Maddy Rice
About Maddy Rice
Maddy Rice is a VR Capture Technician at Facebook Reality Labs, where she guides research participants in creating hyper-realistic avatars for communication. She has a diverse background in the arts and technology, having held various roles in theater, education, and communications.
Current Role at Facebook Reality Labs
Maddy Rice serves as a VR Capture Technician at Facebook Reality Labs, a position she has held since 2021. In this role, she guides research participants through image and motion capture processes to create hyper-realistic avatars. This work focuses on enhancing long-distance communication through advanced virtual reality technologies. Her position is based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where she applies her skills in both technology and the arts.
Previous Experience in the Arts and Communications
Maddy Rice has a diverse background in the arts and communications. She worked as a Social Engagement Coordinator and Actor at nomadictheatre from 2019 to 2020, and previously served as a Communications Intern at The Pittsburgh Foundation from 2017 to 2018. Additionally, she contributed as a Gallery Intern at the Smith Center for Healing and the Arts in 2019 and held the role of Assistant Art Teacher at Temple Emanuel Of South Hills from 2013 to 2016.
Educational Background
Maddy Rice studied at Georgetown University from 2016 to 2020, where she focused on Visual and Performing Arts and Environmental Studies, also achieving a concentration in Justice and Peace Studies. She furthered her education at the Elite Bartending School in 2020, completing a Professional Bartending & Mixology program. Additionally, she participated in a study abroad program at DIS, where she studied Urban Studies and Design Thinking in 2018.
Interests in Technology and Ethics
Maddy Rice is interested in the ethical implications of augmented reality and its potential future impacts. She explores how artificial intelligence and augmented/virtual reality influence global communication, storytelling, and social relations. Her multidisciplinary approach combines her background in technology and the arts, reflecting her commitment to understanding the societal effects of emerging technologies.