The Educational Multimedia Visualization Center of the Department of Earth Science, U.C.S.B

About the EMVC

            The UCSB Educational Multimedia Visualization Center is dedicated to the creation of high quality visualization-enhancing materials about the Earth Sciences, harnessing the power of multi-media imagery tools to bring our science to life.  Our goal is to make Earth information broadly accessible and as interesting, exciting and fun as possible for uses in all levels and forms of education.  We have created many projects, using the expertise of Tanya Atwater, local colleagues, and a number of visiting scientists. All materials are made available via web downloads and links and in other formats, free of charge for educators' use and for modest fees for commercial use.

            While our most visible activity is the production of geological computer animations, shows, and physical models, we have also been deeply involved in the conversion of geological film slides to digital images.  The process includes scanning and creation of interpretive overlays and the preparation of relevant meta-data for submission to the Alexandria Digital Library at U.C.S.B.  All images are then web-searchable and downloadable from this library.

Funding

            The Center has been primarily funded with a National Science Foundation Director's Award for Distinguished Teaching Scholars, awarded to Atwater in 2002.  This funding was preceeded and has been supplemented by grants from the U.C.S.B. Office of Instructional Development and by fees charged to commercial enterprises for use of our materials.  The Instructional Development group also supplies encouragement, educational critiques and use of Sound and TV Studios. Since the completion of the N. S. F. funding and Atwater's retirement in November 2007, the Center has shifted to a lower level of activity and no longer supports visitors or students.

Contact Info:
Feel free to contact us either by phone or email.