The Institute for Applied Creativity is a forum for collaboration among domains and disciplines intent on creating a radiant future. We champion combinations of experimental, rational, intuitive and analytical methods to realize tangible accomplishments. The inherent creativity of individuals, the deep knowledge within disciplinary practice and research and the rapid pace of transformation in society collectively contribute to an institute that exercises iterative, regenerative and nimble practices. As an aggregator of 21st-century knowledge and expertise, a matchmaker crossing academic, community and business boundaries, and a catalyst for realizing transformative ideas, our research, education and outreach initiatives focus on the process of creation, a keystone of innovation. Today’s societal challenges are of such a magnitude of complexity that multiple areas of expertise are needed to design effective solutions. We address critical problems shared by communities throughout the world, beginning locally and translating solutions for global contexts.
Jinsil Hwaryoung Seo, Director
Jinsil Hwaryoung Seo
Director of the Institute for Applied Creativity / Associate Professor
979.845.5691 Email Jinsil Hwaryoung SeoJinsil Hwaryoung Seo, Ph.D., is an interactive artist/researcher focusing on aesthetics of interactive experience. She has always pushed the envelope for art/design beyond the traditional style into extreme forms/materials/technologies that cultivate affection, immersion, and aesthetic experience within areas of interactive installation, performance, and immersive environments. Seo has worked with physical and virtual elements to explore the creation of embodied immersion, focusing on the aesthetics of the experience. She acknowledges immersion as a primary phenomenon in Interactive Arts because the experience is fundamental to our senses, realized through bodily interaction in its wholeness, and actualized in collaboration with the audience and artists.
At Texas A&M, Seo initiated three major collaborative research programs: Interactive Arts and Technology Initiative (IATI), Creative Anatomy, and Immersive Learning in Health and Education (ILHE). The IATI was designed for active engagement from three colleges (Architecture, Education, and Engineering) through a new course, existing undergraduate/graduate courses, graduate research, faculty research, and external events. Nineteen interactive dance performances and seven interactive wearable installations have been performed and exhibited locally, nationally, and internationally. Her research team for the Creative Anatomy and ILHE programs developed three different Tangible Augmented-Reality prototypes (smart glasses display, tablet display and desktop display), ten Virtual Reality applications, and three Augmented Reality applications to enhance the effectiveness of learning gross anatomy/nursing/medicine, in group and individual study settings. These projects have been presented at SIGGRAPH ASIA, TEI, CHI, IEEE VR, ISMAR conferences, and other venues.
Brittany Garcia-Pi
Position Title: Research Program Coordinator
Brittany Garcia-Pi is on the cusp of completing her Ph.D. in the School of Architecture at Texas A&M University, with a primary focus on Human-Computer Interaction. Her research centers on enhancing user experiences in collaborative Virtual Reality environments.
Previously, Brittany has served as a graduate research assistant, overseeing research study projects, curating study materials, conducting studies with participants and analyzing and sharing the research findings. With her extensive background in research methods and user experience design, Brittany brings a wealth of expertise to her role within the IAC.
At the IAC, Brittany serves as a research program coordinator, where she manages a diverse range of research projects that support Immersive Education, Creativity in AI, and more. In addition to her research responsibilities, Brittany also plays a key role in coordinating various events hosted by the IAC. She aims to contribute a unique perspective that emphasizes research while simultaneously seeking opportunities to explore the intricacies of creativity and its interconnectedness with other domains.
Evelyn Meneses
Position Title: Student Assistant
Evelyn Meneses is a senior undergraduate student at Texas A&M University, majoring in Allied Health and pursuing a BS in Nursing. As a senior, Evelyn has taken challenging courses that have further sharpened her critical thinking skills, multitasking, and problem-solving skills.
Evelyn has experienced different roles throughout her time at A&M including her current role as student assistant for the IAC, where she is learning how to manage various tasks that will be useful for her future career.
In addition to this role, Evelyn is very passionate about making a difference in her community as she loves to volunteer in hospitals, animal shelters and other related work in the Bryan-College Station area. Her aim is to ultimately help people and contribute to a better future through her nursing career.