MIAMI XR 2025: Day 1—2/6 | Ticket Covers Both Days

UMverse at the University of Miami invites you to dive into the cutting-edge world of XR at Miami XR 2025, Thursday and Friday, February 6+7. Join industry experts, tech visionaries, artists, and university scholars from around the globe to explore the latest trends and innovations in XR technology.

In-person and virtual participation are available—bringing the future to you, wherever you are!

Register Now

$30.00 per person (both days included) • Free for UM Faculty, Staff, and Students. Please email idsc@miami.edu for the PROMO CODE.

Call for Presentations + Proposals

Are you pushing the boundaries of XR innovation? Miami XR 2025 is seeking proposals for presentations, workshops, and discussions that showcase cutting-edge work in the XR field. Whether you’re developing groundbreaking applications, conducting research, or reimagining immersive experiences, we want to hear from you!

If your proposal is accepted, we’ll follow up with all the details you’ll need to prepare for presenting at the event. This is your chance to share insights, inspire others, and connect with a global community of XR enthusiasts.

Submission Deadline: January 31, 2025  |  Submit your proposal today and be a part of shaping the future of XR.

Agenda

Day 1 Thursday 2/6/2025 • Shalala Student Center Complex
1330 Miller Drive, Coral Gables, FL 33146 | Directions + Parking

5:00 PM Registrations Opens
5:30 PM Student Welcome Remarks | Mia Uy
5:40 PM Faculty Welcome Remarks | Kim Grinfeder
Intro to XR at the U and Lightning Talks Introductions | Thomas Merrick
5:50 PM Lightning Talks
6:10 PM SPEAKER | TBA
6:50-8:00 PM Networking Cocktails at The Rathskeller

Day 2 Friday 2/7/2025 • Newman Alumni Center (Multipurpose ABC)
6200 San Amaro Drive, Coral Gables, FL 33146 | Directions + Parking

9:00 AM Registration Opens | BREAKFAST and POSTERS
10:00 AM Welcome Remarks | Mia Uy
10:10 AM Lightning Talks
10:30 AM KEYNOTE SPEAKER: Jeremy Bailenson
11:15 AM Break
11:35 AM PANEL: Jobs in XR | John Cunningham
12:15 PM LUNCH and DEMOS | Bryson Rudolph
1:30 PM Lightning Talks
1:50 PM KEYNOTE SPEAKER: Carolina Cruz Neira
2:35 PM Break
3:00 PM PANEL: Recent Grads in Industry
3:45 PM Closing Remarks | Kim Grinfeder
4:00-5:00 PM Cocktail Reception

Keynote Speakers

Jeremy Bailenson Founding Director, Stanford University Virtual Human Interaction Lab 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

Carolina Cruz Neira 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.

—Check back soon, speaker lineup is growing!

Speakers

John Cunningham President, Virtualware USA and COO, VR/AR Association

Denise Mendez Principle Software Engineer, Microsoft Mixed Reality

Sofia Perez-Baux Project Manager, Xennial | UM Graduate May 2024

Conference Organizers

Thomas Merrick Senior Project Manager, XR Initiatives, UM School of Communication Department of Interactive Media	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

	Where to Stay Hotel Arya, Coconut Grove The Mutiny Hotel, Coconut Grove Courtyard by Marriott, Coconut Grove Thesis Hotel Miami, Coral Gables All Choices
	Places to Eat