National XR Day 2025

Alina is a scientific employee at the Applied University of Mittweida, focusing on XR research and EU grants.

Alina specialises in spatial computing and XR research, leveraging the creation of a human-centered future in computing while contributing to publications and standards.

She’s also a founding board member of theSafeZone, an initiative helping teenagers overcome mental health challenges with VR, immersive technology, and quick access to therapists, and a founding member of XRSI Europe.

Alina set up and has been leading the EU activities of Open AR Cloud Europe gUG as managing director through EU-funded research projects like NGI Atlantic, NGI Search and the recently Horizon Europe-funded project XR4Human.

Arno Freeke is a lab coordinator at Delft University of Technology, specializing in 3D design and XR technologies. He is passionate about integrating graphic innovations like VR, AR, games, and animations into education and research. Prior to his current role, Arno co-founded the first VR-LAB at the university's Faculty of Architecture and coordinated @Hok Student IT Desk, providing software support and organizing workshops. He also teaches in a 3D modeling course and co-founded Barricade Studio, focusing on VR content creation for games. Arno's diverse expertise and dedication to pushing the boundaries of XR technology make him a valuable asset in both academia and industry.

Docent algemeen juridisch aan de Politieacademie voor het basis politie onderwijs.

Bertrik Berfelo is onderzoeker, docent en projectleider aan de Hogeschool van Arnhem en Nijmegen (HAN), gespecialiseerd in Sporteconomie en Strategisch Sportmanagement. Hij leidt het Innovatiecentrum Esports en Exergaming, dat de mogelijkheden van esports en exergaming onderzoekt om fysieke activiteit, inclusie en sociale cohesie te bevorderen. Bertrik legt de nadruk op het verbinden van onderzoek, onderwijs en praktijk om een blijvende maatschappelijke impact te realiseren. Zijn expertise omvat esports, exergaming, gamification en virtuele sporten, waarbij Extended Reality (XR)-technologieën een belangrijke rol spelen. Door samen te werken met diverse stakeholders wil hij innovatieve en toegankelijke oplossingen ontwikkelen om maatschappelijke vraagstukken, zoals obesitas en sociale isolatie, effectief aan te pakken.

Dr. Christian Roth is an advocate for positive change through immersive narrative experiences that encourage experimentation and perspective-taking. As a media psychologist, specialised in human-computer-interaction (HCI), he integrates diverse disciplines and creative expressions to engage learners on their educational journey.

Currently based at the HKU University of the Arts Utrecht in the Netherlands (www.hku.nl/), Dr. Roth is a dedicated Research Fellow at the Research Group (Dis)connected Technology & Creativity and educator at the HKU School of Games specializing in interactive narrative, educational games, and meaningful design. Dr. Roth also founded DELTA Innovative Learning a consultancy company for immersive learning experiences. His work stands at the intersection of academia, education, art, and practical application, exploring and evaluating the use of interactive narratives and extended realities for personal growth and transformative learning.

Dr. Roth is involved in a series of European projects on the topics of games, storytelling, art and education. More under his website www.spieleforschung.de/en

Dr. Erik-Jan Smits deed promotieonderzoek naar het logisch redeneervermogen van kinderen. De vraag hoe je elkaar kan begrijpen is sindsdien als een rode draad door zijn werk blijven lopen. In de jaren na zijn proefschrift niet zozeer met de focus op het gesprek tussen kinderen en basisschooldocenten of ouders, maar wel op het gesprek tussen bijvoorbeeld 'techneuten' en zorgmedewerkers, begeleiders en orthopedagogen of beleidsmakers en zorgorganisaties.

