Team members Mario Peruggia (Statistics, Psychology) and Shadrick Addy (Design, ACCAD) from Ohio State, with Deborah Kunkel from Clemson (Mathematical and Statistical Sciences) were selected by the Translational Data Analytics Institute to receive a 2022 Interdisciplinary Research Pilot Award.

They will develop quantitative methods for evaluating virtual reality (VR) experiences (especially experiences that have beneficial implications for society), leading to a data-driven approach to inform VR design based on user decisions which will supplement the current reliance on user survey responses. The primary focus will be on a VR experience called Eyes of Mariam developed by Addy. This is an embodied interactive experience that follows the journey of Mariam, an African teenage girl, who faces traumatic events that threaten her goal of getting an education. The experience is being developed to raise awareness, promote advocacy, and encourage policy changes concerning children’s rights in war-prone African regions.