researchers analyze visual data in a 3D display.
ARC Director of Visualization Nicolas Polys (at center) helped Jennifer Munson (at left), associate professor at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC, create 3D visualization of fluid flow through a brain tumor using her team's research data.

In 2024, ARC's Visualization group made significant strides in supporting research and education across Virginia Tech. Highlights included the USDA Training program, which continued to train professional foresters nationwide using immersive Web3D, and a collaboration with the Munson Lab and Computer Science capstone students, which created a visualization pipeline for fluid flow around brain tumors, earning accolades at the CS Department Research Fair. 

ARC resources also advanced impactful projects, such as carbon sequestration research with Ryan Pollyea, associate professor in the Department of Geosciences, and immersive construction management training with Nazila Roofigari-Esfahan and Ashley Johnson, both professors in the Myers-Lawson School of Construction, utilizing the Visionarium and HyperCube to simulate complex construction safety scenarios. Additionally, ARC contributed to the NSF-funded CASERM Phase II project, focusing on visualization innovations in mining and geoscience data sets. These successes highlight ARC’s role in driving discovery through advanced visualization platforms.