Richard R. Corey, MFA, Ph.D.

Richard Corey (Rick) holds a Ph.D. in Collaborative Practices, an MFA in Intermedia, and is the Director and Co-founder of the VEMI Lab at the University of Maine. His research focuses on how humans interact with technology, and he has conceptualized this through the creation of VEMI – a collaborative and interdisciplinary space dedicated to advancing undergraduate education through cutting-edge research processes. Rick strives to assist students to embrace uniqueness, become creative problem solvers, think strategically, and pursue knowledge. Since its founding in 2008, VEMI has been awarded more than $14 million in prizes and awards, including a top-3 finish in the U.S. DOT’s Inclusive Design Challenge in 2022; has been featured in more than 280 media and academic publication, including over 150 student-led publications; has graduated over 120 students; and has created three start-up businesses (Kinotek, Happy Home Computers, &; Unar Labs). Rick has also been named UMaine’s Supervisor of the Year twice, a student-nominated award representing excellent mentoring and student impact.