Utah Valley University announced Tuesday it has received funding to supplement its new mixed-reality digital media program. The grant will be utilized by UVU’s College of Engineering & Technology in order to continue to find STEM-related applications for virtual reality and augmented reality.

Additionally, UVU will use this funding for its newly formed Mixed-Reality and Simulation degree program, which is housed under UVU’s Department of Digital Media. Classes for this program are set to begin in Fall 2022.

“The grant from the Rocky Mountain Power Foundation revolves around Microsoft HoloLens 2 augmented headsets, which allow users to work with virtually placed objects within a physical space,” reads a press release from UVU. “Mixed-reality technology involves the blending of physical and digital worlds, liberating users from screen-bound virtual-reality experiences, such as headsets that block out the physical world.”

This initiative and degree program were led by Michael Harper, Marty Clayton and Paul Cheney, all of whom are professors of digital media at UVU.

“The next decade of extended reality technologies will form the foundation of the next 100 years of our technology-based world,” Harper said in a press release. “Without the help of our partners like Rocky Mountain Power Foundation, we could not have accelerated our capabilities to meet these goals. We are extremely grateful for their help and vision as we create amazing opportunities to learn STEM and emerging technologies for our students.”

UVU offered two Mixed-Reality Essentials pilot courses, one last fall and another in the current semester, with about 30 students participating in the classes. In the future, the university plans to offer similar courses to high school students that are concurrently enrolled at UVU, as well as mixed-reality training workshops for local high school teachers.

“I love that our program has been able to give students the option to experience state-of-the-art technologies which can enhance our current reality,” Chelsea Hansen, a UVU digital media student, said in a press release. “Out of all the devices, the HoloLens 2 really caught my attention, as it fulfilled my childhood dream of holographic reality — something I think is not too far away from consumer usage.”

The Rocky Mountain Power Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Rocky Mountain Power. The Rocky Mountain Power Foundation issues grants to nonprofit organizations in Utah, Idaho and Wyoming that specialize in education, STEM, community enhancement, environmental respect, arts and culture, and safety and wellness. In 2021, the foundation awarded more than $1.5 million in grants to local nonprofit organizations.

Newsletter