Virtual Reality for Journalism: U.S. and Baltic Country Highlights

Virtual Reality for Journalism: U.S. and Baltic Country Highlights

Tuesday, September 29, 2020

3:30 – 5:00 p.m. (Riga time)
The Virtual Reality for Journalism: U.S. and Baltic Country Highlights workshop will highlight best practices and innovations related to current or future application of augmented and virtual reality in journalism and journalism curriculum. The workshop will provide faculty and students across Baltic universities with the opportunity to learn about practical ways that AR/VR are being integrated into journalism in the U.S. and Baltic contexts. Through discussion, the workshop will also consider how AR/VR can potentially be used in building resilience to disinformation.

Agenda
3:30– 3:40 p.m. Welcome and Introductions

3:40 – 4:10 p.m. Keynote: Using AR and VR in Journalism Storytelling
Yuliya Parshina-Kottas, Immersive Experiences Designer & Visual
Storyteller, The New York Times

4:10 – 4:40 p.m. University Presentations
Deepfakes and AR/VR, Kristjan Kikerpill, University of Tartu, Estonia
Virtual Reality Studies at Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences, Dr. Arnis Cīrulis, Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences, Latvia
Journalism in the 21st Century: How to Embrace VR and AI, and Become/Remain a Journalist, Prof. Tomas Krilavičius, Vytautas Magnus University, Lithuania

4:40 – 5:00 p.m. Moderated Discussion, Questions and Answers

Please click on this link to register by September 25, 2020. Upon registering, you will receive the ZOOM link by email to attend. The workshop is open to current faculty and students in the Media Literacy in the Baltics Program, as well as other interested universities and partners in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.

The Media Literacy in the Baltics Program is a program of the U.S. Department of State and administered by IREX.

Speaker Biographies

Yuliya Parshina-Kottas, United States
Yuliya Parshina-Kottas is an award-winning designer, researcher and visual storyteller using emerging tech to engage audiences in digital and physical spaces. She draws on 15 years of experience in interaction design, motion graphics, and 3D to take projects from initial ideation through complete technical production. As part of the New York Times Graphics department, Ms. Parshina-Kottas develops and produces immersive and datadriven stories for the newsroom, using AR, VR and interactive 3D. Her previous work includes interactive experiences, spatial installations and motion design for cultural institutions, digital advertising campaigns and children’s television.

Kristjan Kikerpill, Estonia
Kristjan Kikerpill is a doctoral student at the Institute of Social Studies (University of Tartu, Estonia). His main areas of interest and research are online deception, the mechanics of phishing and other cybercrimes, the social impact of deepfakes, and crime prevention in online environments.

Dr. Arnis Cīrulis, Latvia
Dr. Arnis Cīrulis wears many hats at Vidzeme University of Applied Sciences (ViA), embracing academic, research, and administrative roles. His specialty is augmented and virtual reality (AR/VR) technologies. Alongside his research work, which is dedicated to dynamic 3D visualization in outdoor augmented reality modes, Arnis shares his insights with students, working as an Associate Professor at ViA. He has developed and heads the only master’s program specializing in AR/VR in Latvia, “Virtual Reality & Smart Technologies. “

Prof. Tomas Krilavičius, Lithuania
Prof. Tomas Krilavičius is head of the Applied Informatics department at Vytautas Magnus University. His research interests include applications of Artificial Intelligence and Languages in industry, medicine, security, and defense, large scientific infrastructures. Tomas is a NATO STO IST panel member, country governmental expert at CapTech Information. He is co-founder of several companies (Tokenmill, UAB; Analitika and co,
UAB (DICHECK)).

For questions regarding the workshop, please contact Kaspars Rūklis (IREX/Latvia): kruklis@irex.org or Stanley Currier (IREX/DC): scurrier@irex.org.