Erik-Jan werkte na zijn promotieonderzoek 15 jaar in verschillende hoedanigheden (consultant, procesbegeleider, teamleider, innovator) in de zorg. Hierdoor heeft hij een groot aantal zorgorganisaties 'van binnenuit' leren kennen. Hij is overtuigd door de kansen die ICT kan bieden en van de noodzaak om meer gebruik te maken van de ervaringen en het onderzoek naar (de implementatie van) mensgerichte ICT in de continue in verandering zijnde omgeving van de zorg. Met die motivatie geeft hij sinds 1 mei 2022 leiding aan de onderzoeksactiviteiten binnen de CHE die zich precies op dit snijvlak afspelen.

Esther is de kwartiermaker van het thema XR in Npuls. Esther heeft een brede achtergrond in het hoger onderwijs en passie voor alles wat op het snijvlak ligt van leren en technologie. En veranderkunde. En vooral het verbinden van mooie initiatieven en gepassioneerde mensen in het onderwijs om tot nog betere onderwijs te kunnen komen.

Femke Dijkstra is a lecturer at the Nursing Academy of Saxion University of Applied Sciences, where she is mainly involved in simulation-based education. She is also a PhD student at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, where she studies interprofessional healthcare teams in stressful situations, with a focus on teamwork and communication. Since February 2025, she has been working as project leader of the Experimental Labs within the DUTCH program.

Frank is a Distinguished Vice President and Research Fellow at research firm Gartner, and the Chief of Research for Gartner Futures Lab. He always looks for a different perspective in every topic he tackles. Frank explores complex subjects, walks along their edges, and then brings the insights back to the core of what truly matters. Often described as an “agent provocateur,” he challenges conventional wisdom with a philosophical touch, a dash of humor, and a ton of insight.

As a futurist, Frank believes that the future is nothing more than the collective imagination of people in the present. His job? To unlock the creativity hidden in all that imagination. The goal of futuring is to capture zeitgeist, to drive self-reflection, and to trigger a change today.

As a digital ethicist, Frank believes that technology has a moral footprint. Technology triggers behaviors and amplifies everything that is good and bad.

His quest is to teach the world on how to appreciate uncertainty, and how to be a positive contributor to society.

I am a cognition researcher with a background in computer science and neuroscience, focused on understanding and influencing human behavior in areas related to sustainability and health. My work spans topics such as consumption preferences, attitudes toward climate change, and usability in smart city environments.

Gijs Terlouw, PhD, is Associate Professor of Applied Sciences in Health Innovation & Simulation Learning at NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences in the Netherlands. With a background in programming, social work, and educational sciences, he focuses on design-oriented research that bridges technology, education, and healthcare. His work explores how simulation-based learning and serious gaming, including VR scenarios and role-playing, can add value in healthcare and for (future) healthcare professionals. Gijs is part of the Digital Innovation in Healthcare research group. He is involved projects such as Future Proof Nurses (2023–2027), which aims to strengthen nursing education by integrating simulation-based methods, and Train the Change Agent (2024-2026), which aims to enhance innovation skills through simulations. With a PhD in social innovation in healthcare and over 20 publications, Gijs contributes to the development of practical tools, services, and processes that connect academic insights with real-world healthcare challenges.

Als product owner XR bij de Politieacademie ben ik verantwoordelijk voor de ontwikkeling en implementatie van innovatieve leeroplossingen met Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR) en Mixed Reality (MR). Ik werk samen met onderwijsexperts, ontwikkelaars en operationele teams om technologie in te zetten voor realistische, interactieve en effectieve politieopleidingen. Met mijn achtergrond in onderwijsinnovatie en digitale transformatie zet ik me in om immersieve technologie structureel te integreren in het politieonderwijs, met oog voor didactiek, gebruiksgemak en de behoeften van de praktijk.

