Andrew Robb

Andrew Robb is an Assistant Professor in the School of Computing at Clemson University. His research focuses on the societal impact of consumer virtual reality (VR), including user behavior adaptation, avatar embodiment effects, presence in VR, and perception studies. Prior to Clemson, he earned his PhD in the Virtual Experience Research Group at the University of Florida. He is funded by the NSF CHS Small grant #1717937 and collaborates with researchers like Sabarish Babu and Chris Pagano. His work explores topics such as cybersickness mitigation, pedestrian-AV interactions, and VR's therapeutic applications for social anxiety disorders.

Education:

• PhD in Virtual Experience Research, University of Florida

Research Interests:

• Longitudinal effects of VR exposure on user behavior
• Avatar embodiment and its real-world behavioral implications
• Measuring and enhancing presence in VR environments
• Perception of space and motion in virtual vs. real-world contexts
• Human-VR interaction design for accessibility and safety
• Social and ethical considerations of emerging VR technologies

Key Research Trends: His recent work emphasizes VR's impact on spatial cognition, cybersickness reduction through interaction design, and leveraging VR for mental health interventions. Over 2023-2024, he has published extensively on avatarization effects, near-field interactions, and pedestrian-AV dynamics in immersive environments.

Grants & Lab: Hosts the McAdams Hall 120 lab and has NSF-funded research on longitudinal VR exposure effects. Collaborates with automotive engineering teams on VR-based autonomous vehicle interaction studies.