By Annie Steinfelt ’24, editor

LVC’s Department of Design, Media and Technology (DMT) introduced the Emerging Media Lab
(EML) to provide students access to new and disruptive technologies.

The lab will allow students to test the behaviors and ideas that they encounter while using
emerging media, to consider the strengths and weaknesses of these technologies and to
develop design strategies for them.

“If there are emerging technologies that industry, trade or academic organizations are saying
have the possibility to disrupt or change how the field works, we’re looking to see how we can
give students access to them,” Dr. Jeff Ritchie, chair of the DMT department, said.

The DMT department recently purchased 10 Meta Quest 2 virtual reality headsets that
students will have the opportunity to use in the coming semesters, and the department hopes
to expose students to other disruptive technologies in the coming semesters as well.

Specific classes devoted to emerging media, such as AR/VR and interface classes, will be
offered each spring, but students will also encounter emerging media in assignments or case
studies in existing DMT classes.

The technology introduced through the Emerging Media Lab is made possible by fundraising
from donors and alumni.