Abstract
This internship project aimed to educate the public about ecosystems and conservation efforts in Biscayne Bay, Florida through two different communication modalities: virtual reality (VR) and social media outreach. Using virtual reality, we aimed to create an interactive underwater landscape accurately depicting the Biscayne Bay ecosystem to promote understanding and awareness of conservation needs. This part of my internship was completed in collaboration with engineers from the Data Science and Computing and the Music Engineering Technology Departments at the University of Miami. The project began with development of a preliminary species list of over forty marine species found in Biscayne Bay, which was then narrowed down to a final species list of twelve species. The compiled list included factual information, details about animal behavior, reference photos, animation photos, and video links of species audio and swimming behavior. Using the information provided through the final marine species list, the software and music teams were able to begin creating animations of species throughout the underwater landscape, including native, non-native, and invasive species. Within the VR experience, users are prompted with quiz questions for each species seen in the landscape, created from information in the marine species list to promote fact retention of marine science knowledge. For the social media component of my internship, I focused on creating Instagram content for the Shark Research and Conservation Program at the University of Miami using feed, reel, and story posts. The content aimed to inform and educate the broader community on ongoing research at the Shark Research and Conservation Program and the Macdonald Lab. The type of media content created fostered direct and indirect learning through post interaction, polls, and open responses. Metrics from each post, including audience reach, engagement, and follower growth were analyzed to determine the success and effectiveness of each type of post. The virtual reality, upon completion, will be sent to local schools to be integrated into marine science curriculum, and the social media strategy has garnered a higher following and more interactions with Instagram users for the Shark Research and Conservation Program.