Analysis of Ocean Data Science Initiatives’ Geospatial Data Visualizations

<p><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 107%; font-family: 'Aptos',sans-serif; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Aptos; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;">Ocean Data Science Initiatives (ODSIs), initiatives that mobilize data with the express goal of informing or improving conditions in the oceans, are central to endeavors to gather and mobilize &ldquo;the science we need for the oceans we want&rdquo; in the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2020-2030) (&ldquo;Ocean Science Decade&rdquo;). ODSIs often visualize data in the form of maps and other geospatial data visualization tools, which we collectively call Visual Geospatial Data Products (VGDPs). Because the oceans are outside the lived experience of many humans, these VGDPs are positioned to help users to &lsquo;see&rsquo; the oceans in new ways. In this project, we sought to understand how ODSIs mobilize data in visualizing oceans, and what ocean worlds these visuals create. The work archived here is the dataset of a visual analysis of ODSIs&rsquo; VGDPs, including both categorical and qualitative coding of the visual aspects of these products. These results were used for an analysis that positions ODSIs within the evolving role of data in ocean governance, demonstrating how these organizations define what constitutes &ldquo;the data we need&rdquo; for imagining &ldquo;the oceans we want&rdquo; in the Ocean Science Decade.</span></p>