Westcoast Experience @ Meaningful XR (WEMX)

WEMX 2026 was a huge success! We visited an production studio in Portland, got a behind-the-scenes tour of Oregon Reality Labs, spoke with an MSU alumni user-research expert, and most importantly, enjoyed and supported two full days of the Meaningful XR conference! 

Some quotes from participants: 

"I honestly had so much fun on this trip ...I think my favorite part was just being able to speak with all of the attendees and hear their stories, try their demos, look at the posters, and just get to know one another! It was amazing to be in one place with so many people interested in the same thing."

"This was the first conference I have had the pleasure of being apart of, it was great to see what those look like, how their conducted, and just be a part of one in general. I thought it was great in terms of overall subject knowledge, networking, and general understanding of how those are typically conducted. Overall, it was a great time and I am so happy I made the choice to join and even more grateful that you presented this opportunity for us!"

"My favorite highlight of the meeting was just being able to network and talk with people who have similar interests in VR. There were a few people that I was able to have very deep conversations with. With this being my first conference, I really learned how the process of networking goes and how to practice these essential skills for future events. This trip was so beneficial in many areas, from learning how to initiate meaningful conversations as a someone new to conference environments, to learning new things from presenters who are established in their experiences."

"I thoroughly enjoyed MeaningfulXR and the trip itself. I found the trip the most meaningful in the sense that I was able to see a little bit about the market of XR as well as what post-grad opportunities may look like in different parts of the United States. There were a lot of chances to network and learn more about how others have come to be in the positions they are in as well as to see diverse focuses within the realm of XR."

"I enjoyed having time in the city and being able to have an itinerary outside of the conference, making it the best of both worlds. As someone who has found himself in a more of a Sports Broadcast career path, I still found this opportunity incredibly beneficial allowing me to visit a side of the US I've never been to as well as allowing myself to get good networking reps and see the power of community in full effect with my fellow classmates and the conference!"