Kevin Ponto

Kevin Ponto is an Associate Professor in the Design Studies Department at the University of Wisconsin-Madison's School of Human Ecology, specializing in virtual reality and immersive visualization. His research focuses on developing VR/AR interfaces for accessibility, informal STEM learning, and health applications. He is affiliated with the Virtual Environments Group, previously part of the Living Environments Lab.

Education:

• BS in Computer Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison
• MS in Arts Computation Engineering, University of California-Irvine
• PhD, University of California-San Diego
• Postdoc in Computation and Informatics in Biology and Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison

His work spans multidisciplinary domains including cultural heritage preservation (e.g., rediscovering Leonardo da Vinci paintings), biomedical space replication, and health informatics. Recent projects address AR home assessments, VR locomotion studies, and penguin embodiment for environmental empathy.

Scientific Awards:

• Audrey Rothermel Bascom Professor