Description: The research described in this dissertation proposal documents the application of Virtual Reality for wildfire evacuation and preparation training to educate the public. Wildfires have become an increasingly global phenomenon due to the effects of climate change and changes in land use. Because of this, a greater number of people are becoming threatened by wildfires each year. To better prepare individuals, this dissertation proposes designing and employing a Virtual Reality simulation that allows users to experience an evacuation event for the first time as well as how to prepare their property for wildfire season. The goal of the simulation is to raise awareness of what it means to be prepared, i.e., what supplies and equipment one should have ready in advance. This work aims to highlight the importance of being prepared for natural disasters while also providing a novel system that allows individuals to better prepare themselves. This dissertation will result in several papers documenting the work involved to create a Virtual Reality simulation and its overall effectiveness, and will conclude with uploading the finalized simulation to the internet where anyone can download and experience it.

Event Host: Alison Crosby, Ph.D. Student, Computational Media

Advisor: Sri Kurniawan