(254a) Creating Virtual Reality Content for Core Materials & Chemical Engineering Courses

Virtual reality (VR) is a fully digital space in which a user is immersed in a virtual environment through the use of a headmounted display. The user’s view of the physical environment is occluded by the headset, thus creating total visual immersion. VR also simulates other human senses (to a degree) like hearing, and grasping through the use of hand controllers. Many undergraduate chemical engineering students taking core chemistry and materials science courses struggle with spatial visualization of molecules, atomic arrangements, and crystallographic structure. The focus of this study is the creation of 3D holographic content that allows the student to be exposed to the 3D nature of chemical compounds. We utilized the VR environment of VictoryXR powered by ENGAGE to provide the immersive experience.