It’s strange how early our aspirations can be ingrained in us. But children can apparently form their attitudes about science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) from as early as seven and eight years old.

Richardson Independent School District prides itself on preparing students for tomorrow. From an early age, it commits to embedding STEM concepts and experiences in their learning journey. It planned to build a brand-new STEM Exploration Center and so hired Perkins & Will — a design agency dedicated to creating places that make a positive difference in the world.

And as part of this state-of-the-art facility, Perkins & Will wanted to include a STEM Immersion Studio. A fully immersive chamber, equipped with multiple projectors creating a seamless, 360° experience. So they came to Igloo.

The Igloo tech-powered Immersion Studio creates a 360° Shared Virtual Reality experience for students. Shared VR is perfect for transporting them anywhere in the world — or beyond. Students can go on virtual field trips to explore landmarks and landscapes across the globe. They can go deep-sea diving and marvel at the depths of the ocean. Or they can experience piloting an airplane or a space shuttle as they step inside its cockpit.

Shared VR is proving invaluable in inspiring and fostering curiosity and interest in STEM for over 12,000 children. To read a little more about the facility, there’s a great article in Forbes which gives you more details and perspectives.

“The choices are limitless – they can explore the depths of Mariana Trench, take a lesson in geology exploring the Grand Canyon, visit distinct stars in space, learn how a human body works, or enjoy an opera in Venice. In an immersive environment, the students can virtually travel to any of these spaces and learn.”

– Vandana Nayak
Principal, Perkins & Will

COMPANY: Igloo