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

As Cosm’s Chief Operations Officer, Kirk Johnson is responsible for unlocking growth opportunities and ensuring that 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. He holds an MBA and a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering from the University of Utah. 

The William R. and Erlyn J. Gould Distinguished Lecture on Technology and the Quality of Life was inaugurated October 7, 1992, at the University of Utah Marriott Library. In establishing the lecture series, Bill and Erlyn Gould both recognized the critical need for continuing public education about issues regarding modern technology and its impact on our daily lives. Inherent to the advantage of technology is the importance of understanding the ramifications and responsibilities that accompany modern scientific discovery. Only through continuing public education can scientific fact and social philosophy be successfully merged. The lecture series is intended to provide a forum for the discussion of problems, issues, experiences, and successful case histories of the regeneration and preservation of our communities through the application of modern technology. It is hoped that an increased awareness of obligation in the public trust will emerge among practitioners of technology as they address the very important environmental and life-deteriorating problems facing
society today.

Cosm, a leading immersive technology, media, and entertainment company powering transformative experiences in science, education, and beyond, is redefining the way the world experiences content. Born from the fusion of some of the greatest innovators in the history of technology, Evans & Sutherland, Spitz Inc., LiveLikeVR (now Cosm Immersive), and C360 combined forces to power the immersive experiences of the future as Cosm. With a 75+-year history building and powering the largest and most prestigious planetariums and science centers worldwide, Cosm has developed category-defining technology, an ecosystem of immersive media, and immersive entertainment solutions that seamlessly bridge the virtual and physical worlds, transporting audiences anywhere real or imagined within a physical and social environment. Cosm provides sensorial experiences for every type of fan, from sports and entertainment to immersive art, education, and science. Its immersive venues bridge the virtual and physical worlds through pioneered technology that expands the realm of what’s possible, connecting people and bringing them together in Shared Reality.