Tech Fusion: Graduate Women in Business Launches New Cross-Campus VR/AR, Robotics Experience for Isenberg Students

Isenberg School of Management’s Graduate Women in Business (GWIB) student organization recently hosted Tech Fusion, a new event designed to expand tech literacy, confidence, and career readiness for graduate women considering entering data, consulting, and tech-driven industries.

Tech Fusion—held Dec. 5, 2025—aims to give graduate students hands-on exposure to cutting-edge technology, introduce them to groundbreaking research on campus, and build their confidence for tech-driven careers, according to GWIB President Alyssa Can Li ’26MBA.

The idea grew out of a brainstorming session this past summer between Li and Maureen (Mo) McGuinness, an adjunct faculty member at Isenberg.

“We realized that students could benefit from exploring on-campus experiences to deepen their understanding of emerging technologies,” said Li. “UMass Amherst is an R1 research university with extraordinary technology resources—including the Human-Centered Robotics Lab, VR/AR experiences through its Technology Sandbox at Isenberg, and the Makerspace—yet many graduate business students remain unaware of these opportunities.”

The half-day program began at Isenberg, with students exploring VR/AR simulations to see how immersive technology is transforming leadership, management, operations, and the customer experience. The group then visited the Human Robot Systems Laboratory, hearing from faculty Hao Zhang, PhD, and Meghan Huber, PhD, who shared insights on human–robot interaction, wearable robotics, artificial intelligence, and the future of work.

“The robotics portion was the standout highlight,” said Li. “Students were captivated by seeing the robotic dog in action and learning how it was engineered to assist visually impaired users created a powerful emotional and educational impact. Many participants shared that the hands-on exposure made them feel more connected to the cutting-edge technology resources available right here at UMass, resources they hadn't realized existed on campus.”

The experience concluded at the UMass engineering makerspace, where students participated in a 3D printing and rapid prototyping workshop, learning why companies—from Google and Meta to Tesla and Amazon—invest in innovation labs and maker culture.

According to Li, GWIB plans to expand Tech Fusion into a recurring flagship program, building stronger pipelines for women and underrepresented students into technology careers while deepening partnerships across the UMass ecosystem. This spring, GWIB intends to build on these on-campus learning experiences with company visits to organizations like Google, Microsoft, and LEGO, giving students real-world insights and professional connections.

“Ultimately,” said Li, “we believe that a deeper understanding of emerging technologies will give our students a competitive advantage—not just in job interviews, but throughout their careers in an increasingly tech-driven business landscape.”

GWIB thanks the following UMass Amherst groups for their assistance during Tech Fusion:

Professors Hao Zhang and Dognhyun Kim, PhD students Oscar Youngquist and Zihao Deng, along with their Human-Centered Robotics Lab team, who opened their lab and provided hands-on demonstrations for participants.

Professor Meghan Huber, who connected the students with leading women robotics researchers (Holly Yanco, PhD, and Gina Olson, PhD, and PhD student Banu Abdikdirova) in the UMass Amherst College of Engineering, enriched the program with diverse perspectives through a luncheon talk.

Shira Epstein, director of the UMass Amherst Makerspace, and supervisors  Lauren Gobler and Jack Dumala, who provided hands-on 3D printing and laser cutting workshops for participants.

Chris LaPointe, senior learning and technology coordinator, who brought his VR/AR expertise from the Technology Sandbox at Isenberg, making cutting-edge, immersive experiences accessible to students.

See photos from the event here.