Marusa Levstek

Dr. Marusa Levstek is a Research Fellow in Technology & Culture at the Department of Media Arts, Royal Holloway, University of London. Her work bridges psychology, sociology, and technology, focusing on inclusive music practices for social change and immersive technologies for environmental behavior modification.

Education: She holds a PhD in Psychology/Sociology from the University of Sussex (2022), with a thesis titled 'Our Future Music: Psychology of Social Change Through Marginalised Young People’s Engagement with Inclusive Group Music-Making Activities.'

Research Interests: She investigates how music education impacts marginalized youth empowerment, virtual reality's role in cultural participation, and augmented reality's potential in pro-environmental behavior campaigns. Her work is strongly aligned with UN Sustainable Development Goals related to education quality and climate action.

Her recent studies include analyzing music's influence on secondary education outcomes, virtual group music-making during pandemic lockdowns, and multisensory VR experiences at the Royal Opera House.

Cross-sector collaborations include projects with environmental scientists (e.g., Green Planet AR) and arts institutions. The 2023 presentation 'Changing people’s minds with immersive technology' gained significant attention, referenced in 1 patent and covered by 4 news outlets.