Environmental Storytelling and Virtual Reality

Annenberg Performing Arts Center and Van Pelt Library

VR banner

Environmental Storytelling and Virtual Reality features scholars and makers, film screenings, gaming stations, and workshops for students, faculty, and staff at Penn and beyond. The events are organized around three rubrics, illuminating the connections between interdisciplinary environmental research and virtual reality technologies and experiences: empathy, education, and action on climate. Featured presenters include Jeremy Bailenson, Peter Decherney, and Roderick Coover.

Visit virtualenvironment.net for more details!

Free and Open to the Public! Your advance registration here is greatly appreciated. 

Schedule

Friday, November 22

Location: Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, Prince Theatre and Studio Lobby

8:45 AM | Breakfast Buffet 

9:30 AM | Opening Remarks: Provost Wendell Pritchett

9:45 AM | Keynote Address: Jeremy Bailenson, “Experience on Demand”

Coffee Break

11:00 AM | Panel: In/Visible Elements with Sarah Cameron Sunde and Zane Talley Cooper

12:00 PM | Break for Lunch on Your Own

1:30 PM| A Conversation between Peter Decherney and Jaime and Javier Suárez Berrocal

Coffee Break

3:00 PM | Panel: Bodies in Virtual and Fantasy Worlds with Liz Canner and Rachel Stevens 

4:30 PM |Welcome Reception

 

Saturday, November 23

Location: Van Pelt Library Information Commons (1st floor west) 

10:00 AM  | VR & Pedagogy Workshop with Peter DecCherney and Melisande McLaughlin

A hands-on opportunity to learn about VR for research, education, and storytelling and to experience a range of VR technologies, games, experiences, and films.  

VR and AR Experiences:

12:00 PM | Catered Lunch

1:00 PM | Panel: Environmental Game Design and the Value of Play 

  • Jessica Creane 
  • Dargan Frierson 
  • Caroline Lachanski
  • Emiliya Al Yafei

2:30 PM | Breakout Game Workshops

  • Immersive Game Design with Unity, Caroline Lachanski with help from Emiliya Al Yafei, Spencer Webster-Bass, Matt Boyd-Surka, and Grace Gilbert
  • Analogue Climate Game Design, Jessica Creane

4 PM | Visit site-specific The Altering Shore VR experiences

Saturday, November 23 | Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts, Prince Theatre | 7:30 – 9:30 PM

The Altering Shores, Live Performance

  • Roderick Coover
  • Nick Montfort
  • Adam Vidiksis

Reserve Tickets Here