EcoViz Combines Science and Technology for Climate Solutions

A team of scientists and science communicators affiliated with the San Diego Supercomputer Center (SDSC), part of the School of Computing, Information and Data Sciences at UC San Diego, and the Center for Coastal Climate Resilience at UC Santa Cruz have developed an initiative called EcoViz. This project leverages immersive technology—advanced hardware and software to simulate environments and experiences—and emphasizes collaboration to tackle various environmental challenges, including wildfire management, reef restoration, coastal flooding, and beyond.

EcoViz aims to address one of the most pressing challenges in climate science: effectively communicating complex environmental data to diverse audiences, including policymakers, researchers, and local communities. The initiative bridges the gap between raw data and actionable understanding by developing clear, engaging, and scientifically accurate visualizations.

“With climate impacts rippling through ecosystems worldwide, EcoViz’s mission is to help bridge the communication gap by working with domain experts, community members, and policymakers to create clear and compelling visualizations of environmental data,” said Jessica Kendall-Bar, an Eric and Wendy Schmidt AI in Science Postdoctoral Fellow from Scripps Institution of Oceanography. “These visualizations depict data-driven science that can serve as the groundwork for fire management, reef restoration, and conservation decisions.”

The EcoViz Approach to Climate Communication

EcoViz employs advanced cinematic techniques, data visualization tools, and interactive formats to create impactful representations of time-dependent environmental changes. These visualizations are designed to make scientific findings accessible and engaging, fostering broader understanding and inspiring informed decisions. Kendall-Bar, SDSC Chief Data Science Officer Ilkay Altintas, and visualization practitioners from NASA’s Scientific Visualization Studio and MIT’s Media Lab showcased EcoViz's work during the 2024 IEEE VIS Workshop on Visualization for Climate Action and Sustainability.

The team developed three major visualization use cases to demonstrate the initiative’s capabilities. These case studies highlight the initiative’s versatility in representing diverse datasets:

1. Coastal Flood Protection Benefits: Using cinematic techniques and interactive maps, this visualization highlights the critical role of coastal ecosystems in mitigating flood impacts, showcasing how mangroves and wetlands reduce flooding risks.
2. Marine Animal Behavior: The team visualized the migratory patterns and habitat changes of marine animals affected by climate change through data-driven animations, offering insights into conservation strategies.
3. Wildfire Management: Interactive simulations demonstrated fire spread dynamics under varying conditions, providing firefighters and policymakers with tools to optimize response strategies and minimize environmental damage.

Leveraging Immersive Technology for Broader Impact

The EcoViz initiative emphasizes the importance of tailoring visualizations to the needs of different audiences. According to the presenters, some visualizations proved most effective as narrative-driven animations that tell a cohesive story. In contrast, others excelled as interactive tools that allow users to explore geospatial data or virtually immerse themselves in ecosystems.

“Through varied approaches, this collaborative team has found that data-driven, cinematic videos with straightforward charts and minimal text annotations can synthesize findings most clearly,” Kendall-Bar explained. “Videos can help diverse audiences grasp big ideas quickly, retain critical details, and are adaptable enough for use in broader environmental storytelling.”

For example, cinematic animations with simple yet striking visuals illustrated the interconnection between ecosystem health and climate resilience. Meanwhile, virtual reality (VR) applications allow stakeholders to experience environments like coral reefs or wildfire-prone forests firsthand and understand these ecosystems’ challenges.

Merging Creativity with Scientific Rigor

At the heart of EcoViz lies the fusion of visual creativity and scientific precision. According to Altintas, who co-leads the Schmidt AI in Science Fellowship and serves as the Director of the Cyberinfrastructure and Convergence Research Division at SDSC, the initiative redefines how climate data is presented.

“By combining visual creativity with scientific rigor, EcoViz is helping to transform raw climate data into stories that can inspire informed policy and resilient climate solutions,” she said. “As we integrate AI into scientific workflows that form the basis of decision-making, visualizations are key to making our models interpretable.”

EcoViz’s innovative use of AI and visualization technologies underscores its potential to influence global climate action. For instance, by transforming complex datasets into accessible formats, the initiative informs decision-making and empowers communities to participate in resilience-building efforts. The initiative’s visualizations provide a shared language that connects scientists, policymakers, and the public, fostering collaboration on sustainable solutions.

Funding and Future Directions

Funding for EcoViz has been provided by a diverse array of organizations, including the University of California Climate Action program, the U.S. National Science Foundation, the Office of Naval Research, AXA Research Fund, FEMA, USGS, and the UCSC Center for Coastal Climate Resilience. These contributions highlight the widespread recognition of the initiative’s potential to drive meaningful change.