October 10, 2019

Check out SIU’s “Beginner’s Guide to Virtual Reality” for free on Oct. 17

by Christi Mathis

CARBONDALE, Ill. — The future is now with virtual reality and you can see what this exciting technology is all about at a free informational presentation at Southern Illinois University Carbondale on Oct. 17.

“A Beginner’s Guide to Virtual Reality” is set for 5 p.m. at One Innovation Place, located at 1745 Innovation Drive in the Dunn-Richmond Economic Development Park in Carbondale.

Experience VR yourself

Participants will experience virtual reality during the 50-minute long workshop. The presentation will be a non-technical, hands-on session; no previous experience or knowledge is necessary.

Virtual reality is a remarkable tool used for educational and job-training purposes as well as entertainment. For instance, medical personnel can use it to train for surgical techniques before conducting actual operations, military personnel can utilize it for simulated training and there are countless other ways it can benefit people.

Along with having a chance to immerse themselves in virtual reality, those attending will learn how to become a VR creator, even if they have no coding or technical expertise.

Workshop taught by an award-winning author

Pinckney Benedict, author and SIU English  professor, will present the workshop. His novel “Dogs of God” and three of his short fiction collections are published. Benedict’s  work has also appeared in numerous magazine and anthologies as well, and he’s written a screenplay and other pieces.

Benedict completed his undergraduate studies in English and creative writing at Princeton University and earned his master’s degree in creative writing from the Iowa Writer’s Workshop.

Open to the public

Anyone from the campus or community at large is welcome to attend the  presentation. While there is no cost, seating is limited so organizers encourage people to arrive early to get a spot. 

For more information, call 618/453-6826 or email pinckney@siu.edu.