Diane Gromala facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Diane Gromala
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Gromala in 2011
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| Education | University of Michigan, Yale University, Plymouth University |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Computer science – HCI, virtual reality, health research, design |
| Institutions | School of Interactive Arts and Technology, Simon Fraser University |
Diane Gromala (born 24 February 1960) is a smart scientist and professor at Simon Fraser University in Canada. She studies how computers, art, and design can work together. Her main focus is on how digital tools, like virtual reality, can help people, especially those with chronic pain.
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Learning and Education
Diane Gromala went to several universities to learn about design and computers. She earned her first degree in Design & Photography from the University of Michigan in 1982. Later, she got a Master's degree from Yale University in 1990. In 2007, she earned her PhD from Plymouth University, focusing on how people interact with computers.
Diane Gromala's Career
Before becoming a professor, Diane worked as an art director. She helped design things for companies like Apple Computer and MacWorld magazine from 1982 to 1990.
Early Work with Virtual Reality
Diane Gromala was one of the first artists to use virtual reality (VR). In 1990, she created a VR art piece called Dancing with the Virtual Dervish. She worked with a dancer named Yacov Sharir. This artwork was shown all over the world for many years.
Later, she designed VR experiences to help people feel less stressed or anxious. She also used VR to distract patients from pain during treatments like chemotherapy. Her VR work has been used in over 20 hospitals and clinics. This shows how helpful her ideas are in real life.
Researching Pain Relief with Technology
Diane Gromala started the Chronic Pain Research Institute. This is a special team of experts from different fields. It includes artists, designers, computer scientists, and doctors. They all work together to find new ways to help people with pain.
They explore how new technologies can act like a form of analgesia, which means pain relief. They look at tools like virtual reality, special computer images, and even social media. Their goal is to find new ways to manage pain using technology.
Diane also wrote a book with Jay Bolter called Windows and Mirrors. This book is about how we design things that interact with computers. Her work is often shared in books and articles about computer science and art. Her amazing work with virtual reality has been shown on TV channels like BBC and CNN, and in newspapers like the New York Times.
Teaching and Universities
Diane Gromala has taught at many universities. She was a professor at the University of Texas at Austin. She also led the New Media Research Lab at the University of Washington. She was part of the Human Interface Technology Lab (HITLab) too. She taught at Georgia Tech and was a member of the GVU Center. Today, she is a professor at Simon Fraser University (SFU) in Vancouver, Canada.
Awards and Recognition
In 2017, Diane Gromala won a big award. She received the grand prize at Stanford University’s Brainstorm VR/AR Innovation Lab competition. She won this award with her colleagues Faranak Farzan and Sylvain Moreno.
Selected Publications
