Shared Reality: Exploring New Worlds with Immersive Technology

About the Lecture

Are you ready to step into the mind-bending "shared reality" experience of a cutting-edge, LED dome theater at this year’s Gould Lecture? If you’re picturing something like The Sphere in Las Vegas, you’re close – but the Cosm Experience Center offers a more intimate and accessible encounter, right here at the U’s very own Research Park.

Join us for an evening with Kirk Johnson, Chief Operations Officer at Cosm and alumnus of the University of Utah, as he discusses the technology’s creation, interdisciplinary functionality, and applications in research and data visualization. Whether you’re a student, alum, tech enthusiast, or simply curious about what’s next in audiovisual technology and immersive media, this event offers a front-row seat to the pinnacle of shared experience.

A black and white portrait of a person smiling while wearing a suit in front of a black blank background.

Kirk Johnson, Cosm’s Chief Operations Officer, MBA (1990) and a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering (1986) from the University of Utah.

William R. and Erlyn J. Gould
Distinguished Lecture on Technology and the Quality of Life

Tuesday, September 23, 2025 | 5:00 PM
Cosm Experience Center
770 Komas Dr, Salt Lake City, UT 84108

Lecture Highlights

Immersive LED dome experience. The lecture takes place inside Cosm's LED dome theater.
U of U alumnus speaker. Kirk Johnson, Cosm's COO, holds a BS in electrical engineering and an MBA from the University of Utah, and has spent more than 35 years at Evans & Sutherland.
Behind the technology. Johnson led development of Cosm's CX System LED dome and will cover how it was built and how it's used in research and data visualization.

Speaker Bio

As Cosm’s Chief Operations Officer, Kirk Johnson is responsible for unlocking growth opportunities and ensuring the company’s operations and culture align with its overall mission. He leads the company’s sales and partnerships, dome and software installation, venue operations, and customer service and support efforts.

With more than 35 years at Evans & Sutherland (E&S), a Cosm company, Kirk has held numerous executive leadership roles where he was responsible for executing product and strategy development, increasing profitability, and overseeing marketing and sales to drive value for customers, shareholders, and employees. He holds an MBA (1990) and a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering (1986) from the University of Utah.

As the key driver of the development of Cosm’s CX System LED dome, which forms the centerpiece of the Cosm Venues and its B2B customer LED domes, Kirk’s presentation will demonstrate & discuss this transformative LED dome technology and how it is revolutionizing the way the world experiences content through Shared Reality.