Jean-Marc Gauthier

Jean-Marc Gauthier is an Associate Professor and Program Director of the Virtual Technology & Design (VTD) program at the University of Idaho's College of Art and Architecture. He leads the Virtual Reality Lab (VRLab), focusing on innovative applications of VR/XR in education, art, and science. His expertise spans virtual world design, UI/UX, and protein visualization through immersive technologies.

Education: Master's in Interactive Telecommunications from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts (1998) and a DPLG from École des Beaux Arts, Paris (1986). Courses taught include VR theory, visual effects, and entertainment design.

Research highlights include the NSF-funded Dynamic Virtual Protein (DVP) project, which creates VR tools for visualizing molecular structures, and the Metaverse-based VR Classroom for microbiology education. His work has been showcased at SIGGRAPH and other international venues, emphasizing interactive art and scientific communication.

Grants include NSF award OIA-1736253 for 'Genome to Phenome' research linking genetic mutations to biophysical outcomes. Collaborations span biochemistry, aerospace (e.g., NASA lunar terrain simulators), and corporate innovation (Amazon Catalyst).

Labs/Teams: VRLab Lead, interdisciplinary teams in bio-physical modeling, and metaverse applications. Current projects include protein-binding analysis via machine learning and virtual ecosystems for environmental education.