Water Whys UA

08/05/2026

What's a word you think of when you read "science poster"?

Boring? Overwhelming? Wall of text? (3 words, I know I cheated)

Can that be changed to "eye catching", "appealing" and "inspiring"?

One of the most popular Water Whys UA Visual Science Communication Seminars is now available for you to watch on our YouTube Channel! https://youtu.be/MfYLpB0irOo

Mike Morrison has been pushing buttons and challenging the status quo when it comes to science posters ever since he put out his first "Better Poster" design.

Last fall, he joined the Water Whys Visual SciComm Seminar Series to discuss the research behind his first better poster design, the fallout from its release, and the way he improved its reception by using even MORE science research.

Come for the suggestions on how to improve your posters and visual science communication projects, stay for the awesome eye-tracking data results he shared!

Science talks aren't always described as being fun (and neither are science posters for that matter), but this talk was both fun and extremely engaging. There's even a link for you to play along with the design activity he led attendees in!

Check it out and let us know what you think!

Sign up here for updates on this fall's Visual SciComm Seminar series. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdOXM6jLYs6Eg-JUbZAQWZa6xayJ_0wzTg5M__vTcbvJIwffA/viewform

If you're interested in being a speaker, let us know as well.



Water Whys is a project co-led by Dr. Laura Condon and Sara Kobilka from the The University of Arizona, Department of Hydrology & Atmospheric Sciences.

Design, for Scientists: Help people pay attention to research and l...

08/03/2026

It's EXTREMELY fulfilling to see our work out in the world, helping to keep people safe during Arizona's extreme summer heat!

Nilay Patel, one of the Water Whys UA team members, recently shared a photo from the car rental area of the Tucson International Airport.

Our team designed this poster over the last two semesters in partnership with collaborators at the US National Weather Service Tucson Arizona office and Tucson International Airport - TUS.

This ongoing project is such a great example of how students at the The University of Arizona can gain real-world experience and make an impact in their community, potentially saving lives of visitors.

We've got two more animations in the works this semester for baggage claim and a sign already in use for the monitor above the escalator down to luggage claim, so keep an eye out for our logo throughout the airport in the coming year!

Congratulations to the team that made this poster possible!

Student Developers: Alexa Barnum, Vivian Barbian (Spring 2026);
Marlana Hinkley, Rosario Chambers (Fall 2025)

Advisors:
Project Manager: Sara Kobilka
Science Advisors: Laura Condon and Chelsea Peters (NWS)
Communications Advisor: Eric Hermenitt (TIA)
Graphic Designer: Ryan Hunt

Water Whys is part of the The University of Arizona, Department of Hydrology & Atmospheric Sciences

Image Description: Airport stanchion with Water Whys poster attached. Poster text says "Never leave children or pets in cars. Temperatures rise quickly!"
Two images of a parked car with a car seat and dog kennel and 2 thermometers. In the top image, car windows are light blue. Inside the car is 75°F. Outside is 85°F. In between images, a watch face shows 10 minutes passed. In the bottom image, windows are red. Car is now 105°F. Outside is still 85°F. Bottom logos for Water Whys, Tucson International Airport, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and U.S. National Weather Service (NWS).

07/31/2026

You want to know the key to making an eye-catching poster for a science conference?
Or a poster promoting your event?
Or a social media post that will stand out?

During last fall's Water Whys Visual Science Communication Seminar, Mike Morrison, Ph.D, founder of the Better Posters movement, taught us the #1 trick.

And it's based on science! Woot woot!!

Contrast!

You need to make what you've created stand out compared to all of the other poster in your row, all of the other flyers on the bulletin board, all of the other social media posts in someone's feed.

But how do you do that?

We'll be sharing Mike's full talk on the Water Whys YouTube channel soon so you can learn all of the tricks of the trade he's figured out with the help of eye-tracking research, basic design principles and accessibility best practices.

Follow us as we upload recordings from past speakers (including one already available from Sara Shunkwiler, Ailee Dixon and Peter Wu about making math accessible in Microsoft 365 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kcE0bBuS_VU).

Check it out as we explore a wide variety of topics related to visual science communication. https://www.youtube.com//videos

And if you're a visual science communicator who would like to speak during our Fall 2026 semester, let us know! We're putting together the schedule right now.

Video Description: Picture looking out over a large science conference. The room is full of people standing between rows of science posters. The image switches to a row of two red apples with one yellow apple in the center as Mike discusses contrast, before switching back to the original conference image.

07/16/2026

We're so excited for this new opportunity for Water Whys co-founder/science advisor, Dr. Laura Condon!

Laura Condon will lead the world-renowned Earth systems research facility following Joaquin Ruiz’s distinguished legacy of leadership and service.

03/16/2026

Math is the highly visual language of STEM and a mandatory prerequisite for degrees in fields. Math accessibility is essential for ‘who gets to be’ in STEM, but math equations are often overlooked or assumed to be irrelevant to disabled students.

In the third session of this semester's Water Whys Visual SciComm Seminar series, blind student Ailee Dixon and STEM educator Sara Shunkwiler will share research, stats, and stories behind disability belonging in STEM.

They'll offer a sometimes-irreverent look at their disability journey from bathroom stalls inaccessible to wheelchairs to equations inaccessible to screen readers. They are joined by Microsoft developer Peter Wu who answered their plea for help and will demonstrate new accessibility updates in Microsoft 365.

Together, we’ll explore the ripple effect of math accessibility and equitable access for STEM students, workplace professionals, and content creators. It will be InSightFull!

Join us Friday at 9am AZ time/ noon ET.

