We’ve partnered with the Christa McAuliffe Center for Integrated Science Learning at Framingham State University on an exciting and thought-provoking new project called the Overview Round Table for Youth (ORTY). With a grant from Agog: The Immersive Media Institute, ORTY is using virtual reality (VR) technology to enable a diverse cohort of students to explore and experience:
The Overview Effect is a profound shift in self-awareness reported by many astronauts on seeing the Earth from space and in space. Presenting immersive VR-simulated scenarios over the course of five weeks commencing June 26, 2025, ORTY aims to help youth comprehend how this potentially transformative experience—often leading to a deep sense of unity and a heightened awareness of humanity’s duty to protect the Earth while building a sustainable future—is applicable within their own communities.
“We are excited and grateful for the opportunity to bring this leading-edge, VR-based pilot program to young people, providing them with the chance to witness the awe-inspiring view of Earth from a distance. Thanks to our stellar HSP team, the Christa McAuliffe Center, and Agog, we have an extraordinary opportunity to shift the perspective of young minds at a critical stage in their lives, when they are still open to new and transformative experiences. Programs like ORTY have the potential to foster social unity while dissolving political and ideological boundaries.”
***Frank White, Co-Founder & President, The Human Space Program***
HSP’s Homespace2025 (VR HQ) (photo credit-Kevin Russell)
Participants will co-create ideas and projects, or “quests,” at the Christa McAuliffe Center for Integrated Science Learning located on the campus of FSU in Framingham, Massachusetts. Incorporated into the Center’s PERSPECTIVES OF EARTH - TEAM MENTORSHIP (PETM) summer internship program, ORTY will explore concepts in systems thinking and how human evolution into the solar ecosystem can improve life on Earth. During weekly two-hour sessions, citizen science research approaches will be used to analyze the degree to which this VR- mediated Overview Effect application shifts perspective, empathy, and motivation for positive action. The pilot’s effectiveness will be evaluated to develop a scalable model for global implementation.
“As a hub for STEM education with 12,000 students participating annually in programs, the Center’s state-of-the-art facilities and extensive network will be instrumental in providing the kind of cutting-edge technology and environment critical to the success of such a forward- thinking program.”
****Dr. Irene Porro**, Director, Christa McAuliffe Center for Integrated Science Learning