As part of the Snap AR Scholars program at the University of Oregon, a cross-disciplinary team partnered with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife to build an augmented reality experience for Otter Rock Marine Reserve — one of Oregon's most ecologically significant coastal ecosystems, called Beneath the Surface. Built in Snapchat's Lens Studio, the experience was designed for both mobile and Snap Spectacles, guiding users through tide pools, kelp forests, and sand dollar beds — culminating in a breaching humpback whale.
Beneath the Surface | Snap AR Scholars
Problem: While public appreciation for Oregon's marine reserves has grown, deeper understanding hasn't kept pace. Most visitors to Otter Rock enjoy the scenery but lack awareness of the protected habitats beneath the surface — or their own role in maintaining ocean health. The challenge was turning passive appreciation into genuine connection.
Insight: You can't protect what you don't feel connected to. Preliminary field research at Otter Rock found that 100% of visitors wanted to learn more about the marine life around them — the curiosity was already there. The experience just needed to meet people where they were and make the invisible, visible.
Conservation starts with wonder.
Task: Design an immersive AR experience that educates the public about Otter Rock Marine Reserve, blending environmental science with playful storytelling — accessible to both children and adults, across mobile and Snap Spectacles platforms. The experience needed to balance educational depth with intuitive, engaging design, particularly for older adult users identified as the primary demographic.
Result:
Top 5 finalist for Best Societal Impact at Augmented World Expo (AWE) 2025
2026 Webby Awards Honorable Mention
3rd Place, Snapchat Challenge
Featured in University of Oregon News
Phase 1 research confirmed 100% of participants wanted to learn more about Otter Rock's marine life, validating the experience's core educational approach
Phase 2 user testing underway, assessing usability, engagement, and conservation awareness across mobile and Spectacles formats
Role:
Title: Design Assistant, Community Marketing Outreach
Scope: Experience copy, community-facing messaging, design support, marketing outreach
Collaborators: Research team of PhD candidates and master's students; design team led by Kathleen Darby (3D assets) and Luke Walker (Lens Studio development); Faculty leads Dr. Danny Pimentel, Dr. Donna Davis, Dr. Jakki Bailey
Deliverables: UX copy · Community outreach materials · Design collaboration · Marketing support
3D asset creation for Beneath the Surface used a hybrid workflow combining photogrammetry and manual modeling — capturing terrain scans in Scaniverse, then refining and optimizing marine species and environments in Meshy, Blender, and Substance Painter to ensure a cohesive visual identity across both Snap Spectacles and mobile platforms.
The experience was brought to life in Snapchat's Lens Studio — translating design concepts and 3D assets into a fully interactive AR experience across mobile and Snap Spectacles, from the tide pools to the whale breaching finale.
“Otter Rock: Beneath the Surface” taps into emerging mobile AR and wearable technology to reveal the marine life of the Central Oregon Coast.
One of three visitable sites in the digital simulation is the rocky reef.
