As part of the America 250 celebration, the 鈥�Our American Story鈥� project aims to create the largest audiovisual archive of American stories ever assembled. The archive will be preserved in the Library of Congress as a living time capsule for future generations. Each participant shares their journey, values, and vision for America鈥檚 future, contributing to a collective portrait of innovation and perseverance across all 50 states.

Dr. Basu was the only researcher from Arkansas interviewed for the project and the only 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock professor featured. The interview took place at the Old State House Museum in downtown Little Rock on Oct. 6, a setting Basu described as 鈥渁ptly chosen and soaked in history.鈥�

鈥淚 was speechless and spellbound,鈥� Basu said. 鈥淓ven now, I can鈥檛 believe they found my story. Being part of America鈥檚 250th celebration is an honor I never imagined.鈥�

A computational scientist specializing in human-computer interaction and , Basu鈥檚 recent research explores cardiac visualization technologies inspired by deeply personal experiences. His mother鈥檚 difficult heart surgery and the passing of his uncle, an applied physicist who inspired Basu鈥檚 early interest in science, motivated him to pursue research that bridges technology and human health.

鈥淢y uncle had a huge impact on who I am as a scientist,鈥� Basu said. 鈥淭hose experiences with my family taught me that science, like life, is about compassion and persistence.鈥�

During his interview, Basu reflected on his journey from India to Arkansas and how the state鈥檚 natural beauty and pace of life have shaped his work and mindset.

鈥淲hen I first crossed the Mississippi River into Arkansas, I was struck by the abundance of trees and the sense of peace,鈥� he said. 鈥淪cience, like good soul food, comes from a soul that is at peace with its environment. The South is known for its warmth and music, but it鈥檚 also a place where good science happens.鈥�

When asked what message he hoped to leave for America鈥檚 250th birthday, Basu emphasized the value of perseverance in science and in nation-building.

鈥淧ersistence is what keeps this nation moving forward,鈥� Basu said. 鈥淏uilding a nation is not easy, and maintaining one is even harder. For the next 250 years, I hope we never lose sight of the need to stay persistent in pursuing what our collective hearts know is right and important.鈥�

Looking ahead, Basu鈥檚 next line of research centers on human decision making and spatial reasoning, including studies of maze navigation and the use of eye gaze signals to improve artificial intelligence for Air Force mission needs.

Basu said being featured in 鈥�Our American Story鈥� is both humbling and deeply meaningful. His family, he added, was thrilled to learn that his story would be preserved in the Library of Congress.

鈥淢y family is over the moon,鈥� Basu said. 鈥淪ome of them joked that I must be going into politics. But truly, they鈥檙e proud that something from our story is now a part of American history.鈥�

For Basu, the experience reaffirmed his belief that science, compassion, and creativity are threads that unite all Americans.

鈥淪cience has no borders,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not just where you are that matters. It鈥檚 what you strive to contribute to the world. Being part of this project reminds me that every story, no matter where it begins, can inspire something greater.鈥�

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Dr. Arya Basu, an assistant professor of computer science, has completed the first phase of the project, 鈥淩obust 2D to 3D Cardiac Arterial Mapping and Visualization for Surgical Preplanning.鈥� He has successfully developed a pipeline that converts traditional 2D angiographic images into interactive 3D models of the heart鈥檚 arterial network.

Using computer modeling techniques often found in video games, Basu鈥檚 team turned 2D X-ray-like images of the heart鈥檚 arteries into detailed 3D models. The system lets doctors virtually 鈥減eek around corners,鈥� offering perspectives that flat images can鈥檛 provide. The work promises to enhance surgical precision, reduce medical errors, and open the door for remote surgical collaboration and physician training.

鈥淭his project is deeply personal to me,鈥� Basu said. 鈥淎fter losing a family member and watching my mother undergo open heart surgery due to complications from gestational diabetes, I felt compelled to help doctors gain clearer views of cardiac anatomy.鈥�

During phase one, the research team generated 3D arterial tree models designed to simulate various types of arterial anatomy. They then applied the Marching Cubes algorithm to translate those data sets into interactive 3D surface reconstructions using Unity, a real-time 3D rendering engine. The result is a user-friendly platform that allows clinicians to dynamically explore coronary anatomy by viewing arterial paths from hard-to-see angles and assessing regions of interest that are often obscured in standard 2D angiographic imaging.