Heleen is an experienced leader in media and entertainment — a generalist who applies her expertise within audience-focused organizations, ranging from film companies and broadcasters to museums, festivals and thrives innovation in content development.
As director of Cinekid from 2020 to 2025, Heleen played a key role in developing a hybrid festival experience in collaboration with IDFA, IFFR, and NFF during the pandemic. Under her leadership, the renowned immersive MediaLab evolved into a fully integrated, interactive experience, featuring installations, workshops, and games focused on themes relevant to young audiences. Through Cinekid, she also contributed to advancing collaboration within the Digital Culture sector.
Since January 2025, Heleen has been Programme Director of the Creative Industries Immersive Impact Coalition (CIIIC) — an innovation initiative supported by the Dutch National Growth Fund. With a €200 million budget, the program aims to boost the development of immersive experiences within the creative industries, driving both social impact and economic growth.

Lecturer Civil Engineering and ICTO coach

scientific director BMS LAB, associate professor

Jeanette Hadaschik (MSc) is a behavioural scientist and external PhD candidate in psychology at Maastricht University, where her research focuses on socio-economic health disparities and the role of Early Life Stress and socio-environmental factors in decision-making, risk-taking, and health behaviour. She uses VR to investigate the impact of threatening and dangerous environments on behaviour, exploring dynamics that contribute to health inequalities. Jeanette also runs her own behavioural science consultancy, Evidentia Behavioral Insights, advising organisations on evidence-based approaches to real-life problems, such as XR-based training and learning, behaviour change, and disability inclusion.

With a background as nurse anesthesia he felt the passion to educate other professionals about anesthesia. In combination with being a fanatic gamer, (XR) simulation education became his field of expertise. Now as an educationalist for the national funded program DUTCH, PhD-candidate at Amsterdam UMC in XR simulation education and being an educator at Erasmus MC, he is providing and deepening his knowledge about simulation education.

XR developer and project lead at Npuls and TU Delft.

Jeroen Kelder is a digital learning enthusiast with a strong focus on the development of meaningful and scalable digital learning solutions. Within Npuls XR programme, he leads the development of Simulearn, a collaborative platform initiative supported by DUTCH and SURF. Jeroen has extensive experience in co-creation, educational innovation, and platform development, and is driven by the belief that smart technology combined with human-centered design can accelerate learning and empower education professionals and learners.

Dr. Joanneke Weerdmeester is a behavioural scientist dedicated to designing and validating digital and hybrid experiences that help us understand and manage our well-being in interactive, playful, and meaningful ways. Her doctoral research explored the potential of game-based biofeedback interventions for anxiety regulation. She currently works as a researcher at HKU University of the Arts Utrecht and as a freelance consultant, bridging the fields of science, healthcare, and game design.

John Walker is an Emerging Technology Advisor, focused currently on integrating ethics into Extended Reality (XR) Technologies for education and research. He work at SURF and on the XR Pilothub at Npuls.

Jolien Mouw, Laureaat Onderwijspremie 2024, is Universitair Docent Onderwijswetenschappen bij de afdeling GION Onderwijs/Onderzoek, verbonden aan de Rijksuniversiteit Groningen. In haar onderwijs en onderzoek richt ze zich op doelgerichte onderwijsinnovaties en de implementatie van (o.a.) Augmented en Virtual Reality als onderwijsleertechnologieën, en het opleiden van toekomstige leraren en het professionaliseren van werkzame docenten binnen dit thema. Ze is de bedenker en initiator van de VR kleuterklas, en is nu projectleider van ‘De Klas op Orde met VR’ en 'Adding a Layer to Learning'.

Jolien Mouw, Laureate Onderwijspremie 2024, is Assistant Professor of Educational Sciences at GION Education/Research, affiliated with the University of Groningen. In her teaching and research, she focuses on purposeful educational innovations and the implementation of (a.o.) Augmented and Virtual Reality as educational technologies, and training future teachers and professionalizing in-service teachers to do so. She is the creator and initiator of the VR kindergarten classroom, and currently the project leader of 'Keeping Order in the Virtual Reality Classroom' and 'Adding a Layer to Learning'.

Project Leader Digital Literacy and AI for educators, Maastricht University

Originally from the West Coast of the U.S., Kelsey Farish is a London-based solicitor with a practice spanning the UK, Europe and California. She has two core specialisms: the legal implications of technologies such as AI and XR on the one hand, and the persona rights (such as publicity, privacy, and autonomy) of individuals on the other.

