𝗫𝗥 𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝗗𝗼𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗲-𝗘𝗱𝗴𝗲𝗱 𝗦𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗱: 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗕𝗶𝗮𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗩𝗶𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗔𝘂𝗴𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗦𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺𝘀. XR Network Lecture Series - Tabitha C. Peck

When: 7 September, 13:00, 2026
Where: Glaskantinen, Ballerup Campus

XR as a Double-Edged Sword: Deconstructing Bias in Virtual and Augmented Systems

Implicit bias is a systemic prejudice for or against specific social groups, shaping both human interactions and technological design. Augmented, Mixed, and Virtual Reality (XR) provide unique opportunities to study human behavior and actively dismantle harmful biases in areas such as healthcare and education. However, these systems are not neutral. Created by humans, XR technologies frequently inherit and perpetuate the very design biases of their developers.

In this talk, Tabitha will explore the dual role of XR as both a tool for mitigating and propagating systemic bias. The talk will examine how immersive environments can be leveraged to reduce implicit human bias, while also highlighting how structural biases can become embedded within XR hardware and software design.

All are welcome. No registration required.

About the speaker
Dr. Tabitha C. Peck is an Associate Professor of Mathematics and Computer Science at Davidson College and head of the Davidson Research in Virtual Environments (DRIVE) Lab, where she investigates the theory and applications of self-avatars in virtual environments. She received an NSF CAREER Award to investigate the impact of self-avatars in fostering inclusive STEM classrooms and has received numerous honorable mentions for best papers at IEEE VR. She is actively involved in the virtual reality research community, has served in numerous conference leadership roles and as an associate editor, and is currently a member of the IEEE VR Steering Committee.