Mayra Barrera Machuca

Dr. Mayra Barrera Machuca is an Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Computer Science at Dalhousie University, where she conducts research in Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), and 3D User Interface (3DUI) design and evaluation. Her work also explores spatial thinking and the challenges faced by Latin American researchers in the HCI field.

Research Interests:

• Human-Computer Interaction (HCI)
• Virtual and Augmented Reality
• 3D User Interfaces design and evaluation
• Spatial thinking in 3D environments
• Transfer of skills between virtual and real-world tasks
• Inclusion of LATAM researchers in global HCI

She leads the VERTEX Lab, which investigates how people think and interact in 3D virtual environments. Current projects include designing novel 3D sketching interfaces, studying perception issues in VR, and understanding bidirectional skill transfer between VR and physical reality. Her research is supported by competitive grants such as the NSERC Discovery Grant, MITACS Accelerate, CFI JELF, and the Future Leaders in Canadian Brain Research Grant (co-applicant).

Scientific Awards and Honors:

• 2024 Dean's Research Excellence Award
• 2021 IEEE VGTC Best VR Doctoral Dissertation Award
• Dalhousie Belong Research Fellowship (2021/22)
• MITACS Postdoctoral Accelerate Grant (2021)
• SFU President's PhD Scholarship
• Multiple SIAT Travel Awards (2016–2019)
• SFU Provost International Fellowship (2015)
• CONACYT Scholarships (2012, 2015)

Dr. Barrera Machuca has mentored students and offers fellowship opportunities in her lab. She completed her PhD at SIAT, Simon Fraser University (2019), under the supervision of Dr. Wolfgang Stuerzlinger, and held postdoctoral positions at iVizLab and Virtro. Prior to her academic career, she worked as a web developer, video game designer, and producer, contributing to award-winning student animations and games.