Visiting Assistant Professor of Practice Jessica Hernandez Honored by Monacan Indian Nation

Visiting Assistant Professor of Practice Jessica Hernandez was honored to support the Monacan Indian Nation in constructing a modern-day Longhouse. This structure will serve as a central gathering space for their Pow Wow summer event. At the MIN Homecoming Event in the fall, the Longhouse design was presented through a Virtual Reality (VR) experience, Using VR, she brought the design to life, allowing the community to immerse themselves in the space before construction begins.

This project is a reminder of the power of culturally sensitive interactions and how technology can connect people, cultures, and traditions. This was an inspiring experience.

This year, Professor Hernandez will be collaborating with Professor Edgar Garcia on a project titled Heritage X, which aims to preserve the collective memory of diverse communities through the use of technological tools such as Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality.