Professor Awarded State System Grant To Pursue Virtual Reality Research

Ahmed Yousof

Posted by: Elizabeth Richardson on April 28, 2021, No Comments

Ahmed K. Yousof, Ph.D., assistant professor of digital media technologies at East Stroudsburg University has been awarded a Faculty Professional Development Council (FPCD) grant totaling $7,112.00 from the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) to fund his proposal, “Game-Based Virtual Reality:  New York Film Academy Course.”  Dr. Yousof’s proposal was one of 102 proposals submitted and 44 funded.

“The college of business and management is very excited for Yousof obtaining this PASSHE grant to pursue research using virtual reality,” said Sylvester Williams, J.D., dean of ESU’s college of business and management.  “This area of his pedagogy is clearly cutting-edge and will provide ESU students with exceptional resources as they prepare for a career in digital media.”

Yousof plans on using the grant to attend an 8-week course about virtual reality at the New York Film Academy. The VR Game Design course he is attending is an advanced course for students with a background in 3D animation or game development to translate their skills into this emerging medium. The course focuses on creating game-based virtual experiences. According to his grant application, the training will help with the development of new courses about virtual reality and assist with projects across the university utilizing the VR technology. Yousof is also planning to integrate VR with some of the current courses in the Fall of 2021 and Spring 2022 such as New Media Technologies and Introduction to interactive 3D.  Yousof’s project is to be completed by October 31, 2022.

According to PASSHE’s website, the FPDC “… was established by a 1985 Board of Governor’s policy ‘to encourage continuous attention to the professional growth and development of System faculty as teaching scholars.’ The Council has addressed a wide range of faculty interests, needs, and talents, and provides professional development opportunities for faculty at all levels and in all disciplines and professional fields…”  While the grants program in intended to offer opportunities to individual faculty, some grants may call of teams/groups.  Annual submissions may fall into one of the following categories:  joint faculty-student basic or applied research; scholarly research basic or applied; joint faculty-student public service; creative and performing arts; curriculum, instruction, and assessment; or individual career enhancement in off-site settings. More information on the FPCD grant process can be found on the State System’s website.