Dr. Kim Johnson Hyatt is the Executive Director of the Heinz XR Lab and Lending Library and a communications professor at Carnegie Mellon University’s Heinz College. She teaches several courses that blend communication and emerging technologies, including Communication in XR, a course that introduces students to immersive tools and their impact on professional communication. Her classes are known for their innovative use of generative AI and extended reality to help students build practical, future focused communication skills.

Professor Hyatt's research focuses on multi-user XR experiences to improve workplace communication. Specifically, she focuses on...

• Building professional presence through effective avatar use and understanding how identity shapes interactions in immersive spaces.

• Collaborating and coordinating tasks within shared virtual environments using tools that support group problem solving and real-time engagement.

• Evaluating immersive experiences that support clarity, accessibility, and strong communication outcomes.

• Delivering presentations and training programs in XR that make purposeful use of spatial design, virtual tools, and audience engagement techniques.