The University of Miami UMverse took a deep dive into the cutting-edge world of XR at Miami XR 2025, held on Thursday and Friday, February 6+7. Industry experts, tech visionaries, artists, and university scholars from around the globe met to explore the latest trends and innovations in XR technology.
Miami XR 2025 Day 1
Thursday 2/6/2025
Shalala Student Center Complex, Rooms 304-6 1330 Miller Drive, Coral Gables, FL 33146
5:00 PM Registrations + Cocktail Hour Opens 5:30 PM Student Welcome | Mia Uy 5:40 PM UM Welcome | Provost Willy Prado—Introduction by Mia Uy 5:50 PM Faculty Welcome | Kim Grinfeder 5:55 PM Intro to XR at the U | Thomas Merrick
6:05 PM LIGHTNING TALKS
Jonathan Teske
Judite Blanc VIDEO
Timothy Stutts VIDEO
Tylar Niklis VIDEO
Jon Gress VIDEO
6:35 PM KEYNOTE SPEAKER | Dan O'Brien—Introduction by Thomas Merrick
Jeremy Bailenson is 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 has 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
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
Speakers
Chanel Menard Digital Product Specialist, SafeKitchen VR UM Graduate May 2024
Denise Mendez Principle Software Engineer, Microsoft Mixed Reality
Thomas Merrick Sr Project Manager, XR Initiatives Lecturer, Dept. of Interactive Media
Matthew Sanders Education and VR Director, Meta Global Affairs
Day 2 Friday 2/7/2025
Newman Alumni Center (Multipurpose ABC) 6200 San Amaro Drive, Coral Gables, FL 33146
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 —Introduction by Thomas Merrick 11:15 AM Break 11:35 AM The Tipping Point for XR | John Cunningham 11:45 PANEL: Future of XR | Moderator: John Cunningham 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 —Introduction by Sidney Cocimano 2:35 PM Break 3:00 PM PANEL: Jobs in XR | Moderator: Mia Uy Panelists: Chanel Menard, Sofia Perez-Baux, Sadah Espii Proctor, Alec Warren 3:45 PM Closing Remarks | Kim Grinfeder 4:00-5:30 PM Cocktail Reception + Demos
Special thanks to our Sponsors!
Conference Organizers
Thomas Merrick Senior Project Manager, XR Initiatives, UM School of Communication Department of Interactive Media
Jacqueline Green-Allen Sr. Administrative Assistant and Events Coordinator, IDSC
Kim Grinfeder Founding Chair and Professor, UM School of Communication Department of Interactive Media
Anna Muller Queiroz Associate Professor, UM School of Communication Department of Interactive Media Core Faculty Member, UM IDSC, Creative Technologies program
Mia Uy Project Manager, The VESL, UM School of Communication, Department of Interactive Media Co-Founder and President, Kappa Theta Pi
