Research that movedinto practice.
A professional archive of selected papers, reports, federal program records, chapters, and essays across AI, XR, serious games, education, military mental health, and psychoacoustics.
The record spans foundational auditory research, public-interest technology programs, and current work on virtual humans and clinical virtual reality.
Landmark work
Three points along a research arc from foundational systems to clinical application. Featured items remain visible while the archive below can be filtered by topic.
The evolution of virtual human agents in clinical virtual reality: From birth to late-stage adolescence
Academic Press · 2026 · pp. 127–188
Rizzo, A., Mozgai, S., Hale, B., & Shilling, R. In D. D. Luxton (Ed.), Artificial Intelligence in Behavioral and Mental Health Care (2nd ed.).
From clinical prototype to deployed care
Selected studies from 2007–2017 document the development and clinical use of virtual reality exposure therapy for combat-related PTSD.
Automatic Behavior Analysis During a Clinical Interview with a Virtual Human
Studies in Health Technology and Informatics · 2016 · 220:316–322
Rizzo, Lucas, Gratch, Stratou, Morency, Chavez, Shilling, and Scherer examined automated behavioral analysis during clinical interviews with a virtual human.
View on PubMedBrowse the archive
Filter the publication cards by topic.
Research, policy reports & federal programs
Clinical research, public reports, interviews, and presentations spanning health, education, and technology programs.
Using Educational Programming, Games, and Comics for Impact
HHS PACCARB · July 10, 2019
Presentation by Russell Shilling, then Chief Scientific Officer of the American Psychological Association, to the Presidential Advisory Council on Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria.
View presentationClinical Virtual Reality Tools to Advance the Prevention, Assessment, and Treatment of PTSD
European Journal of Psychotraumatology · 2017 · 8(sup5):1414560
Rizzo, A. S., & Shilling, R. reviewed the evolution and clinical use of virtual reality tools for PTSD.
View DOISTEM 2026: A Vision for Innovation in STEM Education
U.S. Department of Education · September 2016
Office of Innovation and Improvement report, with Courtney Tanenbaum as principal writer, issued while Russell Shilling served as Executive Director of STEM.
View reportSerious Games: DARPA—An Interview with Program Manager CAPT Russell Shilling, PhD
Games for Health Journal · 2012 · pp. 85–86
An editorial interview about DARPA programs and the role of serious games in research and public benefit. Russell Shilling is the interview subject.
View DOIVirtual Reality PTSD Exposure Therapy Results with Active Duty OIF/OEF Service Members
International Journal on Disability and Human Development · 2011
Clinical results from virtual reality exposure therapy with active-duty service members, coauthored by Russell Shilling and colleagues.
View DOICombat-Related PTSD: A Multiple Case Report Using VR Graded Exposure Therapy with Physiological Monitoring
Studies in Health Technology and Informatics · 2008 · 132:556–561
Wood, Murphy, Center, Russ, McLay, Reeves, Pyne, Shilling, Hagan, and Wiederhold reported multiple cases using graded VR exposure.
View on PubMedCombat-Related PTSD: A Case Report Using VR Exposure Therapy with Physiological Monitoring
CyberPsychology & Behavior · 2007 · 10(2):309–315
Wood, Murphy, Center, McLay, Reeves, Pyne, Shilling, and Wiederhold reported a case using VR exposure therapy with physiological monitoring.
View DOIProgram impact records
Official public records documenting program leadership and public benefit. These are presented as historical records, not as authored publications.
Evaluating Virtual Reality Therapy for Treating Acute PTSD
Office of Naval Research · April 1, 2005
The official launch record describes a three-year, approximately $4 million ONR research program and identifies Cmdr. Russell Shilling as its program manager.
View official recordTalk, Listen, Connect
Defense Centers of Excellence · December 15, 2008
An official Defense Department presentation documents the military-family initiative’s reach and identifies CDR Russell Shilling as the program point of contact.
View official recordDARPA program archives
Public program documents from Russell Shilling’s tenure as a DARPA program manager. The newsletters were approved for public release; the GNAT record reflects DARPA SBIR 11.2 Topic 003.
Detection & Computational Analysis of Psychological Signals (DCAPS)
DARPA Program Newsletter · May 2013
Overview of a program exploring behavioral signals associated with psychological distress, including work on automated analysis and virtual-human interviewing.
View archiveENGAGE: New Methods of Large Population Analytics for Education and Training
DARPA Program Newsletter · November 2013
Overview of game-based adaptive learning and large-population analytics work conducted by university and industry performers.
View archiveGraphic Novel Art Therapy (GNAT): Online Sequential Art Authoring Tools for Therapeutic Storytelling
DARPA SBIR 11.2 Topic 003 · 2013
Program brief for web-based sequential-art authoring tools intended to support therapeutic storytelling by service members and veterans.
