In March, Kimberly Hieftje, PhD, associate professor of pediatrics (general pediatrics), will travel to Daegu, South Korea to showcase “Year of the Cicadas” at the IEEE VR Conference in the XR Gallery.
“Year of the Cicadas” is a virtual reality experience about Hieftje's journey after the loss of her 6-year-old son, Cody, who died unexpectedly in 2004 from complications related to his congenital heart disease. “Year of the Cicadas” explores parental grief and meaning-making over time through Hieftje's story, the stories of others, and a broader exploration of how society responds to the loss of a child.