Informatics PhD student Sepehr Vaez Afshar has been named a Student Scholar by The Association for Preservation Technology International (APT). Each year, around ten students are selected worldwide for the scholarship program based on the quality and innovation of their research abstracts, as well as their contribution to the field of preservation technology. Scholars are paired with mentors from the APT College of Fellows, prepare and present their research during the association's annual conference, and enjoy opportunities for long-term professional networking and mentorship within the preservation community.
Vaez Afshar will present "Immersive Technology for Heritage: Exploring XR Adoption in U.S. Cultural Museums" at the APT International Annual Conference, which will be held on November 11-15 in Providence, Rhode Island. In his talk, Vaez Afshar will analyze the presence and types of Extended Reality (XR) applications in U.S. cultural museums, evaluating their effectiveness, and identifying key enablers and barriers to implementation.
"Beyond mapping current trends, this research proposes a scalable framework for guiding future XR initiatives in cultural heritage institutions," he said.
Vaez Afshar is an architect and landscape architect with a background in computer science. He serves as the XR lead and associate producer at stu/dio, where he integrates immersive technologies into cultural heritage projects, most notably, a VRchaeology experience that simulates excavation and interpretation for educational use. Bridging technology and the humanities, his work explores how extended reality and analytics can improve learning outcomes in museum and heritage contexts.