Seeing the Forest for the Trees in VR and IRL

The Digital Scholarship Lab will be hosting a series of activities that will give visitors an opportunity to reflect upon and learn about the significance of forests and trees through Virtual Reality (VR) and other immersive technology. In the 360 Room, artist and scholar Hailey Becker will share an immersive artwork titled: “Where the Light Gets In: Engaging the Community about Tree Removal on Campus.” Supplies will be on hand for visitors of all ages to create collages of real and imaginary forests and then display their creations in the 360 Room. In the VR Room, members of a research team led by forestry professors Emily Huff and Samantha Gailey will be on hand to discuss their study into how people respond to different forest types in VR. Visitors will be given an opportunity to explore different forest landscapes and learn about the benefits of spending time with trees in real life.