Synapse VR
Neuroscience Education - Southern New Hampshire University
Room-scale VR experiences helping biopsychology students understand how the brain works.
Southern New Hampshire University has over 160,000 remote learners and a dedicated innovation lab researching new digital platforms for teaching. SNHU Labs partnered with Nucco to explore whether VR could genuinely improve learning outcomes compared to traditional lectures and reading.
We designed and built Synapse VR: three room-scale Oculus Quest experiences covering neurotransmission, neural conduction and neural integration — the topics biopsychology students found hardest to learn from text alone. Each experience combined explorable 3D environments, detailed animated models, full narration and interactive tasks designed to reinforce understanding.
I led the creative and art direction, working closely with SNHU’s faculty and subject matter experts to ensure learning objectives were met while keeping the UX as immersive and intuitive as possible. I created design documents, sketches and storyboards, and directed a team of designers, 3D modellers, animators, sound designers and developers.
The results validated the approach: students overwhelmingly responded positively, and SNHU’s Director of Learning Science confirmed the experiences succeeded in both engagement and educational value.
