Dr. Stefan Michalski is a Research Fellow in the National Centre of Excellence in Intellectual Disability Health at the University of New South Wales. His research has focused on the use of immersive virtual reality (VR) to improve real-world outcomes for clinical populations, with a particular focus on intellectual disability. Stefan holds a PhD in Psychology, where he explored how immersive VR could assist people with intellectual disability...view more
Dr. Stefan Michalski is a Research Fellow in the National Centre of Excellence in Intellectual Disability Health at the University of New South Wales. His research has focused on the use of immersive virtual reality (VR) to improve real-world outcomes for clinical populations, with a particular focus on intellectual disability. Stefan holds a PhD in Psychology, where he explored how immersive VR could assist people with intellectual disability in developing life skills.
Currently, Stefan is leading research aimed at addressing significant healthcare disparities faced by people with intellectual disability. He has highlighted that fear, anxiety, and communication challenges often act as barriers for people with intellectual disability when seeking healthcare. His ongoing VR research incorporates generative AI-powered intelligent agents to support and prepare people with intellectual disability to navigate healthcare environments. These tools are designed to reduce anxiety during appointments, increase healthcare engagement, and foster better health outcomes.
Through his work, Stefan seeks to transform the role of technology in promoting participation, independence, and improved health outcomes for people with intellectual disability.
My Grants
Grants as Chief Investigator:
2025 UNSW Health Systems Research Theme Collaborative Grant, Evaluating the Effectiveness of Virtual Reality for Preparing People with Intellectual Disability for Healthcare Systems ($50,000)
2024 UNSW Disability Innovation Institute Research Seed Funding, Using Virtual Reality to Prepare People with Intellectual Disability for Healthcare Interactions ($20,000)
2021-2022 Channel 7 Children’s Research Foundation, Helping children with intellectual disabilities develop real-world life skills in virtual reality ($39,026)
My Qualifications
Bachelor of Psychology (Honours), University of South Australia, 2019.
PhD (Psychology), University of South Australia, 2023.
