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…

The VR Language Lab is an innovative educational initiative developed by Arizona State University’s Global Launch program, Immerse, and ASU’s Next Lab. This project harnesses the power of virtual reality (VR) technology to create immersive language learning experiences, specifically designed for English language learners. By placing students in realistic, interactive virtual environments, the VR Language…

WESTMARC and the City of Surprise partnered with ASU Next Lab to create the first digital twin of the City of Surprise, targeting both investors and residents. The digital twin includes two key features: City Data View, a 3D map with real-time ArcGIS/Esri data, and Street & Ground Views, allowing users to navigate Elm Street…

Next Lab studio associates are using ChatGPT to create detailed user personas for testing projects to enhance partner engagement and demonstrate practical use cases. These personas are developed based on Arizona demographics and the behaviors, interests, and motivations of target audiences. The team employs a personalized storytelling approach by illustrating how these imaginary users would…