Engaging Nature: Digital and Immersive Technologies for Connection, Communication and Research
Description
This half-day symposium will explore how digital and immersive technologies, storytelling, science communication and audience research can deepen engagement with and influence attitudes regarding the natural world.
Organised by the University of Bristol and MyWorld, it will bring together academic and industry voices to share research, practice and emerging ideas. Delivered in collaboration with the Natural History Consortium and the Festival of Nature, the event will be of interest to academics and professionals working across nature conservation, nature connectedness, public engagement and digital and immersive media.
Doors open at 1pm, with the symposium kicking off at 1:30pm.
This event is hybrid - you are welcome to book tickets online or to join us in person. Please select when you register.
Accessibility information
The first floor of Watershed is accessible via the lift from the main entrance and includes level access to all areas.
There are two Blue Badge parking spaces to the rear of Watershed on Canons Road.
The venue has accessible toilets and gender neutral toilets.
Travel Information
The Centre bus stop is a 2 minute walk away from the building.
There are many cycle parking locations at the front and back of the building.
The nearest car park are Millennium Square Car Park and Trenchard Street NCP parking.
Refund policy
This event is free but places are limited, so please let us know if you can no longer attend, so we can give your place to someone else.
This event is part of the Festival of Nature, running from 6-14 June. Discover more about the Festival and other amazing events at www.festivalofnature.org.uk or follow us on social media @FestOfNature #FestivalofNature
Photo credits: AI generated
Agenda
- 1:00 pm - 1:30 pm
Registration and Refreshments
- 1:30 pm - 1:45 pm
Symposium introduction - Professor David Bull, MyWorld Director, University of Bristol
- 1:35 pm - 2:45 pm
Session 1 - Connection
1:45 - 1:50pm - Introduction to session speakers - Mitch Turnbull, University of Bristol 1:50 - 2:00pm - Science communication to engage, educate and change behaviours - Steve Simpson, Professor of Marine Biology, University of Bristol. 2:00 - 2:10pm - Underwater VR and ocean connectedness - Geraldine Fauville, Associate Professor in Education, University of Gothenburg 2:10 - 2:20pm - XR for Good - Ulrico Grech-Cumbo, Founder, Habitat Nature Connection Foundation. 2:20 - 2:45pm - Session speaker Q & A
- 2:35 pm - 2:55 pm
Break
- 2:55 pm - 3:45 pm
Session 2 - Technology
2:55 - 3:00pm - Introduction to session speakers - Prof Kirsten Cater, University of Bristol 3:00 - 3:10pm - An audience research toolkit - Iain Gilchrist, Professor of Neuropsychology, University of Bristol 3:10 - 3:20pm - FRAMERATE: Desert Pulse - 4D Timelapse from landscapes to blooms - Matt Shaw, Co-Founder & Creative Director, ScanLabs 3:20 - 3:30pm - AI & animal biometrics - Tilo Burghardt, Professor of Computer Vision and Animal Biometrics, University of Bristol 3:30 - 3:45pm - Session speaker Q & A
- 3:45 pm - 4:05 pm
Break
- 4:05 pm - 5:15 pm
Keynote and Panel
4:05 - 4:35pm - Keynote: Wildlife filmmaking technology challenges and opportunities to engage audiences - Jeff Wilson, Executive Producer, Silverback Films (Our Planet, Planet Earth, Frozen Planet, Billy & Molly). 4:40 - 5:10pm - Panel: Future scoping wildlife visitor centres - Panellists: Professor Dave Bull, Jeff Wilson, Ulrico Grech-Cumbo, Professor Steve Simpson. Chair: Mitch Turnbull 5:10 - 5:15pm - Symposium reflections - Professor Dave Bull
Lineup
Professor Dave Bull
University of Bristol Chair in Signal Processing, his work spans visual computing and visual communications. Working with major creative technology organisations across the world, he has published over 600 books, papers and patents on these topics. David is Director of the MyWorld Strength in Places Programme, a £30m UKRI investment in devolved R&D in the West of England’s creative sector.
Professor Tilo Burghardt
University of Bristol Professor of Computer Vision and Animal Biometrics and School Education Director in Computer Science. A pioneer in automated individual animal identification in the wild, his AI research spans ecology, conservation, imageomics and smart farming. He organises the international CamTrapAI workshop series and has received nominations at CVPR 2025.
Geraldine Fauville
University of Gothenburg Associate Professor in Education, Communication and Learning, and affiliate of the Stanford Virtual Human Interaction Lab. Combining marine biology with educational technology, her research investigates how VR — including physically immersive underwater experiences — fosters ocean literacy and drives pro-environmental attitudes. Co-founder of the European Marine Science Educators Association.
Professor Iain Gilchrist
University of Bristol Professor of Neuropsychology, his research examines the psychological and neural mechanisms of human visual perception and cognition and how we interact with the world. More recently, as MyWorld Work Package Co-Lead for Audiences Understanding, his focus has extended to human engagement with film, television and live creative content.
Ulrico Grech-Cumbo
Ulrico Grech-Cumbo — South African-based conservationist, entrepreneur and immersive filmmaker and Founder of Habitat XR and the Habitat Nature Connection Foundation, he has produced award-winning XR natural history experiences for WWF, National Geographic and the UN. His decade-long practice uses VR to cultivate empathy for nature and drive measurable shifts in conservation behaviour. He is currently developing FutureZoo, a permanent immersive XR facility designed to address the human-nature disconnection crisis through emotional proximity with nature.
Matthew Shaw
Co-founder and Creative Director of ScanLAB Projects, an artist-led studio founded in 2010 using LiDAR and machine vision to document the world. With a background in architecture, Shaw's precision-crafted immersive works — exhibited at Venice, LACMA and Tribeca — reveal environmental change at scales invisible to conventional cameras.
Professor Steve Simpson
University of Bristol Professor of Marine Biology and Global Change. A world leader in marine bioacoustics, his research demonstrates how ocean soundscapes signal reef health and how acoustic restoration can drive ecological recovery. His findings have shaped conservation policy globally, was featured prominently in BBC Blue Planet II and Our Changing Planet and is growing in recognition on natural history films and series on AppleTV+, Netflix, Nat Geo, Disney and YouTub
Jeff Wilson
Multiple Emmy and BAFTA Award-winning director, producer and executive producer and currently Senior Creative Partner at Silverback Films, Bristol. Raised in Kenya as the son of two conservationists he has a deep knowledge of the natural world. During his career he has filmed wildlife in over 65 countries and on all seven continents. Credits include Planet Earth (BBC Studios), Our Planet (Netflix), Billy and Molly (National Geographic) and Parenthood (BBC Studios) narrated by Sir David Attenborough
Event Chair - Professor Kirsten Cater
University of Bristol Professor of Computer Science specialising in Human-Computer Interaction and immersive technologies and Associate Pro-Vice Chancellor for Education and Students (Science and Engineering). Her research sits at the intersection of technology, interaction, storytelling and lived experience. She also leads the Skills and Training workpackage for MyWorld, developing a diverse and inclusive, future-ready talent pool equipped with the knowledge and skills to embrace emerging technologies, drive innovation and advance the sector.
Event Chair - Mitch Turnbull
University of Bristol / Bramble Media award-winning documentary filmmaker and Senior Research Associate at Bristol investigating immersive technologies and engagement with the natural world. Founder and Creative Director of Bramble Media, she has made traditional and immersive natural history content for BBC Studios, National Geographic, Meta and the UN. She is Co-Chair of Innovate UK's Immersive Tech Network Environmental Sustainability Working Group.
Tickets for good, not greed Humanitix dedicates 100% of profits from booking fees to charity
