The University of New Mexico’s ARTSLab has been awarded congressionally directed funds from NASA to initiate the Artemis in 3D STEAM Challenge and Training Program. This innovative program is designed to enhance access to immersive technology and education throughout New Mexico.
The high costs and complexities associated with Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) technologies have traditionally limited their accessibility. To address this, ARTSLab established the Community Immersive Technology Hub (CITH) in the fall of 2024, aiming to democratize these cutting-edge technologies for the wider community.
Bridging the Technology Gap
Stewart Copeland, Director of ARTSLab, observed that VR headsets at universities often remain confined to specific departments due to the logistical challenges of managing the equipment. “That’s what we’ve been focused on, getting equipment and then figuring out how to make it accessible for researchers and students,” Copeland explained.
As part of their outreach, graduate student Ella Pigg and undergraduate student Finn Ellis developed Neon Forge, a virtual reality experience for the Bands of Enchantment Music Festival. Drawing inspiration from Route 66’s iconic neon signs, Neon Forge offers festival attendees an immersive, hands-on experience that resonates with the local cultural identity.
Interactive Festival Experience
Festival goers could sign up at the ARTSLab kiosk to experience Neon Forge, where they created virtual neon signs and sculptures using realistic colors and animated sequences. Participants then had the option to email their creations as GIFs or 3D files. Pigg highlighted the program’s adaptability, stating, “If you don’t know a lot about it, you still are able to draw and have fun. But there are more complex tools that you can explore as you start to get more comfortable with the software.”
The popularity of Neon Forge was evident, with a 45-minute wait time during the festival, underscoring the community’s curiosity and enthusiasm for immersive technology.
Educational Initiatives and Partnerships
In the summer of 2025, UNM collaborated with Unity, a leading development platform, to offer the Unity Educator Upskilling Workshop. This initiative provided New Mexico educators with free training to become Unity Associate Game Developers. The 13-week virtual workshop covered essential Unity skills, game design, programming, and 2D/3D modeling, benefitting 15 educators from various institutions.
Beyond workshops, Unity and ARTSLab have been offering online courses and webinars led by Unity Certified Professionals, showcasing the application of Unity across multiple disciplines.
CITH is also organizing additional workshops led by community educators, artists, and technologists, making them publicly accessible online. The aim is to demonstrate real-world applications of immersive technology and make these tools available to learners from diverse backgrounds.
“I think when you’re approaching this from an art lens, it can take you in different directions than maybe your standard computer science or gaming questions,” Copeland remarked.
Looking Forward: Expanding Horizons
Prescott Moore, a museum studies graduate student, recently joined the CITH team to assist with the XR Archive project, which allows games to be used as research tools. “If we’re trying to increase the general literacy, we need to have some kind of archive available of games so people can come in and play as research,” Copeland said. He emphasized the rarity of opportunities to engage directly with VR or AR projects in an educational setting.
While the CITH is still in its early stages, it has already achieved significant milestones. “I think that following our interests is what allowed us to reach these benchmarks so quickly. We’re choosing to do projects that we’re passionate about,” Pigg noted. “We’re just seeing where everything grows and goes. Any opportunity to learn something new is a success.”
The ARTSLab’s initiatives represent a significant step towards making immersive technology accessible and fostering a new generation of tech-savvy individuals in New Mexico.
