Climate scientist uses games to aid coastal adaptation

Climate scientist Sai Ravela is employing interactive game‑based simulations to assist coastal communities in developing creative adaptations to climate change. Ravela, a professor of computer science and engineering at the University of Washington, has designed a series of “serious games” that model sea‑level rise, storm surge, and erosion scenarios. The tools allow participants to experiment with a range of mitigation and adaptation measures—such as shoreline armoring, wetland restoration, and managed retreat—while seeing the projected outcomes in real time. Funded by a National Science Foundation grant and partnered with local NGOs, the games have been piloted in vulnerable regions of the Gulf Coast, the Mekong Delta, and the Netherlands.

Early trials indicate that the gaming approach fosters collaborative decision‑making and uncovers locally viable strategies that might be overlooked in traditional planning processes. Community members report increased confidence in evaluating trade‑offs between economic, environmental, and social objectives. Researchers plan to expand the platform to additional at‑risk areas and integrate the results into municipal climate‑resilience plans. By translating complex climate data into an accessible, participatory format, Ravela’s work aims to enhance preparedness and support sustainable adaptation for coastal populations worldwide.