Natural and Virtual Realms: An Integrative Approach Towards Understanding Natural and Anthropogenic Drivers of Animal Behavior and Energetics in Marine Ecosystems

Increasing public understanding of the effects of climate change on ecosystems is often limited byour ability to convey the complex interactions between organisms and the dynamic environments inwhich they live.This project will translate data from electronically tagged marine animals, such as alingcod or jellyfish, in the kelp forests of Monterey Bay into virtual reality where humans can enter theunderwater realm to observe or become a fish in order to better understand how their movement andbehavior is driven by the changing environmental conditions.

The EVP team'sapproach will provide an unparalleledtool that will allow a broad audience the personal, virtual, experience needed to become environmentallyeducated on marine, and other, climate change issues.

Principal Investigators:

Jeremy Goldbogen Assistant Professor of Biology

Jeremy Bailenson Thomas More Storke Professor, Senior Fellow at the Woods Institute for the Environment and Professor, by courtesy, of Education