This project explores the effects that diverse virtual reality experiences may have on the self efficacy of middle and high school black girls.
The VR experience of study is called NeuroSpeculative AfroFeminism. NSAF was created by the ladies of hyphen-labs and is focused on incorporating women of color into the narrative of product design and technology by giving them an entry point into the field. As the experience begins, the user is taken to a speculative world where they explore a futuristic hair salon as African American woman. The salon is transformed into a lab and its stylists/scientists are also women of color.
For my research, I am exploring short-term and long-term cognitive effects that this project may have on young women of color in the context of measuring their perceptions of how they fit into the technology space. Given the fact that there are very few products or virtual reality experiences that incorporate women of color, I plan to also measure their change in affect, their reactions and any subsequent actions that come out of this.
In the TanDEm lab, we focus on matters relating to the design, deployment, adoption, and use of technologies towards empowerment - of underserved and under-represented communities in resource-constrained regions across the world.
