UMverse at the University of Miami invites you to dive into the cutting-edge world of XR at Miami XR 2025 on Thursday and Friday, February 6+7. Join industry experts, tech visionaries, artists, and university scholars from around the globe in exploring the latest trends and innovations in XR technology.
Register Now
$30.00 per person (both days included) • Free for UM Faculty, Staff, and Students. Using your miami.edu email, please contact idsc@miami.edu for the PROMO CODE.
Special Thanks to our Sponsors!
Agenda
|
|
Day 1 Thursday 2/6/2025 • Shalala Student Center Complex, Rooms 304+6
1330 Miller Drive, Coral Gables, FL 33146 | Directions
5:00 PM Registrations + Cocktail Hour Opens
5:30 PM Student Welcome | Mia Uy
5:40 PM UM Welcome | Provost Willy Prado
5:50 PM Faculty Welcome | Kim Grinfeder
5:55 PM Intro to XR at the U | Thomas Merrick
6:05 PM Lightning Talks
6:35 PM KEYNOTE SPEAKER | Dan O'Brien • HTC VIVE
6:55 PM Closing Remarks | Matthew Sanders • Meta
7:00-8:00 PM Networking Cocktails
|
 |
|
RESERVED PARKING is available using the Pay by Phone app at the Pavia Garage (see maps below). The dark green dotted line indicates the walking path from Pavia to the Shalala Student Center Complex.
Click on either map for a larger version.
 
|
|
Day 2 Friday 2/7/2025 • Newman Alumni Center (Multipurpose ABC)
6200 San Amaro Drive, Coral Gables, FL 33146 | Directions
9:00 AM Registration Opens | Breakfast + Demos
10:00 AM Welcome Remarks | Thomas Sydnor + Thomas Merrick
10:10 AM Lightning Talks
10:30 AM KEYNOTE SPEAKER | Jeremy Bailenson
11:15 AM Break
11:35 AM The Tipping Point for XR | Tom Merrick
11:45 PANEL: Future of XR | Moderator: Tom Merrick
Panelists: Matthew Sanders, Denise Mendez, Anna Queiroz
12:15 PM Lunch and Demos
1:30 PM Lightning Talks
1:50 PM KEYNOTE SPEAKER | Carolina Cruz Neira
2:35 PM Break
3:00 PM PANEL: Jobs in XR | Moderator: Mia Uy
Panelists: Chanel Menard, Sofia Perez-Baux, Alec Warren
3:45 PM Closing Remarks | Kim Grinfeder
4:00-5:30 PM Cocktail Reception + Demos
|
|
COMPLIMENTARY PARKING | Day 2 Newman Alumni Center
Complimentary parking is available if you register your vehicle:
https://www.offstreet.io/location/SVMCNHTN
Enter your license plate number, then enter this code: 0207
Parking valid in Gray Lots only. | Please park head-in only.
Keynote Speakers
Founding Director, Stanford University Virtual Human Interaction Lab
Jeremy Bailenson is the founding director of Stanford University’s Virtual Human Interaction Lab, Thomas More Storke Professor in the Department of Communication, Professor (by courtesy) of Education, Professor (by courtesy) Program in Symbolic Systems, and a Senior Fellow at the Woods Institute for the Environment. He served as Director of Graduate Studies in the Department of Communication for over a decade.
He earned a B.A. from the University of Michigan in 1994 and a Ph.D. in cognitive psychology from Northwestern University in 1999. He spent four years at the University of California, Santa Barbara, as a Post-Doctoral Fellow and then an Assistant Research Professor. Read More
Agere Chair in Computer Science, University of Central Florida
Steering Committee member, NSF Big Data South Hub
Inventor of the CAVE Virtual Reality System
XR Hall of Fame Inductee
Carolina Cruz-Neira is a pioneering computer scientist and a leading figure in virtual reality, known for inventing the CAVE Automatic Virtual Environment (CAVE). She currently serves as the Agere Chair Professor in Computer Science at the University of Central Florida, where she co-leads the UCF Digital Twin Strategic Initiative and heads the VARLab. Cruz-Neira’s contributions to real-time visualization, VR frameworks, and immersive technologies have earned her numerous accolades, including membership in the National Academy of Engineering and the XR Hall of Fame. Her work bridges engineering, art, and education, inspiring advancements in virtual environments and interactive applications worldwide.
Read More
President, Americas | HTC VIVE
Daniel is a seasoned technology executive with over 24 years of experience in leading and managing the commercialization of emerging technologies, innovations, and solutions for consumers and professional customers. He is the HTC VIVE President for the Americas, overseeing the sales, marketing, product, and operations for the immersive and wireless divisions of HTC.
As a humanity mission driven leader, Daniel is focused on delivering revenue growth, brand building, e-commerce strategies, business development, content creation, and strategic partnerships for HTC VIVE, the pioneer and global leader in virtual reality. He has a proven track record of defining and executing the channel strategy, marketing strategy, product management, supply chain, and public relations for HTC VIVE.
Read More
Carolina Cruz-Neira
