VR/AR Working Group
The VR/AR (Virtual Reality/Augmented Reality) Working Group is made up of faculty, students, entrepreneurs, and corporate partners who aim to build an ecosystem for development of 3D data systems in the New England area and beyond.

About Us

Professor Duncan Irschick
Professor Duncan Irschick

Founded in Fall 2018 as a collaboration between Duncan Irschick (Biology) and the UMass Center for Data Science, the VR/AR Working Group regularly meets to exchange ideas, listen to talks, and build connections around the broad area of development in virtual and augmented reality.  Our group includes strengths in high-end 3D data content creation using a variety of scanning technologies (photogrammetry, laser scanning, drones), as well as use of this content for research into driving safety (Mechanical Engineering), architecture (Architecture), 3D animals (Biology), machine learning algorithms (Computer Science), and more.

How to Join

Our interdisciplinary group is open to all interested individuals both within and outside UMass Amherst, including faculty, students (undergraduate and graduate), postdocs, staff, entrepreneurs, companies, and interested hobbyists in the community. We host a monthly meeting where attendees give talks and demos, and interact and learn from one another. To join our group, you can email the Director Duncan J. Irschick (irschick@bio.umass.edu), or simply subscribe to our email listserv (send an email to: vr-ar-coi-request@cs.umass.edu with the subject line “Subscribe”).

Monthly Meeting

Our monthly meetings are held in the Integrated Sciences Building (661 N. Pleasant St), Rm 145

We’re taking a break for the summer and will start up again with monthly meetings in the fall.

To be notified of upcoming meetings, join the email group by sending an email to vr-ar-coi-request@cs.umass.edu with the subject line “Subscribe.”

View the agendas of past meetings

Follow Us

Members

Steve Acquah, Coordinator, Digital Media Lab
Steve Acquah, Coordinator, Digital Media Lab
Ajla Aksamija, Associate Professor, Architecture
Ajla Aksamija, Associate Professor, Architecture
Thera Alley, Audio-Visual Equipment Technician, Department of Communication
Thera Alley, Audio-Visual Equipment Technician, Department of Communication
Brant Cheikes, Executive Director, Center for Data Science
Brant Cheikes, Executive Director, Center for Data Science
John Fabel, Adjunct Faculty, Building and Construction Technology
John Fabel, Adjunct Faculty, Building and Construction Technology
Christopher Fonte, Founder, Pioneer Virtual Reality
Christopher Fonte, Founder, Pioneer Virtual Reality

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Katy Greeley, Business Development Manager, Connection
Katy Greeley, Business Development Manager, Connection
Yuntian Hu, DML VR Developer
Yuntian Hu, DML VR Developer
Evangelos Kalogerakis, Assistant Professor, College of Information and Computer Sciences
Evangelos Kalogerakis, Assistant Professor, College of Information and Computer Sciences
Timothy Landry, Regional Director, Labster
Timothy Landry, Regional Director, Labster
Subhransu Maji, Assistant Professor, College of Information and Computer Sciences
Subhransu Maji, Assistant Professor, College of Information and Computer Sciences
Shane Mecklenburger, Assistant Professor, Art
Shane Mecklenburger, Assistant Professor, Art

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ganesh Pai Mangalore, graduate student, Mechanical Engineering
Ganesh Pai Mangalore, graduate student, Mechanical Engineering
Eric Poehler, Associate Professor, Classics
Eric Poehler, Associate Professor, Classics
Alex Schreyer, Senior Lecturer, Environmental Conservation
Alex Schreyer, Senior Lecturer, Environmental Conservation
Charlie Schweik, Professor, Environmental Conservation and School of Public Policy
Charlie Schweik, Professor, Environmental Conservation and School of Public Policy
Alexander Stepanov, GIS Architect, Adjunct Faculty, Environmental Conservation
Alexander Stepanov, GIS Architect, Adjunct Faculty, Environmental Conservation
Ed Zemba, CEO and Founder, Link to VR, UAB
Ed Zemba, CEO and Founder, Link to VR, UAB

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Agendas for Past Events


5/7/19 Monthly Meeting
Thera Alley – Department of Communication, UMASS Amherst
Yuntian Hu – Digital Media Lab, UMASS Amherst
Christopher Fonte, Pioneer Valley VR
Ed Zemba, LinktoVR

4/2/19 Monthly Meeting
Alexander Stepanov; IS Architect with A&F Systems and adjunct faculty with Eco, will talk to us about his work
Charlie Schweik; School of Public Policy, will talk to us about UMASS Air and potential collaborations with our group.
Company spotlight: Kevin Bowles from HP