Computing Science students at Douglas College will gain hands-on experience building artificial intelligence and virtual reality simulations to help classmates in four science programs prepare for real clinics, labs and fieldwork thanks to a $500,000 Embark Major Grant.
The grant will support a three-year project to establish the Embark Immersive Learning Hub at the New Westminster Campus. The Douglas College Foundation and Alumni Relations team worked with the Faculty of Science and Technology to secure the grant.
Working alongside faculty, Computing Science students will code and maintain custom 3D, virtual reality and augmented reality tools in house. This approach will give student-developers practical software development experience before graduation while producing tools tailored to Douglas courses.
"Our students will use AI and virtual reality to solve real classroom problems for fellow students across campus, putting what they learn in lectures into practice," said Brian Chapell, Dean of Science and Technology at Douglas College. "Because our students and faculty are building the software themselves, Douglas owns the tools and can keep adapting them as courses evolve. That means this grant can benefit students long after the three-year project ends."
For Computing Science students, the project is a chance to see their code make a direct difference for students down the hall.
"Usually in class, you build a project, get your grade and that's the end of it. Knowing that the AI characters and 3D environments we code will actually help a Veterinary Technology or Biology student feel ready for their first real lab is what excites me most. I think it will feel like working in a real studio right on campus," said Alison Rempel, a Computing Science Diploma student in the Game Development stream.
The hub will give science students a safe and realistic environment to test their skills and learn from mistakes before ever stepping into a real clinic, lab or field site. Veterinary Technology students will practise difficult conversations with AI-powered virtual pet owners, while Earth and Environmental Sciences students will inspect virtual geological sites that remove physical barriers for students with accessibility needs. Biology students will test and explore interactive 3D anatomy models prior to physical lab dissections, and Sport Science students will analyze human movement and biomechanics in 3D space.
"Confidence comes from practice, and practice takes more than one try," said Dr. Shahriar Khosravi, project lead and Computing Science instructor at Douglas College. "Real labs and fieldwork are essential, but weather, cost and equipment can sometimes limit those opportunities. This hub will give more students more chances to practise assessments or difficult conversations, learn from mistakes and arrive better prepared for the work ahead."
The project builds on earlier Douglas research into augmented reality. A pilot study of 50 undergraduate psychology students found higher test scores among students using an augmented reality simulation that was built by Douglas College Computing Science students to learn how nerve cells send signals, compared with those using more traditional models. The findings were presented at the Canadian Neuroscience Meeting in May.
The project's first nine months will focus on setting up the lab and installing equipment followed by software development and classroom testing. The first learning experiences are expected in participating courses in fall 2029.
"Giving computer science students the opportunity to have hands-on experience while seeing the positive impact technology can have on other learners is a game changer," said Andrew Lo, President & CEO, Embark. "Congratulations to Douglas College for taking this innovative, student-centered approach to learning."