Farish brings a rare dual perspective to her work, having advised multinational tech and media companies as well as the creatives whose voices, likenesses or original works are being shaped or used by them. Whether it’s an original screenplay, an actor’s voice, or filmed locations steeped in cultural significance, her goal is to ensure rightsholders retain control over how their assets are used, reused, or reimagined.

She works with production companies, platforms, and talent across the industry, and is a trusted advisor to organisations including Film London and ScreenSkills. A regular speaker at industry events and festivals such as SXSW, Farish is known for bridging the gap between innovation and creative integrity- and for bringing a genuine, deeply human connection to her work.

Kelsey Farish is a technology and media lawyer with a focus on digital identity, generative AI, and the legal implications of synthetic audiovisual content. Her work examines how emerging technologies shape (and reshape) our understanding of self, privacy, and representation.
Kelsey advises clients across the media and entertainment industries, from broadcasters and streamers to creators and brands, helping them navigate complex rights frameworks in a fast-changing technological landscape. With a background in both legal practice and cultural commentary, she connects the dots between regulation, storytelling, and the power structures behind how we’re seen - and how we see each other.
She is considered to be a leading legal expert on digital modification of the human form and in addition to her day job as a lawyer, she is a peer-reviewed academic who published one of the first papers on deepfakes in the context of publicity and performers’ rights in 2019. Most recently, she co-authored a chapter on influencer marketing and social media regulation in The Handbook of Fashion Law (Oxford University Press, 2024), exploring how platforms and advertising shape cultural norms around body image, truth, and digital modification.

Maaike works as an educational advisor on XR for Npuls and Hogeschool Rotterdam. She just started as practor Immersive Experiences at Grafisch Lyceum Rotterdam and loves it. It is a privilege to dedicate your working life to immersive learning in Higher Education. My interests, besides immersive experiences ofcourse, are multimedia learning, visual literacy, learning technologies and creating/reading comics.

I'm a passionate professional skilled in strategic and project management, coaching and teaching, in particular in the field of historical and cultural research, art and music. I have experience in vision-mission-strategy-elaboration and curriculumdevelopment, and I love to combine this with (more practical) facilitation, communication and business organisation. I want to contribute to an optimal learning environment (and learning results) by creating inviting, inclusive and innovative learning spaces.

Dr. Nick Degens is an expert in the field of interactive creative digital technology and is professor of (Dis)Connected Creativity & Technology at the Utrecht University of the Arts.

His background lies primarily in the integration of technology, creativity, user-centered design, user psychology, design research, and artificial intelligence. This mainly in the context of international and interdisciplinary applied research projects in which he works together with the ICT sector, SMEs from the Creative Industry, and public organisations & governments.

The ambition of his work so far has been to systematically understand how interactive creative technology can be used to achieve long-term positive and meaningful behaviour change. He does so from three research perspectives: 1) applying creative AI techniques to support society and individuals in their digital transformation (e.g. DALL·E and ChatGPT), 2) develop innovative technology, such as Virtual or Augmented Reality, to help deal with societal challenges, and 3) understanding how technology should be implemented in the life and work of people to ensure that it is meaningful, useful, and relevant (digital literacy and inclusion).

Dr. Nina Krohne is a research psychologist at the University of Primorska, Slovenia. Her work focuses on public mental health, with research interests spanning mental health literacy, trauma, suicidality, intimate partner violence, attitudes toward mental health, e-health, intervention implementation, and the impact of crises such as COVID-19. She teaches courses in public mental health and public health interventions, and also works as a cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) counselor and mindfulness teacher. Her approach combines research, teaching, and practice to promote evidence-based support for individual and community mental wellbeing.

