We are thrilled to have Thomas Merrick help lead our community by hosting online sessions for the Universities & Colleges Committee.
Thomas is a visionary educator and technology pioneer with a passion for transforming learning through immersive experiences. Holding a BS in Information Engineering from Cornell and an MA in Independent School Leadership from Columbia, he has over 25 years of experience in education as a Math Director, School Administrator, and technologist.
At Stanford University’s Distinguished Career Institute, Tom discovered the potential of Virtual Reality to revolutionize education. He taught VR courses at Stanford’s Virtual Human Interaction Lab and later continued with Stanford Continuing Education. Now at the University of Miami, he serves as Senior Project Manager of XR Initiatives and adjunct lecturer, spearheading projects like UMverse, a groundbreaking virtual reality education platform, and Miami XR 2025 Conference.
Thomas’s innovative work empowers students and faculty to harness XR technologies for creative, interdisciplinary learning, solidifying his role in shaping the future of education.
“I’m incredibly excited to take on the role of Co-Chair as it represents a unique opportunity to foster collaboration and innovation in education through immersive technologies. We have a chance to create a dynamic forum where educators, researchers, and technologists can come together to share ideas, showcase projects, and push the boundaries of what’s possible in education utilizing AI and XR — a collaborative ecosystem that redefines how students experience and interact with the world.
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