Do you consider yourself to be highly creative?

And if so, how much of your creativity is due to curiosity?

That's a topic which Dr. Cassini Nazir likes to explore on a regular basis.

Cassini, as he prefers to be called, has an extensive background in design. As a full-time assistant professor at the University of North Texas, he teaches interaction design and user experience courses in the College of Visual Arts and Design. Previously, he has served as Southern Texas University's Designer in Residence, for their Master of Arts in Design and Innovation.

He was also Founding Director of University of Texas' new ATEC Usability Lab. As well as Director of Research and Design at Dallas-based ArtSciLab.

And he invites everyone--not just his students--to become more curious. In his life as a creative innovator, he continues to research the role curiosity plays, in interactive design.

In the process, he's having a lot of fun--and so are his students and general audience members.

Cassini talked about his background, offered some of the ways creatives can use curiosity as a tool to spark new ideas, and even shared two of his favorite games which he and his students use, to generate new ideas.

"The only thing better than going to space, is going to space with your friends," says neuroscientist Dr. Shawna Pandya.

In June, 2024, Dr. Pandya received word that she had been appointed by. Canada’s International Institute for Astronautical Sciences as one of three research astronauts, scheduled to fly aboard a first-of-its-kind suborbital mission.

The announcement added one more professional title to her resume: astronaut! (Dr. Pandya's current titles include Director of IIAS’ Space Medicine Group, Vice-President of Immersive Medicine at Luxsonic Technologies, Inc.; and IIAS’ Chief Instructor of Space Medicine and Extreme Environments.) She's also a pilot, aquanaut, educator, speaker...and we're probably missing at least one professional designation here!

And the friends with whom she will be going to space, are teammates Kelli Gerardi and Dr. Norah Patten. Kelli Girardi flew a highly successful inaugural research spaceflight, IIAS-01, in November 2023. Meanwhile, Dr. Norah Patten is an aeronautical engineer and STEM ambassador.

The goals of the IIAS-02 mission, on which the three-person crew is scheduled to fly in 2026, involve advancing human-tended microgravity research.

Dr. Pandya, a/k/a "Astronaut 002", talked about the upcoming IIAS-02 mission, shared some of the activities involved in team preparations and discussed leadership, discipline and creativity as they relate to her work in space science.

"I've always been just a learning-oriented person," says educator, Alliant International University Executive Director for Continuing Education and My VR Projects Chief Visionary Dr. Tom Nickel.

As Co-Founder and member of the Board of Directors of Nairobi-based Africa VR Campus and Center, Tom continues to share new ideas and educational concepts through virtual reality.

"We feel, in VR, that we are in the same place together," he explains, while discussing the value of virtual reality for social connection.

Currently, Tom hosts a weekly discussion, "Understanding 'The Matter With Things'", on the ENGAGE XR platform, every Tuesday at 2 PM, Pacific time. This is a free event, open to all, but registration is required with the ENGAGE XR platform.

Tom's background also includes hosting both art events and an ongoing "Death Q & A" discussion in VRChat.

And he's looking forward to seeing where virtual reality can take us, in building a better world.

Tom discussed his own background in virtual reality, offered guidelines for anyone who'd like to know more about creating and attending events in VR, and offered a look at the future which Africa VR Campus and Center is creating through immersive technology.