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Beerend Hierck is a researcher and educational innovator at Utrecht University, where he is the head of the Veterinary SkillsLab. He has pioneered the use of eXtended Reality (XR) technology to enhance spatial knowledge acquisition and clinical competence in veterinary medicine education. Leading a research group alongside Professor Daniela Salvatori in the Department of Anatomy and Physiology, he has developed AvatarZOO, a prize-winning XR application utilized with Microsoft HoloLens 2, enabling students to interact with digital 3D models of various animal species. His ongoing research includes personalized curriculum implementation, cognitive load assessment in digital 3D learning environments, and enhancing clinical competence development. Previously, he worked at Leiden University Medical Center, contributing to advances in veterinary education. Alongside his research interests, he plays a key role in fostering educational innovations to prepare veterinary students for clinical procedures in a state-of-the-art, animal-free simulation lab environment.
Department of Psychology