Tangible displays for communicating environmental risk

Geospatial data are frequently used to investigate environmental risks. They can provide great insight into a wide range of environmental challenges, but one of the most challenging tasks is to go on to communicate these outcomes to the users and other stakeholders who need to use them. There are a variety of ways to do this, from complex digital systems like GIS, through realistic physical models and projections, to simplified hard copy maps and diagrams. This PhD will explore this range of options for communicating risk, testing them on a cross-section of stakeholders and end users, and identify those that are the most effective in getting the message across. It will am to identify which tools are the most appropriate in which situation and for which audience. The potential to develop new tools that combine the best elements of the existing toolset will also be explored.