Who We Are
The Alternate Reality Initiative (ARI) is a student organization at the University of Michigan centered around virtual, augmented, and mixed-reality technology. After seeing a lack of a centralized community, we created ARI to provide a hub and community for students interested in XR technology.
Through weekly meetings, ARI is fostering the next generation of XR innovators by hosting development workshops, discussing industry news, and connecting students to opportunities in the greater XR ecosystem.
Founded in January 2018, ARI has received recognition and generous support from other University of Michigan organizations. In April 2018, ARI received a $5,000 optiMize project grant and was accepted into the competitive Barger Leadership Institute Capstone program. In April 2019, ARI hosted the first ever XR Midwest Conference.
Our History
Our Team
Andy Yao
President
Andy is an undergraduate studying computer science in the College of Engineering. He plans to build virtual tools in pursuit of real impact, especially in education. His love of XR began in high school, where by day he would research human movement with a Meta Quest, and by night he would play Beat Saber. By creating experiences that leave people with not only useful skills, but a new sense of wonder, Andy hopes to change all words – virtual and physical – for the better.
Vivian O
Vice President
Vivian O is an undergraduate currently pursuing a double major in computer science and cognitive science, with a minor in UX design. Her journey into the world of augmented reality (AR) began with playing Geocache in high school. With a keen interest in the human-computer interaction (HCI) aspect of XR, Vivian aims to expand her knowledge and skills to create XR everyday applications that prioritize accessibility.
Selina Sun
Fundraising Chair
Selina is an undergraduate double majoring in computer science in the College of Engineering and business administration in Ross School of Business. She joined ARI because it combined her previous experience with 3D modeling with game development in Unity. Her fascination with XR lies in its complementary applications with CV
Sarraf Ahmed
Tech Lead
Sarraf is an undergraduate majoring in Computer Science in the College of Literature, Science, and Arts. He has been fascinated by technology from his childhood, with a particular interest in XR. What intrigues him the most abou XR (especially AR) is its potential to integrate into everyday human life and enhance the overall quality of life in the future. Through ARI, Sarraf aims to deepen his knowledge in this field and prepare himself to contribute to that future.
Scott Gilbert
Outreach Lead
Scott is an undergraduate studying computer science in the College of Engineering. His interest in XR started with a love for Beat Saber, which got him interested in headsets and game design. He found out about ARI last year and participated in the XR Midwest hackathon, which landed him an internship in the AR industry. Now he enjoys sharing his interest in XR with others!
Duncan Lau
Tech Lead
Duncan is a second-year MSI student with an academic background in CS and HCI. His fascination with XR began with the first releases of Google Glass, inspiring a journey into the possibilities of immersive technology. His passion lies in imagining the future interactions with XR, making them more intuitive and accessible to everyone. With a focus on user-centered design, he is eager to contribute to XR's evolution, creating experiences that feel both engaging and natural.
Reona Choudhury
Website Lead
Reona is an undergraduate studying computer science in the College of Engineering. Her interest in XR began with a love for Beat Saber, which sparked curiosity about how virtual environments are designed and experienced. Over time, she developed a passion for UI/UX design, focusing on how interfaces can feel intuitive and engaging. With ARI, Reona explores ways to bring these interests together, contributing to projects that make AR/VR more accessible, enjoyable, and impactful.
Isla McCubbin-Green
Finance Lead
Isla is an undergraduate dual degreeing in Computer Science in the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts, and Business Administration in the Ross School of Business, with a passion for creating tech-focused solutions to real world problems. Her interest in XR started with playing games on the Meta Quest 2, and through ARI she is learning the skills to create her own XR experiences.
Tiger Zhang
Tech Lead
Tiger is an undergraduate majoring in Computer Engineering in the College of Engineering. His interest in XR began with a hobby of game development. What excites him most about XR is its potential of immersive storytelling. Through ARI, Tiger hopes to expand his technical expertise in developing for XR systems while collaborating with others to design experiences that are both innovative and impactful.
Ethan Wang
Outreach Lead
Ethan is an undergraduate studying computer science in the College of Literature, Science, and Arts. His first interaction with VR was playing Beat Saber in the middle of a mall, and he's been hooked ever since. He's been making games since middle school and enjoys seeing new ways XR gives users ways to interact with the virtual world.
Michael Nebeling
Faculty Advisor
Michael Nebeling is an Assistant Professor in the School of Information where he leads the Information Interaction Lab. His lab works in the area of human-computer interaction, investigating new techniques, tools, and technologies that enable users to interact with information in more natural and powerful ways, and also make it easier for designers to create more usable and effective interfaces. His current research focuses on empowering non-technical designers to create AR/VR experiences with little to no background in 3D animation, modeling, and programming.