In a partnership with Mayo Clinic, a team of Next Lab student workers are creating a virtual reality training simulation for medical students to practice diagnosing strokes. This proof-of-concept features hyper-realistic 3D models of medical patients that are able to be directly interacted with using VR hand-tracking controls and voice-recognition. Using the National Institutes of…

On February 28, 2025, hundreds of ASU educators, technologists, students, and student success professionals gathered at FOLC (Future of Learning Community) Fest to shine a light on how principled innovation has shaped their work, guided their practices, and echoed ASU’s charter commitments. As part of this event, Dr. Bea Rodriguez-Fransen, Director at ASU Next Lab…

Join the movement to create safer, healthier, and thriving work environments Have you ever witnessed or experienced workplace bullying? You’re not alone—and it’s more common than you might think. Unlike harassment, workplace bullying often flies under the radar, but its effects are just as serious. It can impact mental and physical health, decrease morale, and…

ASU Next Lab Co-founders Dr. Bea Rodriguez-Fransen and Dan Munnerley were featured as speakers at ASU’s Smart Region Summit on March 4, 2025. Rodriguez-Fransen served on a panel on Indigenous Communities and Social Impact, and Munnerley was a panelist for the Education and Workforce Development stream. Indigenous Communities and Digital Twins: Capacity-Building, Digital Sovereignty &…

ASU Next Lab Co-founder and Director, Dr. Bea Rodriguez-Fransen, was recently invited as a plenary speaker at XR Southern Summit on February 26-27, 2025. Her talk explored how ASU Next Lab anticipates change, empowering the next generation of innovators with future skills and emerging technologies. Hosted by Southern Utah University, the Summit is a national…

Next Lab’s Betel–NextACT project features an immersive virtual experience exploring utopian and dystopian climate change futures, paired with a booklet of sustainability-focused drama-based lesson plans for K-12 educators to encourage the younger generation and beyond to grow their eco-consciousness and make personal commitments to zero-waste. NextACT was born from a partnership between multiple ASU-affiliated organizations…

Next Lab is collaborating with the Institute for Digital Inclusion and Access (IDIA) to create and facilitate lessons and activities in emerging tech literacy, game design, worldbuilding, and more to community members of all ages. To bring emerging technology education to community members across the Arizona valley, Next Lab has partnered with the Institute for…

Bea Rodriguez-Fransen has always been a forward thinker, driving innovation as the Director of ASU Next Lab and a Senior Global Futures Scholar at the Global Institute of Sustainability and Innovation. Now, she adds another accolade to her impressive career: TED Talk presenter. In her newly released TED Talk, Bea shares her insights on building…

At ASU Next Lab, we’re committed to advancing learning, media, and technology through collaboration and interdisciplinary innovation. Recently, we had the privilege of hosting a group of talented students and faculty from An-Najar National University, located in Nablus, West Bank. This visit was a significant moment of cross-cultural exchange, opening doors to future collaborations and…

The Arizona Water Metaverse project, launched in 2024, leverages EngageVR to create immersive learning experiences focused on water conservation and Arizona’s water scarcity challenges. This initiative offers a metaverse platform for educators and students to develop sustainable water management strategies through virtual simulations.  The Arizona Water Metaverse project leveraged immersive technology to address Arizona’s critical…