Danielle Svehla Christianson Published in Media+Environment
Alum Danielle Svehla Christianson published "01100110 01101111 01110010 01100101 01110011 01110100 [forest]" in Media+Environment's issue on Mediating Art and Science. This work builds on Danielle's research into visual technologies that support the work of ecologists.
From the abstract:
Visual and numerical abstraction is an everyday affair in ecological research. Technologies capable of collecting and analyzing increasingly finer resolution observations of the environment are becoming common. The resulting new, often visual and digital, forms of representation blur the abstraction and the abstracted. I examine the role of visualization in science practice using a case study of microclimate effects on tree seedlings in a forest with 3D laser scanning and virtual reality technologies. I describe advantages such as continuity across multiple spatial scales, lively interactions, and new perspectives. In addition, I explore potential risks including a false sense of omnipotent control, incomplete representations, singular inscription, and limits to participation. I aim to develop a framework for ecologists to harness the opportunities of new visual technologies in a responsible practice that minimizes their risks.
Read the full article here!