Thomas Ruberto

Alumnus

Thomas is a PhD Candidate interested in facilitating the widespread production and consumption of geoscience Virtual Field Trips (VFTs) as a tool to help students navigate the Anthropocene’s promises and perils. He is studying the effectiveness of VFTs as a learning modality and how these digital place-based experiences impact sense of place. His research also involves the democratization of virtual field trip production by developing processes and curriculum that teaches students and educators how to build VFTs. His previous research showed that virtual field trip learning outcomes compare favorably to in-situ experiences and that students were more interested in working in the field after visiting a place’s digital twin. Thomas has expertise in content acquisition and development including web design, photography, videography, 360° photography and videography, gigapans, photogrammetry, laser scanning, and traditional and ambisonic sound capture for delivery to 2D and 3D computer screens, tablets, smartphones, and virtual reality headsets.