2025 Day of Giving

Imaginarium student researchers celebrating the year’s efforts

The Imaginarium XR Lab within the College of Arts and Science is a collaborative research and teaching space dedicated to exploring extended reality (VR, AR, MR), spatial computing, digital art, and interactive media. We celebrate the transformative capabilities of mixed reality technologies, enabling intuitive data visualization, pushing the boundaries of digital art, and leveraging game design for education and storytelling. Students in the lab not only design and execute their own research projects but also craft extended abstracts showcasing their findings for presentation at prestigious conferences.

The Imaginarium has been made possible since its inception thanks to generous gifts from Andrew and Susan Wright of the Wright Foundation. The Wright Foundation is committed to growing Santa Clara University’s Imaginarium Lab into the nation’s leading education center for human-centered approaches to AI and XR. By contributing to the Wright Foundation’s Imaginarium Pathway fund, you are enabling the development of an innovative spatial computing curriculum within the College of Arts and Science to prepare social sciences and humanities students to meet the rapidly changing nature of Silicon Valley. Leveraging the existing support and infrastructure in the Imaginarium, 22 students from the Imaginarium were recently accepted as authors and co-authors across 8 submissions to an academic conference in Gold Coast, Australia. With your support, we can continue our research, teaching, and learning of the social implications of emerging technologies.

“Research can often be inaccessible to undergraduate students as they work on segmented portions of a project under professors whose expertise far outweighs their own. It can be a struggle for students to see the full picture or anticipate how it actively contributes to a larger community. Our lab provides students with the extremely rare opportunity to design and run an entire research project of their own volition, and I believe supporting that natural drive of passion and curiosity is the ultimate point of education."

– John Redinbo '25

"When I started with the Imaginarium (formerly under the Media Lab), I did not think that I would be at one of the biggest academic research conferences for human communication worldwide. Only being a sophomore at the time, but getting the opportunity to learn, research, and make new connections outside of my major, has shaped me into the student, colleague, and friend I am today. Attending ICA opened my eyes to the uniqueness of the community that the Imaginarium offers: a place for undergraduate students to explore topics that interest them and build bonds with a diverse set of students within the university.”

– Sara Wheeler '25

"The opportunity to attend ICA allowed me to grow closer to my lab members and teammates. Traveling to the Gold Coast, attending sessions, and exploring our surroundings together fostered a sense of camaraderie and created unforgettable memories that I will always cherish. These relationships have built a strong and supportive community at SCU and have ultimately making my journey at SCU more meaningful.”

– Julianna Dietrich '24

"Engaging with so many academics gave me the confidence to reach out to professionals in my own field, ultimately helping me secure a job for post-graduation. None of this would have been possible without the support of the Imaginarium, as well as the financial assistance provided by the school and its donors. Enabling students to go to ICA and other academic conferences is crucial to realizing their full academic and professional potential.”

– Gwendolyn Patwardhan '25

"I personally feel that attending ICA with the Imaginarium helped me reaffirm my career goals and expand my academic network. In many ways, this conference is a huge learning opportunity for students, whether they have the chance to present their own research or just attend several speaker sessions. With your support, many other students can have a similar experience and further their professional development. I sincerely hope that the ICA conference continues to be an opportunity for SCU students who are passionate about research."

– Riana Santos '25

"I had the privilege of presenting my year-long research project on inclusive technology, specifically in the metaverse VR avatar space, and engaging in insightful discussions with industry leaders. The conference broadened my understanding of the importance of research, sparking my curiosity with diverse topics ranging from activism and game studies to health communication and popular media. It motivated me to continue advocating for causes I believe in and empowered me to make a meaningful impact in my community.”

– Katelyn Wong '24