Using Unity for Scientific Visualization as a Course-based Undergraduate Research Experience.

Area of Science:

• Scientific Visualization
• Virtual Reality in Education
• Computational Biology

Background:

• Traditional science education often lacks immersive visualization tools.
• Integrating research experiences into coursework can enhance student engagement and learning.
• 3D visualization and virtual reality (VR) offer novel approaches to understanding complex scientific data.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and implement course-based undergraduate research experiences (CUREs) focused on 3D visualization and VR for science.
• To introduce students to scientific visualization concepts and practical programming skills.
• To create VR-enabled tools for specific biological research applications.

Main Methods:

• Development of a volumetric renderer for hyperstack images, integrated with confocal microscopy.
• Creation and testing of VR tools for both headset-based and CAVE-based VR platforms.
• Development and performance testing of point cloud renderers for various hardware, including standalone VR applications.

Main Results:

• Successful implementation of VR tools for visualizing and analyzing biological data, such as Drosophila primordial germ cells.
• Development of a database for 3D pollen grain renderings.
• Student projects focused on performance optimization and cross-platform compatibility of visualization software.

Conclusions:

• Course-based undergraduate research experiences incorporating 3D visualization and VR effectively train students in scientific visualization and software development.
• VR technology provides powerful new avenues for science education and data exploration.
• Students gained practical skills in programming, graphics, shader programming, and cross-platform design.