Oskar Maan is onderwijsontwikkelaar en docent Immersive Experiences en softwaredevelopment op het Grafisch Lyceum Rotterdam, daarnaast is hij programmamanager bij OASIS. Met een achtergrond in de autonome kunst brengt hij creativiteit en technologie samen in vernieuwend onderwijs.

Hij experimenteert graag met interactieve media en nieuwe vormen van beleving voor studenten.

Paul Melis is senior visualization advisor in the High-Performance Computing & Visualization group at SURF, having worked at SURFsara and SARA since 2009. Besides supporting HPC users with (data) visualization, he spends part of his time on XR innovation within the SURF innovation lab. His XR activities include keeping tracking of hardware, software and market developments, trend watching, coordinating the SURF XR Developer Network, managing the SURF XR Innovation Forum, providing technical input and giving XR demonstrations.

He has an MSc in Computer Science from the University of Twente, and worked at the University of Groningen and University of Amsterdam before joining SURF.

Dr. Pawan Bhansing holds a PhD in Strategy and Marketing, with research focused on the tension between artistic and business goals in cultural and creative industries. Currently, he explores the underlying values that shape organizations and entrepreneurs, extending his work to include a third dimension: technological possibilities. His research investigates how this triad—artistic, economic, and technical—interacts to generate societal impact, particularly in practice-based research within the creative sector and its evolving ecosystems.

Dr Ian Biscoe - a serial technology entrepreneur with start-up experience in Europe and the USA across the fields of engineering, aerospace, and entertainment. Ian is currently Professor Transdisciplinary Design Networks at Design Academy Eindhoven (DAE) where his Trans Realities Lab (TRL) is investigating applications of real-time collaborative networked XR in education, design, production and research. Ian leads multiple research programmes in the TRL, including the Horizon Europe / EMIL funded XR-IT (eXtended Reality - Intraverse Tookit), a software and systems framework for distanced collaboration in high-fidelity Metaverse / Distributed Spatial Environments.

Through his arts practice, Studio Biscoe, Ian fuses approaches from many fields of technology, performing and visual arts to create networked performances employing low-latency networks and coalesced space.

https://transrealitieslab.com/
https://studiobiscoe.com/

At Saxion University of Applied Sciences I am the project leader of the XR-hub in Healthcare and Social Work. In addition, I am a lecturer for the bachelor's degree in nursing and the master's degree in Healthcare and Social Work. I also work as a researcher at the research group (lectoraat) Technology, Health and Care.

Rob Morgan is a pioneering spatial storyteller working across XR, immersive theatre and location-based entertainment. He's Lead Narrative and Experience Designer for Wake The Tiger, the multi-award winning Amazement Park.

As Creative Director of Playlines, Rob helped pioneer augmented reality theatre, and builds XR installations for some of the world's largest licenses, attractions and cultural institutions including the National Gallery, Royal Academy, Sky Arts, Netflix and Hasbro.

As a Lead Game Writer at PlayStation he wrote groundbreaking AR games for the world's largest IP as well as writing the first-ever playable demo for PlayStationVR. He's written some of VR's most critically-acclaimed games including the VR Awards Game of The Year ‘A Fisherman’s Tale’.

Rob is a Visiting Fellow at King's College London and lectures widely on XR narrative design and ethics. His book ‘Storytelling for Spatial Computing and Mixed Reality’ (Routledge 2025) is the first dedicated guide to XR storytelling, available now at augmentingimagination.com.

Roel Peijs is Blended Coach bij VISTA college, waar hij een sleutelrol speelde in de totstandkoming van het XR-lab en de brede implementatie van extended reality (XR) binnen het mbo-onderwijs. Hij adviseert onderwijsteams over de didactische inzet van XR en begeleidt hen in het integreren van innovatieve technologieën in hun lespraktijk. Daarnaast is Roel actief binnen de innovatiehub XR van Hogeschool Zuyd, waar hij zijn praktijkervaring vanuit VISTA college inzet om de implementatiefase van XR in het hbo vorm te geven.

