good understanding of geospatial data and the science behind it was essential to bridge the gap between technology and user needs, and is something I continue to use at Earth Blox today.
What’s your role at Earth Blox and how did you get involved?
I was looking for a job which ideally would combine geospatial data, an interesting product management challenge, and a strong social purpose. I was expecting to maybe tick two of those boxes until I found Earth Blox, which was in a part of the geospatial world that I hadn't had the chance to work in yet. Earth Blox has such a positive mission, to improve the world during a time when the climate and biodiversity crises are growing increasingly urgent. It really ticked all the boxes for me.
What project or experience are you particularly proud of?
The experience I’m most proud of was growing OS Maps. Whilst leading the product team, we grew the subscription base fivefold over five years. I didn’t join the product from the very beginning, but there was a lot of potential for growth, and that’s what we did! I feel like Earth Blox is at a similar stage at the moment, and I’m excited to see where we can take it.
What does your work at Earth Blox involve? What does a typical day look like for you?
I tend to focus on three things. One is helping to understand what problems need solving. The second is figuring out the best solutions to those problems. And the third is helping deliver those solutions to users. An ideal day involves talking to existing or prospective customers to understand their needs. Then, I work closely with the designer and our excellent dev team to figure out the best ways of tackling customer and business problems. I also try to spend some time keeping abreast of what's happening in the world of Earth observation each week as I'm relatively new to it.
Why is building Earth Blox important to you?
There’s such a massive need for the insights that Earth observation data can provide. The only drawback is that it’s so hard to use. One of the things that I enjoy the most is simplifying difficult concepts. I think that's really what Earth Blox is about; the things we do are difficult but really valuable. Trying to bring that value to as many people as possible across different domains is a very motivating challenge.
It's nice to work with customers who genuinely want to make a difference. They don't always have the expertise and experience needed to work with some of the complex Earth observation data that they need. But being able to support them, and seeing them generate valuable insights and outputs, is very satisfying.
How do you think Earth observation technology will evolve in the next 5-10 years?
Ultimately, we are sending more and more satellites into orbit, which will measure more of the Earth in more ways, with increasing frequency, and higher resolution. Whilst historically there’s been a problem of limited data availability, that’s no longer the case. The key now is in doing something useful with that data. Right now, there’s a huge gap that exists between that data and then the people who need to use it, but can’t right now (or don’t even know of its existence). I hope to see more developments in bridging that gap to unlock solutions to some of the world’s most pressing problems.