Tech to Reconnect | San Diego Zoo Global – Technology as a Gateway to New Realms of Nature

Exploring Nature Like Never Before

Our Mission

In accordance with our organizational vision to lead the fight against extinction, we design, prototype, and promote technologies that intellectually, emotionally, and sensorially connect people with the natural world, excite the imagination, and inspire action.

Our Vision

We envision a world where human technologies connect us with wildlife and habitats by helping us understand, empathize with, and protect natural systems.

Selected Prototypes & Projects

We're starting to build tools to explore and discover nature. What if you could experience plant and animal perspectives?

Becoming a Butterfly
Feel your way south like a monarch using our app paired to a special vest.
Bat Sense
Find your way like a bat.
Giraffe Perspective Simulator
See from a giraffe's point of view.
Smart Birdhouse
Track and quantify bird nesting behavior.
Climate Leaf
Measure light, heat, and humidity from a plant perspective.

Tech to Reconnect Events

Connect with Nature by Making Things

Our Tech to Reconnect event series highlights ways our collaborators and colleagues use technology to gain understanding and empathy with the natural world. Stay tuned for announcements about our 2016 events and programs!

Past Event: August 13, 2015 — San Diego Zoo

Join us after hours for discussions, demonstrations, and drinks. Can assuming new perspectives increase our empathy for other species?

Confirmed Speakers

Shawnee Baughman

Manager, Stanford Virtual Human Interaction Lab

Dr. John Bailey

Program Manager,Google Geo Education

Dr. Andrew Quitmeyer

Researcher & Founder, Digital Naturalism

Sold Out — Thank You!

Past Event: September 10, 2015 — Safari Park

Screen Shot 2015-04-24 at 12.55.20 PM

How can multimedia and other technologies connect us with nature? Join our featured speakers for this exciting conversation!

Confirmed Speakers

Cristina Mittermeier

Sony Artisan Photographer & Conservationist

Erika Bergman

Submarine Pilot & National Geographic Young Explorer

Daniel Rohrlick

Programmer Analyst, Scripps Institution of Oceanography

Sold Out — Thank You!

Thanks to our 2015 Series Admission Sponsor, MJD Interactive

Would you or your organization also like to be involved with our events? Please contact us to learn more!

Community Partners

Our Team

We are working to invent new tools for building interspecies empathy.

Dr. Gabriel Miller, Director of Research & Development, San Diego Zoo Global

We constantly explore technologies that enable us to understand and empathize with the natural world.

Robert Erhardt, Chief Technology Officer, San Diego Zoo Global

We want to make the zoo of the future today. Using new technologies, we can help people understand the value of nature and help to protect it.

Paula Brock, Chief Financial Officer, San Diego Zoo Global

We must embrace all technologies available (and work to invent more!) to care for and connect with our environment.

Dr. Allison Alberts, Chief Conservation Officer, San Diego Zoo Global

Enter a new perspective- what would it be like to see like an eagle, run as fast as a cheetah, or hear through your feet like an elephant?

Claire Wathen, Program Manager, San Diego Zoo Global

Previous Speakers

Director, MIT FabLab San Diego

Director of Global Communications, GoPro

Co-director, Engineers for Exploration UCSD & Emerging Explorer, National Geographic

Sonic Artist & Experience Designer

Senior Program Manager, Google

Founder & Chairman, Techshop

CEO, Two Bit Circus

Co-founder, OpenROV

Chief Astronaut Instructor, Virgin Galactic

Dr. Manu Prakash

Asst Prof of Bioengineering, Stanford