The Future of Learning, Built by Students: Reflections from UBC’s Emerging Media Lab Alumni

At the intersection of emerging technology and experiential education lies UBC’s Emerging Media Lab (EML). EML provides a vital space where students bridge the gap between classroom theory and real-world application. Through immersive, hands-on learning opportunities, students from all disciplines, ranging from English and Architecture to Computer Science and Physics, bring their unique domain knowledge […]

Explore Innovation at the Emerging Media Lab Showcase

The Emerging Media Lab (EML) at UBC is an experimental innovation space where faculty, students, and staff collaborate with industry and community partners to develop emerging technology solutions that address challenges in teaching, learning, and research.  Since opening in 2017, EML has partnered with 65 Principal Investigators and supported the development of more than 70 […]

EML Summer Showcase 2026

The Emerging Media Lab welcomed the UBC community to its 2026 Summer Showcase on September 9, 2026, at the Peña Room in the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre. The evening brought together students, faculty, project partners, and members of the wider UBC community to experience six projects developed at EML during the summer term. Through […]

A Look Back at EML at the 2025 SIGGRAPH Conference

From August 10th to 14th, the 2025 ACM SIGGRAPH Conference was held in Vancouver. Heralded as the premier conference and exhibition on computer graphics and interactive techniques, the 2025 conference presented a great opportunity for EML to get involved in a variety of ways.  EML was proud to have one of its projects selected for […]

Meet you at the Archive : Procedural Poetry Funhouse visit to the Belkin

EML's Procedural Poetry Project, an experimental VR poetry-making experience that incorporates AI, was first conceived by Principal Investigators Jennifer Moss and Austen Osworth from the UBC Department of Creative Writing.

Kirk Karasin Award 2025

At the Spring Showcase, EML presented the 2025 Kirk Karasin Memorial Award to students who embodied the core values of EML's mission of technology for good.

EML Summer Showcase 2025 

On Thursday, September 11th, Emerging Media Lab was delighted to host its 2025 Project Showcase at the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre. Sincere thanks to those who attended. It was a great opportunity to connect and engage in meaningful conversations around emerging technologies and EML’s recent projects.

EML Winter Design Review

On Monday, December 9th, EML hosted their Winter Design Review. Faculty in Residence, Principle Investigators, Staff Liasons, and other members of the EML community heard from project teams, watching a series of informative presentations, then got the opportunity to try the demos themselves!

Playing with Poetry: EML at the TEC Expo

This November, EML was able to present Procedural Poetry Funhouse at Learning Design and Digital Innovation's 2024 TEC Expo.

Captain Nemo: Increasing Ocean Literacy Through Virtual Reality and Mixed Media

On Wednesday, November 27th, the Emerging Media Lab was thrilled to host Pierre Friquet, award-winning digital creator and XR artist currently residing in France

Kirk Karasin remembered through Memorial Award

Kirk Karasin was the Senior Media Specialist at UBC Studios and Supervisor of the Emerging Media Lab, but more than that, he was a mentor, creator, innovator, and a dear friend who consistently pushed the boundaries of what was possible.  

The Beauty of Tech-Art: Interactive Art at EML

On November 21st, EML and the BMS program co-hosted a joint lecture and workshop session featuring TeamLab, DigitalFun, and the TEA Community.

UBC’s Emerging Media Lab Nominated for Gartner Eye on Innovation Award

Emerging Media Lab’s Judicial Interrogatory Simulator was chosen as a finalist for the 2024 Gartner Eye on Innovation Awards for Education. Learn more about the project and this award!

UBC President and Provost Visit EML

On October 9th, UBC President Benoit-Antoine Bacon and Provost and Vice-President Academic Gage Averill participated in a tour of Emerging Media Lab hosted by Jennifer Burns, Associate Vice-President IT and CIO, and Simon Bates, Vice-Provost and Associate Vice-President Teaching and Learning. 

EML Summer Showcase 2024

On Thursday, September 12th, the Emerging Media Lab hosted its annual Summer Showcase. Hosted by our Lab Coordinator, Sloane Madden, this event welcomed UBC faculty, staff, and community members into the world of emerging technologies.

EML Summer Design Review 2024

On Tuesday June 25th, the Emerging Media Lab hosted a Design Review for all the amazing projects this term.