The event is FREE, but you must register to receive the Zoom link. https://waterwhys.org/seminar/spring-2026/

02/20/2026

Today's the day! It's lights...camera...action!

We're talking about bringing cinematic techniques to visual science communication with the first speaker in the Water Whys Spring 2026 Visual SciComm Seminar series, Devin Bayly.

We've seen a sneak peek of what they're creating and can assure you, it's some cool stuff!

Devin will be discussing a partnership with The University of Arizona Biosphere 2 Rainforest researchers and how they took a data table of Cacao tree sap flow, a rather mundane thing for most people, and transformed it into visually compelling 3D model. Rather than telling seminar attendees how to do this on their own, he'll will pull back the curtain on what this process might look like and provide helpful things to keep in mind when creating visualizations from data.

Today (Feb 20), 9-10am AZ time / 11 am-noon ET

This is a FREE virtual series for anyone interested in visually communicating science but you must register to receive the Zoom link. https://waterwhys.org/seminar/spring-2026/

And if you missed this talk, check out the other three we have scheduled in the coming months!

Image Descriptions:

Page 1 Flyer for the Spring 2026 Visual SciComm Seminar speaker Devin Bayly. A Water Whys logo is at the top left with a question mark embedded in an upside down water droplet. At the center is Devin's picture. The background in the lower half is reminiscent of waves. Content in post.

Page 2, Picture of a Cacao tree on the left with a visualization of sap flow in the upper right and text in the lower right, "Designing a cinematic data visualization: Blending sensor data, simulations, and physical reconstructions into a cohesive visual whole.

Water Whys is a project of Dr. Laura Condon from The University of Arizona, Department of Hydrology & Atmospheric Sciences

02/11/2026

Visual science communication is SO much more than a chart in a journal article or on a scientific poster!

Once again, Water Whys is expanding the conversation with our FREE Visual SciComm Seminar Series! Just us on Fridays for stimulating talks on a range of topics including:

- Designing a cinematic data visualization based on a tree at Biosphere 2 as Devin Bayly discusses his work as a data and visualization consultant at The University of Arizona.

- Using strategies from the arts to build students' data literacy skills from a project Jessica Sickler's team at J. Sickler Consulting was part of called Building Insights through Observation​ (or BIO).

- The ripple effect of math accessibility emerging from new accessibility updates to Microsoft 365 during a talk by Ailee Dixon (blind disability & STEM equity advocate) Sara Shunkwiler (disabled engineer & STEM educator at John Hopkins University) and Peter Wu (Microsoft software engineering manager).

- Novel ways to communicate complex data through 3d representation including on a planetarium screen with Sandra Bae and Takanori Fujiwara from the University of Arizona.

Register for each talk individually on the Water Whys website to receive the Zoom link. https://waterwhys.org/seminar/spring-2026/

02/09/2026

How do you morph a data chart into something cinematic?

The Spring 2026 Water Whys Visual SciComm Seminar Series starts next Friday morning and we're joined by The University of Arizona Data and Visualizations Consultant Devin Bayly.

He'll be discussing a partnership with Biosphere 2 Rainforest researchers and how they took a data table of Cacao tree sap flow, a rather mundane thing for most people, and transformed it into visually compelling 3D model. Rather than telling seminar attendees how to do this on their own, in this talk, Devin will pull back the curtain on what this process might look like and share helpful things to keep in mind when creating visualizations from data.

Register for this and the other three sessions in this FREE seminar series on the Water Whys website to receive the Zoom link. Each session must be registered for separately. https://waterwhys.org/seminar/spring-2026/

Hope you'll share this and join us!

Water Whys is a project from a team at the The University of Arizona, Department of Hydrology & Atmospheric Sciences

10/29/2025

Walk into a science museum and you'll see the power of engaging with science through art and interactivity. Visitors enter a unique environment designed to engage their senses, pique their curiosity and create "a-ha" moments.

This October 31st from 11am-noon AZ time / 2-3pm ET, Shiloe Fontes, from the The University of Arizona's Flandrau Science Center and Planetarium will be the third speaker for our Visual SciComm Seminar series.

Science communication is one of the most important parts of science—but it’s often overlooked and can feel intimidating. Art offers a way back to science’s roots, where creative expression was used to share complex ideas in ways anyone could understand. In this talk, Shiloe Fontes, Planetarium and Design Manager, explores how blending art, design, and interactivity can bring science to life in fresh and exciting ways. From digital media to immersive experiences, we’ll look at how creative approaches can break down barriers, spark curiosity, and invite everyone to connect with science in new and meaningful ways.

Register on our website to receive a calendar invite with the Zoom link for this FREE event. https://waterwhys.org/seminar/fall-2025/

10/01/2025

Sure, you could look at a map of the Earth's atmosphere, but imagine how much more awe inspiring it would be to see that projected on a 6-ft sphere lit from within!!

The earth (and all many bodies in the universe) are spheres, yet we're so often limited to 2-dimensional representations of their systems.

This Friday, October 3, our Visual SciComm Seminar kicks off at 11am AZ time / 2pm ET Time.

Dr. Cèleste Frazier Barthel, STEM educator, will highlight the power of 3D visualization in scientific communication, focusing on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Science on a Sphere®. Reaching more than 60 million people each year, this powerful dynamic tool provides a more complete, accurate and immersive way to communicate global-scale scientific information than traditional 2D models. Cèleste will discuss the “wow factor” her research found when people engaged with this tool and how the images are designed.

This virtual talk is from 2-3pm ET / 11am-noon Arizona Time and is FREE and open to everyone.

Register to get the Zoom link. https://waterwhys.org/seminar/fall-2025/