Virtual Reality User Experience (VRUXDC)

As researchers and psychologists around the world explore virtual reality tools and technology, the field of Psychology has been forever changed with new ways of virtual training, assessment and treatment. At this joint Meetup with DC VR, we'll get a first-hand look at how organizations and researchers are using VR to better understand the human mind. Presenters: Brennan Hatton - CTO Equal Reality https://equalreality.com/ Brennan has been building virtual worlds and communities for 10 years, founding his own companies in AR, VR, Game Dev and Edu. After mastering design and development for mobile, web and games, Brennan was scouted by Augmented Reality company Meta to be employee number 7. Together they went through internationally acclaimed tech incubator Y-Combinator. Brennan helped nurture Meta’s vibrant global community of developers and companies in AR innovation, with today’s valuation being in excess of US$300 Million. Dr. Susan Persky- NIH / NHGRI Dr. Susan Persky is an associate investigator and head of the Communication, Attitudes and Behavior Unit and directs the Immersive Virtual Environment Testing Area in the Social and Behavioral Research Branch (SBRB), National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), NIH. She earned a B.A. in psychology for Northwestern University. She Earned an M.A. and Ph.D. in social psychology from the University of California, Santa Barbara where she studied at the Research Centers for Virtual Environments and Behavior. After conducting postdoctoral research at Columbia University, she came to the SBRB in 2005. Here, she built and led the Immersive Virtual Environment Testing Area, an immersive virtual reality technology-based experimental research lab within the SBRB. Dr. Persky splits her effort between providing leadership for the Immersive Virtual Environment Testing Area and conducting her programmatic research. Her work investigates the function of new genomic knowledge about common conditions like obesity in interactions between health care providers and patients and in public and online discourse. Dr. Persky has authored many peer reviewed and invited papers on applications of VR for health and medicine. She has lectured on VR and medicine in diverse settings including the Smithsonian Institution, and the National Academies of Math, Science and Technology. She is a member of the World Economic Forum Global Futures Council on VR and AR. Agenda 6:30 pm - Doors Open 7:00 - 7:15 pm - Intro from the Organizers 7:15 pm - 8:15 pm - Presentations 8:15 - 8:30 - Questions 8:30 pm - 9:00 pm - Demos