Alexander Klippel

Professor of Geography; founder, ChoroPhronesis
2017 TLT Faculty Fellow
Focus Area: Immersive Experiences

Taking a bigger picture view of immersive technologies such as virtual reality at Penn State is what intrigues Alexander Klippel, and he is partnering with TLT as a 2017-18 Faculty Fellow to make that happen.

Currently, much of the work related to immersive technologies at the University is being done individually, and faculty and students who could benefit from new developments are not aware of them. Klippel wants to connect education, research, and outreach to better showcase Penn State’s presence as a potential leader in immersive technologies.

Immersive technologies are fundamentally changing how we communicate about places around the world; how we are able to monitor, understand, and communicate changes in climate and ecosystems; how we transform data into knowledge; how big geospatial data can be visualized and integrated into comprehensive decision support systems; how to treat diseases; and how we educate our students, including in STEM disciplines. Despite all of the advances as well as the availability and affordability of immersive VR solutions, there are still challenges to be met and addressed to truly embrace this technology and integrate it into both online and residential education.