Dr. Tony Liao (Ph.D, Cornell University) is an Associate Professor of Digital Media in the Information Sciences Technologies Department. He founded the CougAR lab at the University of Houston to explore how augmented reality and mixed reality technologies could affect society now and in the future. The lab offers research assistants access to some of the most cutting edge augmented and virtual reality devices, and welcomes any UH students interested in conducting research studies, developing AR/VR technologies, and getting hands on experience with emerging technology.
Dr. Liao brings over 15 years of experience of studying AR/VR technologies, and his research has been published in leading academic outlets such as New Media & Society, Journal of Computer Mediated Communication, Information, Communication, & Society, Computers in Human Behavior, Social Media & Society, Science, Technology, & Human Values, Mobile Media & Communication, Journal of Media Psychology, Information and Organization, Journal of Virtual Worlds Research, Journal of Applied Instructional Design, Communication Studies, the IEEE International Symposium on Mixed and Augmented Reality (ISMAR), the IEEE International Symposium on Emerging Metaverse, the ACM Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (SIGCHI), Ethics and Information Technology, Journal of Communication Pedagogy, and First Monday.
His work on the future of AR technologies, how AR affects people’s sense of space/place, how people interact and communicate through various cues in mixed reality environments, has been covered in Bloomberg, Houston Public Media, Inside Higher Ed, The Converation, Flaunt Magazine, Undark Magazine, NewCo, and several other media outlets. He has also appeared as a guest on the Oprah Winfrey Show. His work has been funded by the National Science Foundation, Cornell’s Institute for the Social Sciences, and the Taft Foundation at the University of Cincinnati, and he has been invited to given keynote talks at the University of Toronto Questioning Reality Conference, Hewlett Packard Data Science Institute, National Taiwan University, National Chengchi University, and several other academic and industry conferences all over the world.
Dr. Liao earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Southern California, masters degree from Cornell University, and a Ph.D in Communication from Cornell University. Prior to coming to the University of Houston, Dr. Liao has held faculty appointments at Temple University and the University of Cincinnati.
He is always looking to work with students in the CougAR Lab, and many former students have continued to do research as graduate students, tenure track professors, as well on corporate research teams such as Meta Reality Labs.
Spencer McLain Bennett, Ph.D. received his doctorate from the Donald P. Bellisario College of Communications at Penn State University. He is currently the Senior Research Associate in the CougAR Lab at the University of Houston and teaches courses in Simulation and Gaming and Augmented/Virtual Reality. His research has been published in the Journal of Media Psychology, Mobile Media & Communication, and explores the use of augmented and virtual reality for fostering empathy and perspective-taking. He also studies the cultural, social, and educational impacts of video games.
Rania is a senior majoring in Digital Media with a passion for immersive technology and inclusive storytelling. She explores how virtual organizations like XR Women use VR to overcome challenges and create meaningful cultures of collaboration. Beyond research, her interests span digital marketing, UX/UI, and graphic design, where she enjoys blending creativity with innovation.
Shawheen is a PhD student in the Department of Computer Engineering at Houston University. His research interests include augmented reality and virtual reality and AI implementations in XR. His hobbies include but are not limitedto running, bike riding, and outdoor activities.
Sammy is a Ph.D. student in Computer Science at the University of Houston. His research interests are in Human-Computer Interaction and Extended Reality. His hobbies are cyber security, sports, and skydiving.
Garrett Ward is a game designer and second-year graduate student specializing in Learning, Design, and Technology at the University of Houston. His professional interests include UI/UX design, gameplay design, systems design, and project management. He enjoys surfing, learning new things, playing games and music, and practicing permaculture design.
Daniel Duarte is a Junior majoring in Digital Media. As a research assistant in the CougAR Lab, he assists in research leads with projects as well as analyzing and testing trials before research begins. He wants to focus on the intersection of sound in AR/VR and the impacts of its use on the experience. He has interests in graphic design and enjoys playing games as well.
Jose is a senior at the University of Houston majoring in Digital Media. At the CougAR Lab, he explores the intersection of media, 3D technology, and XR innovation. His interests include XR technology, 3D Media Production, and Graphic Design.
Katelyn is a junior at the University of Houston majoring in Digital Media. At the CougAR Lab, she is part of the Development Team, where she builds 3D models in Blender and develops programs in Unity. Katelyn has a strong interest in 3D modeling, rigging, and animation.
Sarah is a senior majoring in Digital Media at the University of Houston. Within the CougAR lab, she serves as the website manager, responsible for keeping the site up to date and collaborating with the creative media team on lab projects. Her interests include UX/UI Design, Game Development, Software Engineering and Cybersecurity.
Madeline is a junior at the University of Houston majoring in Digital Media. At the CougAR Lab she is a part of the Creative and Media team, assisting with the marketing of the lab and creation of social media posts. Additionally, she has interests in digital marketing, UX/UI, and graphic design.