Lab Team

Eileen McGivney, PhD 

Eileen McGivney is the Principal Investigator of the XR Education Design Lab and an Assistant Professor at Northeastern University with appointments in Art + Design and Communication Studies. She researches how people learn with immersive technologies like virtual reality (VR), with a particular interest in affective dimensions of learning like sense of agency, motivation, and emotions. Her work uses design-based and participatory approaches to create VR experiences that leverage the affordances of the technology while also addressing real needs of learners and educators.  

Eileen received her PhD in Education from Harvard University, a Masters of Public Policy from Sabanci University, and a Bachelors in Media Studies from the University of Illinois. Prior to academia she researched education policy at the Brookings Institution and the Education Reform Initiative in Istanbul, Turkey. When she isn’t working, she enjoys traveling the globe, baking cookies, and snuggling her bulldog.  

Tommy (Xiuqi) Zhu 

Tommy is a Second-Year Ph.D. student at Interdisciplinary Design and Media. His research interest lies in the interdisciplinary area of Human-Computer Interaction, with the intersection of Multimodal Large Language Models (LLMs), Extended Reality, and Education Computing. His work  focuses on integrating multimodal LLMs into future XR content to 1) seamlessly interpret and respond to users’ environments that making XR into everyday complex and multi-human tasks. 2) transform interactive educational elements into dynamic, personalized, and memorable simulation-based learning experiences that adapt to individual learner needs. 

Tommy received his Bachleor of Digital Media Arts from the Communication University of China. His works have won numerous awards in art and design competitions and have been exhibited in multiple art galleries. Outside of work, he is a passionate sports fan (a die-hard supporter of the Los Angeles Clippers and WWE) and an esports enthusiast (Dota 2 and CS:GO).  

Manav Varma

Manav is a graduate student at Northeastern University in the Game Science and Design Master’s program. He specializes in design and development of digital and physical games with a focus on research-backed player experience. His work at the XR ED Lab investigates the impact of guidance on learning and agency in a STEM education VR game within Meta’s Horizon Worlds. Manav’s personal work reflects his passion for games, with multiple projects spanning genres and engines. He is currently using Unity to develop his capstone game ‘Memoria,’ a 2D Metroidvania that was recently demoed at GDC 2025.  

Manav has prior professional experience working within Game Designer and AI Software Engineer roles, after having received his undergraduate degree in Computer Science from SRM Institute of Science and Technology in Inda. He has also worked on designing physical escape rooms and volunteering to bring education to underprivileged youth through minigames. He enjoys challenges that allow for creative expression and has won multiple awards for his writing, coding and design across various projects. Even when he is not working, Manav enjoys playing games competitively (as an ex-semi pro Rainbow Six player) and streaming on Youtube/Twitch. He also enjoys biking, reading and occasionally messing up a perfectly good recipe. 

Catherine Azelby

Catherine Azelby is an undergraduate student studying Computer Science and Media Arts (Animation). She is a 3D artist, developer, and animator. At XR ED Lab, she focuses on developing a VR field trip to teach physics concepts through car crash simulations. Catherine specializes in virtual reality development in Unreal Engine and explores new applications for game development in educational technology. By collaborating with educators, she works to create XR experiences that blend engaging game design with meaningful educational content. She also manages the development and maintenance of the XR ED Lab website. 

Catherine’s personal work reflects her passion for 3D art and filmmaking. She has participated in various animation competitions and film festivals. She is the president of the Northeastern Animation Club and is involved in CAMD mentoring and tutoring. She studied game design abroad in Japan and has participated in several hackathons and game jams, collaborating with developers and artists to create innovative gaming experiences. When not working, Catherine enjoys illustration and watching animated movies. 

Oluwatomilade Olarinde 

Tomi is passionate about how immersive technologies reshape learning experiences, engagement, and cognitive development. Her research explores three key areas: (1) how design decisions in immersive environments influence learning outcomes, (2) the application of research methodologies in immersive technology studies, and (3) the role of learner agency in participant-centered virtual learning environments. 

Before joining XR Education Design Lab, Tomi was part of a research team investigating the use of virtual reality (VR) to foster empathy and compassion among adolescents in secondary schools in Nigeria and Kenya. This work contributed to a broader understanding of how immersive experiences can shape social-emotional learning. She has extensive experience managing VR projects, from conceptualization and design to storyboarding and research execution, particularly in educational game development. 

At XR Education Design Lab, she continues to explore how immersive technologies can enhance cognitive reflexivity and problem-solving in virtual learning spaces. Through her work, Tomi aims to bridge the gap between research and real-world application, ensuring that immersive learning environments are both effective and impactful.