USC Today

Skip Rizzo

Expert in the use of virtual reality technology in mental health applications and on cognition and memory loss in older adults
  • Director, Medical Virtual Reality, Institute for Creative Technologies
  • Research Professor, USC Department of Psychiatry
  • Research Professor, USC Davis School of Gerontology
Office: (310) 301-5018 Cell: (213) 610-4737
Links:

Expertise

  • virtual reality
  • virtual reality and mental health
  • neuropsychological assessment, cognitive rehabilitation, PTSD/anxiety disorders, Motor Rehabilitation, pain management
  • spatial ability, attention, memory
  • memory enhancement for older adults
  • ADHD assessment
  • gender and hormonal factors that influence aging, cognition and dementia
  • psychology of older adults
  • memory processes and aging
  • perception and aging
  • cognition and aging
  • cognitive psychology
  • cognitive-behavioral psychology
  • clinical psychology
  • virtual reality applications for healthcare
  • virtual reality exposure therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
  • virtual reality resilience training
  • virtual reality and neuropsychological assessment
  • virtual reality cognitive and physical rehabilitation
  • virtual reality and autism spectrum disorder
  • virtual reality and ADHD
  • virtual reality and aging
  • intelligent virtual human agents
  • virtual human technology for clinical purposes
  • virtual patients for clinical training
  • user state sensing
  • virtual reality and journalism
  • virtual reality coaching

Additional Information

  • Director, USC Institute for Creative Technologies VRPSYCH Lab
  • Developer of the Memory Enhancement Seminars for Seniors (MESS), USC Davis School of Gerontology
  • Creator of the Virtual Iraq/Afghanistan PTSD Exposure Therapy System
  • CyberPsychology and Behavior – Associate Editor
  • Presence: Teleoperators and Virtual Environments – Senior Editor
  • Journal of Computer Animation and Virtual Worlds – Editorial Board Member
  • Media Psychology – Editorial Board Member
  • International Journal of Virtual Reality – Associate Editor
  • 2015 Winner of the Society for Brain Mapping and Therapeutics Pioneer in Medicine Award presented to individuals who have significantly contributed to the scientific advancement in the fields of medicine through a multidisciplinary approach.
  • 2014 Winner of the 2014 Army Modeling and Simulation Award for Army Wide Training for the Squad Overmatch project using the Stress Resilience in Virtual Environments (STRIVE) system.
  • 2014 Winner of the UNESCO Netexplo Top 10 Innovation Award (with team:DCAPS: SimSensei).
  • 2012 Winner of the 18th Annual Satava Award for Lifetime Achievement in Medical Simulation, MMVR.
  • 2010 American Psychological Association Award for Outstanding Contributions to the Practice of Trauma Psychology.