Science communication in extended & virtual reality? Northeastern’s Eileen McGivney shares insights

Fanuel Muindi visits Dr. Eileen McGivney, Assistant Professor at Northeastern University to discuss the potential of #virtualreality and immersive media in education and science engagement.

Dr. McGivney provides insights into her research, particularly how VR can simulate experiences like Antarctic expeditions, enhancing students’ understanding of scientific professions. She highlights, “I like the idea of bringing experiences in that let people apply [their knowledge].”

The conversation touches on the challenges of accessibility and the role of VR in bridging gaps for underrepresented communities. Dr. McGivney notes, “We really risk segmenting society regarding who has access.”

They also discuss VR’s capacity for public engagement on critical issues like climate change and the importance of expanding VR content creation to diverse populations.

Chapters

0:36 Last on QOTD

1:39 Meet Eileen McGivney

2:15 VR Lab Tour

3:41 VR in Education

4:57 Antarctic VR Experience

8:33 VR Learning Goals

9:02 XR Terminology

10:45 Immersive Education

13:57 Student Emotions in VR

16:39 Standards for #scicomm

18:12 Accessibility Issues

20:25 VR for Schools

23:23 Classroom VR Use

24:11 VR Accessibility Gaps

26:57 Co-Production in VR

29:44 VR Adaptability

31:27 Diverse VR Research

32:02 VR and Public Engagement

34:17 Climate Change VR

36:46 Actionable Awareness

37:57 Future of VR in Science

Fanuel Muindi

Fanuel Muindi is a former neuroscientist turned civic science ethnographer. He is a professor of the practice in the Department of Communication Studies within the College of Arts, Media, and Design at Northeastern University, where he leads the Civic Science Media Lab. Dr. Muindi received his Bachelor’s degree in Biology and PhD in Organismal Biology from Morehouse College and Stanford University, respectively. He completed his postdoctoral training at MIT.