Grace Kirby

Name of School
University of Arkansas

Expected Graduation Date:
05/14/2022

Faculty Nominator
Gaby Hernández

Reason for Faculty Nomination
Ms. Kirby has a very strong sensibility and interest in user-centered design, which positively impacts her creative responses. I first worked with her in Fall 2021 in the Senior course “Technology in Context.” Her main semester project consisted of the research of the causes and effects of climate change and global warming in the oceans, focusing on acidification and coral bleaching. After extensive inquiry, discussion, and ideation, she prototyped a multimedia response to the issue—an interactive exhibition that teaches the general public (particularly children) about the process of coral bleaching and how to take action, with educational materials, artificial intelligence experiences, and easy donation processes. She successfully overcame many technical, information visualization, and systems thinking-related challenges in the process, without sacrificing craft and attention to detail.

Please provide a brief description of your art or medium.
Reef Revival- An immersive experience highlighting the effects of rising CO2 levels on coral reefs

Is your artwork handmade by you? If not, please explain
Yes

Are all or some of the components locally sourced?
All of the components of my project were designed using the program Adobe Illustrator

Artist’s Statement:
Due to human activities that produce carbon dioxide, the world’s oceans have become more acidic, affecting the balance of the carbon cycle. These human activities cause rising CO2 levels leading to ocean acidification. Because of this acidification, coral is less equipped to repair and reproduce. Over time, coral will begin to die off. This immersive experience creates a physical space for viewers to walk through and confront a coral reef. The exhibition displays the realistic effects that rising Carbon Dioxide levels have on our oceans and the sea life within them. By entering this virtual reality realm, viewers have the opportunity to experience and understand the process of ocean acidification and the damage that it causes. While walking through the immersive experience, color and sea life will be shown through the lens of the VR headset, and must be upheld to save the reef.

How you will use the Fellowship funds if you are chosen as the winner.
I would use the funds from this Fellowship and Award program to create an exhibition that highlights the realistic effects of rising CO2 levels on our oceans, particularly coral reefs. I would hope to used the finances to invest in materials and a location to create a physical space. 3d printed coral is currently being implemented in our oceans to rebuild ecosystems today. I believe this representation would be an effective and sustainable medium for building the space.