Why CAMD

Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), and Mixed Reality (MR) are dramatically changing the way we understand and interact with each other and with the world. XR makes it possible not only to replicate reality in a purpose-built environment, but to create new realities and simulations for many domains including health, wellbeing, education, decision analysis, teaming, and more.

CAMD is committed to addressing a knowledge gap between climate science and the planning and design disciplines. As the global climate crisis exacerbates long-standing racial and socio-economic inequities, there is a pressing need to build bridges between climate science research, urban and environmental design, and how they are utilized together in the practices of city planning and the design of the built environment.

Applying artistic frameworks to computer programming and technology in order to discover unexpected, creative solutions to human-computer interaction, wearable technology, communicating data and AI.

Blending creative disciplines like communication studies, design, journalism and theatre along with technology like augmented reality and experiential reality, CAMD is developing new tools for communicating and affecting social change around areas like climate change, gentrification, and the housing crisis.

Drawing on interdisciplinary research in urban design, architecture, music, and theatre, we study how buildings, green space, and art can contribute to community health.

Interdisciplinary research projects that integrate theater, music, art, and dance with cognitive science, psychology, health sciences, and robotics to explore how the arts (music, theater, dance, games, painting, etc.) facilitate participatory exploration and therapeutic applications of the arts for cognitive and brain health across the lifespan, including healthy aging, addiction recovery, physical rehabilitation, and mental health support.

Characterized by its integration of rigorous intellectual inquiry and creative production, creative practice research enacts new ways of understanding creativity itself.