A report on some recent experiences in developing environmental software

The paper reviews the research activities carried out at the Computer Laboratory for Environmental Sciences, Politecnico di Milano. These mainly focus on the development of software oriented to three main areas: teaching ecological and environmental disciplines at education levels ranging from secondary school students to experienced professionals; solving environmental problems that are commonly encountered in practical field or laboratory work; and exploiting new trends in computer science and artificial intelligence for coping with complex problems, particularly for assisting managers in taking decisions, whose consequences are often hard to be quantified and foreseen. The main features of some of the packages developed in the recent years are briefly described and analyzed in terms of user interface and portability. A critical appraisal of the Center activities is outlined.