View archiveBook chapters & foundational work
Work on virtual human agents, serious games, spatial audio, human factors, and psychoacoustics.
Autonomous Virtual Human Agents for Healthcare Information Support and Clinical Interviewing
Book chapter · 2016 · pp. 53–79
Rizzo, Shilling, Forbell, Scherer, Gratch, and Morency examined virtual humans for healthcare information support and clinical interviews.
View DOIAmerica’s Army PC Game: Vision and Realization
U.S. Army / MOVES Institute · 2004
An exhibition booklet edited by Margaret Davis and produced by the U.S. Army and MOVES Institute. Russell Shilling contributed to the development record as the game’s audio engineer.
View publicationResearching America’s Army
MIT Press · 2003 · pp. 268–275
Margaret Davis, Russell Shilling, and nine fellow members of the development team documented the research and design process behind America’s Army.
Verify authorshipEntertainment R&D for Defense
IEEE Computer Graphics and Applications · 2003 · pp. 28–36
Zyda, Hiles, Mayberry, Wardynski, Capps, Osborn, Shilling, Robaszewski, and Davis examined collaborations connecting defense research and entertainment technology.
View DOIIntroducing Emotion into Military Simulation and Videogame Design: America’s Army Operations and VIRTE
GameOn Conference · November 30, 2002 · pp. 151–154
Shilling, Zyda, and Wardynski connected emotional engagement, physiological research, videogame design, and virtual-environment training.
View NPS recordVirtual Auditory Displays
Book chapter · 2002 · pp. 65–92
Shilling and Barbara Shinn-Cunningham’s chapter in K. M. Stanney (Ed.), Handbook of Virtual Environments, addressed spatial hearing and auditory interface design.
View chapterHuman Factors Military Lexicon: Auditory Displays
ARL-TR-2526 · 2001
Letowski, Karsh, Vause, Shilling, Ballas, Brungart, and McKinley developed a technical lexicon for military auditory-display research.
View reportSpatial Audio Displays for Attack Rotary-Wing Aircraft
ICAD · 2000; 22nd Army Science Conference · 2001
Shilling, Letowski, and Storms reported an operational evaluation of spatial auditory displays in an AH-64 simulator in an ICAD paper and a fuller Army Science Conference account.
Videogame and Entertainment Industry Standard Sound Design Techniques and Architectures
July 2002
Russell Shilling and Eric Krebs connected entertainment sound-design practices with videogames, virtual environments, and training systems.
View paperThe Effect of Double Hearing Protection on Speech Intelligibility in a Simulated Aircraft Noise Environment
Journal of the Acoustical Society of America · 1994 · 95:2994
Russell Shilling and Gerald B. Thomas studied the relationship between combined hearing protection and speech intelligibility in aircraft noise.
View DOIForward Masking in Young Children: Rocketship Psychophysics
Current Psychology · 1992 · 11:145–156
David R. Soderquist and Russell D. Shilling embedded an auditory psychophysics task in a rocketship game to study forward masking in young children.
View DOIAuditory Backward Recognition Masking: Effect of Interaural Phase on Masker Efficacy
Perception & Psychophysics · 1990 · 47(4):332–336
Russell D. Shilling and David R. Soderquist examined pitch and location recognition in a binaural masking-level-difference paradigm.
View on PubMedEssays & commentary
Public-facing writing on AI, education, innovation, training, neurodiversity, and policy.
Applying the DARPA Moonshot Model to Autism Technology Development
Medium · April 26, 2025
An essay on adapting high-risk, high-reward R&D practices to autism technology development.
Read essayFocus on the Problem, Not the MacGuffin
Medium · October 18, 2024
A reflection on defining the underlying problem before selecting a technology or solution.
Read essayEthical AI in Training to Shape an Inclusive Government Workforce
ATD · March 21, 2024
Guidance on equity, inclusion, and responsible use of AI in government workforce training.
Read articleEmbracing the DARPA Model for EdTech Innovation
Getting Smart · April 11, 2023
An argument for mission-driven, evidence-oriented R&D in education technology amid rapid advances in generative AI.
Read articleWhat Happens When AI Doesn’t Understand Students
Getting Smart · January 31, 2023
An examination of student-modeling failures and the need for creative, equitable AI policy in education.
Read articleTo Prepare for the Future, DoD Needs to Train Differently Today
Federal News Network · March 15, 2022
A commentary on modernizing Department of Defense training through adaptive and immersive approaches.
Read articleWhy We Need a DARPA for Education
Scientific American · April 1, 2015 · 312(4):12
The case for an ARPA-style organization devoted to ambitious, high-impact education research and development.
View DOIQuestions about this work?
The contact page is available for questions about this professional and historical record.