EML Spring Showcase 2024

On April 10th, UBC faculty, students, and community members all gathered together to celebrate the progress of the Emerging Media Lab’s fall projects.

EML Spotlight: Forestʌr with EMLx

Recently, a team of UBC students at EMLx designed, developed and launched Forestʌr, multifaceted app that integrates Augmented Reality (AR) and interactive guidance to offer a personalized forest bathing experience, addressing key barriers such as location, time, and financial constraints.

EML Summer Showcase 2023

On September 12th, members of the UBC community gathered to celebrate the progress of EML’s summer projects. 

EML Spotlight: Nicole Wang

Meet Nicole (she/her), a 5th-year Cognitive Systems major and Lab Coordinator Co-op student at EML. For Nicole, working at EML helped her gain a strong skillset in project management, web design & development, and public speaking. To find out more about Nicole's role, check out the interview below!

EML Wins CUCCIO Collaboration Award

EML wins a prestigious award that recognizes outstanding contributions made by Canadian universities and their IT departments in fostering collaboration and driving innovation.

Advice From EML Student Graduates

EML is excited to congratulate our student workers that are graduating this year! Click to find out more about their interviews where we asked them about their time at EML and advice for those looking into joining the emerging media space.

EML Project Snapshot: Electrocardiography Visualization and Classification

Learn more about Dr. Matt Yedlin and the team that created a new visualization resource for cardiologists and researchers alike.

EML Project Snapshot: Interactive Animation Toolkit for Unity

This is an internally initiated EML project that will allow users to make animation development decisions faster by having a Unity framework already created

EML Project Snapshot: Socratic Dialogues

Combine artificial intelligence with the Socratic method. What do we get? This is what UBC Adjunct Professor of Law and EML Professor in Residence Jon Festinger is exploring in one of the Emerging Media Lab’s current projects called “Socratic Dialogues”.

EML Project Snapshot: 3D Metabolism

3D Metabolism is a project done in collaboration with the UBC Emerging Media Lab to create an immersive and interactive visualization of the metabolic network by leveraging 3D modeling.

EML Project Snapshot: Virtual Co-Locator

An alternative video calling platform that seeks to include more features and effects such as facial detection and creative backgrounds, allowing video meetings to be customized to suit different settings, moods, and topics.

EML In Real Time: Dante Cerron

Meet Dante, the lead software developer for academic innovation at EML. To learn more about Dante's role, check out the interview!

EML In Real Time: Zahra Asadi

Meet Zahra, a 3rd year electrical engineering student and software developer at EML. To find out more about Zahra’s experience at EML, check out her interview!

EML In Real Time: Yousra Alfarra

Meet Yousra, a 3rd year cognitive systems major at UBC. To find out more about Yousra’s role at EML and the skills she gained, check out her interview!

EML In Real Time: Nikko Dumrique

Meet Nikko, a 4th year physics major and work learn student at EML. To find out more about Nikko's role at EML, check out his interview!

Ask a work-learn: 10 things EML members should know

Are you a member or thinking of becoming a member at EML? Read more to make the best of your time at the lab!

Metanaut CEO Peter Kao shares 5 tips for students to get started in VR

If you have ever dreamt of starting a career or hobby in creating virtual reality experiences, take some tips from EML’s industry consultant, Peter Kao.

Students learn about seismic waves using the Google Cardboard

Feb. 28, 2019 | Faculty-in-Residence Dr. Matt Yedlin discusses the benefits and challenges of using the Google Cardboard to teach university course material.

Dr. Queen shares the possibilities of AR/VR in veterinary science

Veterinarian Dr. Christopher Queen discusses on how emerging technologies can be used within animal healthcare in an EML lecture.

Project Spotlight: Interactive Orchestra with Serena Chao

A conversation with project coordinator Serena about Interactive Orchestra's vision and development

Recap: EML Midterm Showcase

Thank you to our staff, students, faculty and partners for making the Emerging Media Lab what it has become today!

Dr. Pawel Kindler shows-off Fossa Finder to first-year dentistry students

Dentistry students weigh-in on what they think about the application of VR in dentistry education and healthcare.

EML Wins CUCCIO Innovation Award

The Canadian University Council of Chief Information Officers (CUCCIO) recognizes EML's achievements in innovation.