Virtual Reality + Artificial Intelligence

Hi,
I'm Erdem
Computer Science PhD candidate focused on VR and AI research and development

I build and study interactive virtual reality experiences, with a focus on user experience, system behavior, and practical research applications.

Portrait of Erdem Murat

About

I am a Ph.D. candidate in Computer Science at George Mason University working across generative AI, virtual reality, simulation and prototyping, user experience, and predictive modeling. My work combines immersive systems research with practical development for training, playtesting, and interactive analysis.

I am advised by Prof. Craig (Lap-Fai) Yu in the Design Computing and eXtended Reality (DCXR) group at George Mason University.

Education

  • George Mason University Computer Science Ph.D., 2023 - Present (Candidate)
  • George Mason University Computer Science M.S., 2021 - 2023
  • George Mason University Computer Science B.S., 2018 - 2021

My research centers on virtual reality, artifical intelligence, and user experience.

Research

A selection of research work in virtual reality, immersive learning, and user experience.

All Research
Figure for the HieraVisVR paper

ACM CHI 2026

04/2026

HieraVisVR: Hierarchical Visual Analytics for Motion-Centric VR Playtesting

Yongqi Zhang, Erdem Murat, Liuchuan Yu, Haikun Huang, Minsoo Choi, Christos Mousas, and Lap-Fai Yu

An ACM CHI 2026 paper on visual analytics for VR playtesting, with Erdem Murat as presenting author.

Poster for Predicting Users' Difficulty Perception in a VR Platformer Game

ACM MIG 2024

11/2024

Predicting Users' Difficulty Perception in a VR Platformer Game

Erdem Murat, Liuchuan Yu, Siraj Sabah, Haikun Huang, and Lap-Fai Yu

A poster presented at ACM MIG 2024 on predicting how users perceive difficulty in a VR platformer game.

Presentation slide for the metaverse education research paper

IEEE VR 2024

03/2024

Understanding Online Education in Metaverse: Systems and User Experience Perspectives

Ruizhi Cheng, Erdem Murat, Lap-Fai Yu, Songqing Chen, and Bo Han

A systems-focused study of immersive online learning using Mozilla Hubs, custom instrumentation, and analysis of both user and platform behavior.

Screenshot from the master's thesis virtual reality project

Master's Thesis

12/2022

Machine Learning Automation for Virtual Reality

Erdem Murat

Thesis work exploring procedural design, user studies, and data-driven approaches for improving VR experiences.

What's New

The latest updates, presentations, and milestones from my recent work.

All Updates