鈥淲e鈥檙e taking something inherently flat and turning it into something surgeons can manipulate, explore, and better understand,鈥� Basu said. 鈥淭his isn鈥檛 about replacing expertise. It鈥檚 about augmenting it.鈥�

The research team includes Brandon 鈥淎lex鈥� Norman, a graduate student in computer science who is using the project for his thesis, and Dr. Jan Springer, professor of computer science, and Dr. Ahmed AbuHalimeh, interim chair of the Department of Computer Science, who both provided technical consultation.

The second phase of research will focus on integrating real, de-identified patient angiograms and validating the efficacy of the 3D models through post-surgical data. This will allow researchers to measure how well their system can support clinical outcomes and provide real-world feedback to improve the tool. This phase will involve working with anonymized patient data under strict ethical and privacy protocols.

鈥淭his methodology holds the potential to reduce the need for invasive post-surgical assessments, such as repeat catheterization or other invasive imaging, by providing surgeons with a more accurate preoperative understanding of coronary anatomy and flow-limiting lesions,鈥� Basu said. 鈥淥ur goal is to build a platform that is highly customizable, scalable, and, most importantly, useful to surgeons and their teams. We鈥檙e not just visualizing the heart. We鈥檙e reimagining how we understand it.鈥�

Long-term plans include partnerships with medical institutions to apply the system using real patient data, with full adherence to privacy standards. The technology also holds promise for training medical students and assisting with global telemedicine efforts, where specialists can collaboratively prepare for complex surgeries across continents.

鈥淭his is a dream come true in a way,鈥� Basu said. 鈥淚鈥檝e been thinking about this for years, and now we鈥檙e seeing it take shape. It鈥檚 not an easy task, especially when you鈥檙e working with human health, but we are pushing the limits of what鈥檚 possible.鈥�

The team鈥檚 efforts are already online through a newly launched , which offers demos, technical insights, and a roadmap for future research phases. This project is funded through the National Science Foundation鈥檚 EPSCoR DART (Data Analytics that are Robust and Trusted) initiative and marks Basu鈥檚 first major grant-funded research effort at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock.

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His paper, 鈥淔rom Novelty to Knowledge: A Longitudinal Investigation of the Novelty Effect on Learning Outcomes in Virtual Reality,鈥� received the Best Paper Honorable Mention Award at the 32nd , held March 8-12 in Saint-Malo, France.

Basu’s research, co-authored with Dr. Joomi Lee of the University of Arkansas and Dr. Chen Crystal Chen of the University of Miami, explores how VR鈥檚 initial novelty influences engagement and learning outcomes over time. 

The study found that while the novelty of using VR technology initially fuels excitement and exploration of VR, it can also impede learning. However, this effect diminishes over time, and learning outcomes continue to improve, suggesting that VR鈥檚 long-term educational benefits may be underestimated.

鈥淎 decade of research later, the core question still remains: How do we design immersive experiences that go beyond novelty to drive deep, lasting learning?鈥� Basu said. 鈥淭his study is an important step in understanding how we can optimize VR for education.鈥�

Investigating the Novelty Effect in VR Learning

The study involved 25 college students from Arkansas, including eight men and 17 women. Participants watched a lecture in a virtual environment and repeated the experiment twice over the course of two weeks.

Unlike traditional classroom settings, the virtual environment was designed as a fully furnished studio apartment, creating comfortable and immersive experiences. Students could walk around and use a virtual remote to start their lecture, allowing for a more natural and engaging learning experience.

鈥淭he novelty effect is something everyone encounters. It鈥檚 that 鈥榳ow鈥� moment when experiencing new technology,鈥� Basu explained. 鈥淥ur research shows that while this effect fades, learning continues to grow, reinforcing the importance of designing VR learning experiences that extend beyond the initial excitement.鈥�

Basu emphasized that VR is not just for gaming and entertainment but also holds great promise in education, particularly for students who may have difficulty accessing traditional learning environments.

鈥淒uring the COVID-19 pandemic, virtual platforms became essential for education,鈥� Basu said. 鈥淰R can provide an immersive learning experience that reaches a broader audience, including students who are working full-time or managing family responsibilities. As the technology becomes more accessible, it has the potential to reshape how we approach education.鈥�

Looking ahead, Basu plans to expand his research by incorporating eye-tracking technology to analyze how students鈥� attention and retention evolve in VR settings.

鈥淭his is just the beginning,鈥� Basu said. 鈥淥ur goal is to continue refining VR learning tools to make them more effective and engaging. Ultimately, I want students to actively integrate VR into their curriculum, making learning more interactive, lasting, and impactful.鈥�

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