Suman Ghosh had the incredible opportunity to dive into the world of virtual reality at the UBISS Summer School 2024 VR Workshop @ University of Oulu in Finland, 10-15 June, 2024. Under the expert guidance of Bernhard Riecke of Simon Fraser University; Paula Alavesa and Matti Pouke of University of Oulu.
“I embarked on an intensive 1-week VR jam/workshop titled “Virtually Real? The Art and Science of Designing Impactful (or Even Transformative?) Virtual Experiences”, Suman says.Suman’s team project – Step into Empathy: Experience the Refugee Journey in Immersive VR – was a heartfelt attempt to bridge the empathy gap.
“It was enriching to work together with Mantas Cibulskis, Iresh Bandara, Venkata Srikanth Varma Datla and Paulina”, says Suman.
Through our VR experience, “Boat Scape,” we attempted to transport users from their everyday routines into the harrowing journey of refugees fleeing war. Starting on a university campus, users find themselves thrust into a series of events that force them to seek refuge in another country. This immersive experience was designed to evoke deep empathy and understanding for the countless individuals who face life-and-death situations in their quest for safety.
UBISS 2024 enrolled 81 students from 15 countries in 4 parallel workshops as representatives of invited researchers, students, and industry and public sector professionals to gain theoretical insight and personal hands on experience on selected topics under the tutelage of distinguished experts. UBISS 2024 continued the legacy of the previous eleven successful multidisciplinary UBI Summer Schools hosted by us in Oulu in 2010-2023.
