Texas A&M University has announced the creation of the Virtual Production Institute, a groundbreaking initiative set to redefine the landscape of extended reality technology and its applications across various industries. Approved by the Texas A&M University System Board of Regents on February 8, 2024, this institute marks the first of its kind in the nation, promising to integrate real-world applications with cutting-edge technology for advanced problem-solving and workforce development. Located on the Bryan-College Station campus with an extension at the newly established Texas A&M-Fort Worth campus, the institute emerges under the auspices of the Texas A&M School of Performance, Visualization and Fine Arts.
The establishment of the Virtual Production Institute has been propelled by a $25 million allocation from the 88th Texas Legislature, reflecting strong support from Texas’s burgeoning media and entertainment industry. This investment will facilitate the development of performance capture studios, mixed-reality environments, technologically advanced classrooms, and high-performance computing resources necessary for the institute’s operation.
Retired General Mark A. Welsh III, president of Texas A&M University, expressed enthusiasm for the project, emphasizing its role in preparing students for emerging job markets by leveraging state-of-the-art visualization and extended reality technologies. This initiative is expected to significantly contribute to Texas’s leadership in various sectors, including media, entertainment, healthcare, military, and more.
The Virtual Production Institute aims to bridge the current workforce gap in virtual production by providing interdisciplinary education and hands-on experience in augmented and virtual reality, display technology, and artificial intelligence, among other areas. With the extended reality market in the United States projected to reach $10.3 billion in 2024, Texas A&M is positioning its students at the forefront of this industry expansion.
David Parrish, a veteran of visual effects and newly appointed director of the School of Performance, Visualization and Fine Arts at Texas A&M-Fort Worth, highlighted the institute’s innovative potential. Parrish emphasized the unique opportunity to train students and collaborate with industry professionals in utilizing virtual production technologies not only for entertainment but also for a broad spectrum of industrial applications.
The Virtual Production Institute plans to launch prototype stages in Bryan-College Station and Fort Worth by fall 2024, with full-scale production stages expected by January 2025. Additionally, a minor in virtual production and related courses within the university’s Visualization program will commence in fall 2024, offered both at the main and Fort Worth campuses.
This initiative underscores Texas A&M’s commitment to pioneering in research and education, preparing a skilled workforce capable of harnessing extended reality technologies to address challenges across a wide range of industries. For further information on the Virtual Production Institute and its offerings, visit vpi.tamu.edu.
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