MEDIA RELEASE – Global software company engages leading game development studio in a bid to revolutionise earth science education
CHRISTCHURCH, NEW ZEALAND, June 5, 2024 – Seequent, The Bentley Subsurface Company, today launched Visible Geology, a free web application to teach earth science students how the earth works – in 3D.
Visible Geology offers an immersive, intuitive gaming experience that is set to transform the way earth science students are taught the key concepts of geology – a foundational science for understanding the earth. The app was developed with CerebralFix, a game development studio that creates innovative interactive, digital experiences for companies including entertainment giants like Disney, Pixar, and Dreamworks.
The app moves beyond traditional 2D and paper-based teaching methods into immersive 3D modelling in the cloud via a simple, intuitive interface. Anyone with access to the internet can access Visible Geology for free – no subscription required.
Graham Grant, CEO, Seequent, said: “At Seequent, we are passionate about inspiring the next generation of earth scientists. We know how critical earth scientists are to understanding the earth’s resources and solving some of the world’s most urgent and complex challenges – from climate resilience to the energy transition. With falling enrolments and older professionals retiring, there is a workforce crisis ahead that is set to impact our way of life. That’s why we have taken our world-leading expertise in earth science software and brought in gaming expert CerebralFix to build Visible Geology and make it available to everyone, for free.”
Around the globe, universities are reporting a significant decline in earth science enrolments and courses are being cut. Australia has witnessed a 40% slump in geoscience students completing degrees in the last eight years*, and in 2020 the UK reported a 43% decrease** in students studying geology since 2014. The American Geosciences Institute has reported a workforce deficit of 130,000 geoscientists in the US by 2030***.
CerebralFix Co-CEO Chelsea Rapp said: “Video games have an incredible ability to transform education by blending immersive experiences with interactive learning. They are much more than just entertainment; applications like Visible Geology are dynamic tools that empower learners to explore and experiment in ways that traditional methods cannot match.”
Dr Kate Pedley, Geology Lecturer, University of Canterbury, New Zealand, was part of the Visible Geology testing process with her students and is already incorporating Visible Geology into her undergraduate courses. Dr Pedley said: “Visible Geology is intuitive and easy to use. Students can play around with it and have a bit of fun and it builds understanding in a way that complicated 2D maps can’t. Visible Geology builds a bridge for students to the professional geoscience software they will use in their careers.” |
Visible Geology complements Seequent’s academic program, an international network of students, educators, and researchers using Seequent’s professional software for low or no cost, to advance our understanding of the earth at more than 500 leading universities.
References
*Australian Geoscience Council’s Australian Tertiary Geoscience Education Profile
** Enrolment in crisis: A UK-wide strategy for exciting, engaging and retaining students in the geosciences A joint report from The Geological Society of London and University Geoscience UK
*** Geoscience Workforce Projections 2019-2029, American Geosciences Institute data sheet
About Seequent
Seequent, The Bentley Subsurface Company, helps organisations to understand the underground, giving them the confidence to make better decisions faster. Seequent builds world-leading technology that is at the forefront of Earth sciences, transforming the way our customers work. Every day we help them develop critical mineral resources more sustainably, design and build better infrastructure, source renewable energy, and reduce their impact on the environment. Seequent operates in 150 countries while proudly maintaining headquarters in New Zealand.
Newsroom: https://www.seequent.com/company/news-media/
Press Contact: External Comms Team, [email protected], +64 21 501 036 (New Zealand); Dina Zaid, [email protected] (North America)
© 2024 Bentley Systems, Incorporated. Bentley, Seequent, the Seequent logo, and Visible Geology are either registered or unregistered trademarks or service marks of Bentley Systems, Incorporated or one of its direct or indirect wholly owned subsidiaries.