
We are thrilled to congratulate Dr. Aryabrata Basu for receiving the IEEE VR Best Paper Award (Honorable Mention) at the IEEE VR 2025 Conference in St. Malo, France! This recognition celebrates his innovative research, conducted in collaboration with Dr. Joomi Lee and Dr. Chen (Crystal) Chen, on the novelty effect in immersive virtual reality and its impact on learning over time.
The groundbreaking study reveals that, while initial VR experiences spark heightened engagement and curiosity, it may also distract from learning. However, through repeated exposure learners adapt, leading to significantly improved educational outcomes. Using a rigorous three-wave longitudinal study in a custom-built VR environment, the research highlights how exploratory behaviors and cognitive load evolve over time.
By employing statistical methods, including linear mixed-effects modeling, the team examined changes in recognition memory, cued recall, and exploratory behaviors across multiple sessions. Their findings emphasize the importance of strategically managing cognitive resources in VR learning, ensuring that as users acclimate, they allocate more focus to educational content, enhancing long-term retention.
This achievement underscores Dr. Basu and his collaborator’s dedication to advancing educational technology and human-computer interaction. Once again, congratulations to Dr. Aryabrata Basu, Dr. Joomi Lee, and Dr. Chen (Crystal) Chen for their outstanding contribution to Virtual Reality research!