MiDAS Spotlight: Logan Kemper
Written by: Ryan Helterhoff (MAMC ‘23)
Undergraduate degree: Digital Arts & Sciences
Favorite quote: “Science isn’t about why, it’s about why not.” — Cave Johnson, Portal 2
What brought you to the MiDAS program?
As someone who has been a virtual reality enthusiast since my early teens, I was excited at the prospect of an academic program focused on my interests. My time in Digital Worlds as an undergraduate was very positive, and MiDAS seemed like the logical next step in my journey.
What was your lightbulb moment that took you down this career path?
I’m not sure there ever was a lightbulb moment — pursuing the convergence of technical and creative computer skills has been my interest and hobby for as long as I can remember. In my mind, there was no question that I would end up doing anything else.
What interactive experience are you looking forward to creating in the near future?
The storyteller in me has been itching to create something that plays with the bounds between fiction and reality for some time. Now that I have the opportunity and resources to work on more ambitious projects, I want to experiment with the ability to tell self-aware and metafictional stories through the medium of virtual reality.
What’s something most people don’t know about you?
I’ve never been to school! Before college, I had never stepped foot in a proper school as a student. I was homeschooled from kindergarten through 12th grade but still ended up here at the University of Florida. I hope this less common upbringing gives me a unique perspective on the kinds of problems and projects we try to tackle in MiDAS.
Where do you see yourself in five years? Ten?
In five years, I hope to be applying the kind of skills I’ve been developing in MiDAS and on my own to a project I can be proud of. I see myself working at a startup developing the next big virtual reality experience trying to educate or inspire its users.
Favorite place you’ve visited?
I descended into the interior chamber of a volcano in Iceland a few years ago, which still stands as one of my life’s most memorable and surreal experiences. Maybe we should recreate the environment in virtual reality for educational use and share the experience.
