Hannah Rowe, 19 February, 2024
Cael Gallagher is a PhD researcher at QUT who is pioneering the use of virtual reality (VR) in geology education. With a background in human-computer interaction, Cael was drawn to the potential of VR to immerse students in environments they couldn't otherwise access. In this interview, Cael discusses her work developing VR experiences that transport users to Mars and Australian field sites and also shares her tips with those thinking about studying at university.
What drove you to focus your bachelor, master and PhD studies in developing virtual reality systems?
I stumbled on human computer interaction after trying to go through a software science degree. I realised that I was not interacting with people as much as I'd like and found out there was a degree dedicated to that called human computer interaction. This gave me a mixture of software science units and psychology units, which was the main reason why I chose this.
What led you to research in an area where you're helping to develop the solutions for geology, research and education?
I initially thought I wouldn’t be ready for research just yet, because I didn't have a lot of experience with it. However, after contacting QUT, my PhD supervisor said they had just been successful with an Australian Research Council (ARC) grant, and it was in the field of developing VR systems for planetary surface exploration. The idea of creating virtual spaces where you could take people to places that humans have never been before sounded like a very accessible way to communicate science to people and potentially develop educational tools. I just jumped at the opportunity and the rest is history.
What places are people visiting through your VR experiences?
We are taking people to so many places, we even have a whole VR experience that's dedicated to going to Mars! We have been able to follow the recent rovers' journey, Perseverance, and the UAV helicopter, Ingenuity. We are also developing environments around places that I've personally visited, which is great. We've made a beautiful environment for Arkaroola, South Australia, which I visited with one of the QUT classes for a field mapping unit. I learnt a lot from very passionate geologists about rocks that are representative of the first beaches to ever exist in the world. The wildlife is also wonderful in Arkaroola, there's a special yellow tailed Wallaby that doesn't exist anywhere else in Australia. I also visited Mount Isa, where there are rock folds everywhere. This is one of the main 3D deformation structures that I target in my VR sessions, and getting to see them in person was beneficial for my research. We've also made an environment related to the Pilbara.
What hard and soft skills do you need to be successful in developing virtual reality systems?
Hard skills - Coding is a crucial skill. I started with Java, however, Python had been the most helpful due to its simpler syntax. Unity (which I use for VR development) uses C# but is straightforward if you have a grasp of Java or Python. Unity’s seamless experience allows me to write up scripts and make things move within the system easily. My advice: create something functional (like an interaction) within Unity, is an excellent starting point.
Soft skills – You have be adaptable and not afraid of trying something that you've never done before. Being able to recognise that you don't have to be an expert in something to be able to look it up, especially now that we have such a huge database of information available on the internet. Just because somebody asks you to try something that you have never done before, doesn't mean that you can't do it, you adapt and learn.
It must be exciting to be at the forefront of tech innovation in geology research. What are some of the benefits to these VR tools?
We're still figuring out what the benefits are but the ongoing research in this space is exploring the benefits of designing VR technologies for various purposes, including research, scientific outreach, and education. Despite the lack of standardisation in this field, we focus on trying to understand how to create effective controls and mechanical interactions for working with rocks. Geology, being inherently three-dimensional, presents challenges in visualisation. Therefore, VR offers a solution by allowing students to experience geological phenomena on a large scale, which bridges the gap between theory and practical understanding. So, converting 3D visualisations into a VR format is going a long way to enhance comprehension for learners, which is a great benefit.
What tips do you have for someone looking to explore postgraduate studies?
The best and most important part about postgraduate studies is having a really good team around you I really love my PhD supervisor, Selen Turkay, she's brilliant, and my secondary supervisor, Christoph Schrank, is also fantastic. They both keep me motivated throughout my studies. The developers that I work with are also very motivating. Making sure that you mesh well with the people that you're going to work with for three to four years is important.
Was there a moment you realised what role human computer interaction has in solving real world issues?
Throughout my PhD journey, I’ve gained familiarity with geology and have learned the value of being able to communicate complex concepts to my team of computer scientists. For example, structural geology, being physics and math-intensive, when working alongside our games/mathematics honours student, Mackenzie Muir, we ensure she receives targeted mathematical information without overwhelming geology context. It’s a rewarding experience for me to be the bridge between both sides.
What's next on the cards for you and your career?
The next steps align closely with my current work. Despite the time constraints of a PhD, I hope for a postdoctoral opportunity to further this research at QUT.
The goal is to create something transferable to geologists worldwide. After all, why limit it to just one location?
Explore Cael’s field at QUT
Interested in technology ? Check out QUT Bachelor of Information Technology (Computer Science)
Interested in developing virtual reality systems? Check out QUT Games & Interactive Environments
Interested in field work? Check out QUT Science degrees