Roel Peijs is a Blended Coach at VISTA college, where he played a key role in establishing the XR Lab and in the broader implementation of extended reality (XR) within vocational education. He advises teaching teams on the didactic use of XR and supports them in integrating innovative technologies into their educational practice. Roel is also part of the XR innovation hub at Zuyd University of Applied Sciences, where he contributes his hands-on experience from VISTA college to support the implementation phase of XR in higher education.

Roland van Roijen is a creative technologist with a passion for blending design, 3D, and immersive tech. With a background in graphic design from his early days at TU Delft’s NewMedia Centre, Roland transitioned into 3D visuals and animation before diving into web development and XR. For the past three years, he’s been the coordinator of the NewMedia Centre – MediaLab, where he explores XR innovation, virtual production, 3D scanning, motion tracking, and whatever new tech challenge comes next. Always curious, always building—and always having fun doing it.

Shant Bayramian is a lecturer, researcher, and audiovisual essayist with a passion for the transformative power of audiovisual and immersive media, including XR and emerging technologies like generative AI. He shares his vision through education and media production, combining academic roles with creative practice. Shant currently serves as Senior Lecturer, Researcher, and Educational Developer at Inholland University of Applied Sciences, focusing on Media and XR Studies. He is also the founder of The Audiovisual Essayist platform and a founding member of the NGO For You Hayasdan, which supports education in Armenia.

Associate Professor of Cognitive Ergonomics and Human Factors

With 15+ years of experience in innovation and media creation, I have been involved in a huge variety of projects. From helping universities reach over a million learners worldwide to teaching hundreds of students the basics of their future profession through XR, I don't shy away from challenging projects. I strongly believe that innovative technologies can strengthen and improve scientific research and education.

Timon is an XR developer at the Wander team at Wageningen University & Research, where he brings immersive environments to life through cutting-edge visualization. He specializes in Unity and C#, combining technical skill with creative vision to make complex environmental data accessible and engaging through XR.

Tom Aerts is the founder of VRinSCHOOL, supporting over 100 schools (VO and MBO) in successfully integrating Virtual Reality into education. Driven by a passion for learning by doing, he co-creates with his development team at the High Tech Campus in Eindhoven, hands-on VR experiences that make education more engaging and accessible. Tom works closely with teachers to ensure the technology truly fits the classroom. His mission: to make learning more practical, immersive, and inspiring for the next generation. Learn more about Tom on LinkedIn.

Startup founder at Softcare Studios, a digital health company developing VR solutions in healthcare, focused on virtual sedation in patients undergoing painful medical procedures, and clinical training for health specialists. PhD in the field of Neuropharmacology, TEDx speaker and author on digital innovation and social impact. Professor at the Rome Business School, on the topics of digital transformation, AI and XR in business management and strategy. President of XRSI Europe, NGO supporting digital safety and privacy of emerging technologies.

Vincent A. Cellucci is a curator, writer, artist, editor, teacher, & libraries-education professional working at the TU Delft Library in the Netherlands. Also pursuing a doctorate studies at LIACS Leiden, his research involves using new technology to continue to push the envelopes of experimental writing & publishing, performance, interactivity, and exhibition in the worlds of education and fine arts.

While our own physical world is great, sometimes you want something extra, something that is not really possible within the traditional realm of reality. It is my passion to explore how we can enrich our own reality with virtual elements, creating experiences that would not be possible without immersive technologies.
I believe that this technology has opportunities to create a more enjoyable and enriching experience out of both traditional and new activities. Theater could be interactive and have incredible effects, boring data can become fun and collaborative, and presentations can bring you the information in visual and easy to comprehend fashions.
My fire is further kindled by publicly available and shared platforms. I am a hard believer in Open Source, EU products, and products that share their knowledge with the world.
If you are interested in the topics of mixed reality, digitally enriched experiences, and open source, then feel free to reach out!

PhD candidate in Faculty of Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences (BMS), University of Twente.