VR Hackathon Climate Change Anthronaut Experience

The Priestley International Centre for Climate, the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, and Advanced Research Computing at the University of Leeds invites you to apply for an interdisciplinary adventure that explores the interplay of science stories, digital technology, storytelling and narrative for feeling as well as seeing. We invite climate researchers, artists and creatives and VR developers to take part in a dedicated VR hack that imagines new VR applications for engaging audiences with climate science and sustainability. The event is seeded with VR demos and mentors, prior digital experience is not needed. If you are a VR developer then find out more about climate science and policy and mix it up with artists, data vizualisers and communicators.

Learn about Virtual Reality and how content for VR is produced. Experience world class quality VR and join us in Leeds for a unique interdisciplinary adventure at the interplay of science stories, digital technology, storytelling and narrative for feeling as well as seeing.

It is a great event, learn about VR, learn about climate change, meet new people and come up with new and exciting ways tell everyone about the problems and challenges of global warming. Come along and take part in a dedicated VR hack that designs and imagines brand new VR applications. The best will be presented at the Tyndall Centre booth at the Blue Dot Festival 2017. 

The event is seeded with VR demos and VR mentors so no prior experience of VR is needed. VR developers come along and learn about climate change and new ways to communicate.

What is the Purpose of the VR Hackathon

Climate change data and graphs are stories without a soul, where the human story and meaning is hidden or lost somewhere between the x and y axis and statistical estimates. Climate change in the real world, of course, is many dimensional. It is biophysical, it is human and other species, and it influences everyday choices everywhere now and forever. The two dimensions of climate change data are limited in their exposition of cause and effect, emotion, empathy, values. The UN’s Sustainable Development Goals are similarly multidimensional.

We believe that the newly emerging immersive experiences of VR might yield a whole new medium and channel for engaging people with climate change. Our purpose, building on Anthronaut Experience Hackathon’s in Stockholm, Paris and Melbourne is to bring together creative people to brainstorm create, plan and storyboard some truly mind expanding and deeply engaging VR experiences of life with the science of High-End Climate Change.

Who is invited to join the Hackathon?

We are seeking participants with strong skills in one or more of: VR production, filmmaking, scripting, storytelling, storyboarding, digital innovation, graphical design, and climate science and data. We are seeking to populate a unique pool of talent to generate new ideas and form new networks that can draw on the power of VR to engage everyone with climate change and empathy and emotion for current and future changes.

Expenses and What Else?

We have reserved some B&B accommodation on campus. There is also a small amount of money to help with accommodation and travel if needed, thanks to The HELIX project which has received funding from the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme for research, technological development and demonstration under grant agreement no 603864.

Please tell us your travel and accommodation needs during your registration.

Getting the Mix Right

There are a limited number of places and we wish to make sure that we have a good mix of groups; 1,) VR developers 2,) climate researchers 3,) creatives and communicators which includes but is not limited to filmmakers, script writers, storyteller, digital innovators, graphical designers and artists.

When you register place select which of these group you belong to:

• VR if you are a VR developer
• Climate if you are a climate researcher
• Creative if you are a filmmaker, script writer, storyteller, digital innovator, graphical designer, artist or anything similar

We will also run a waiting list so that cancelled places can be filled.

Short Program

Day 1 Wednesday the 28th of June:

2pm - 4pm optional tour of VR demos

6pm – 9pm evening of VR demos, learning and team forming

Day 2 Thursday the 29th of June:

9am – 5pm VR hack, pitching and judging

Location Details

Both days are at the University of Leeds:

Day 1 evening event is in:

University House, Lifton Place, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT

Day 2 is in:

the Leeds University Business School, Maurice Keyworth Building, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT