Oliver Grau is an art historian and media theorist. He is professor of visual cultures and head of department at the Danube University Krems. His research focuses on the history of media art, emotions and immersion (virtual reality) as well as the history, idea and culture of telepresence and artificial life. Grau lectured at the Humboldt University Berlin and worked as an exchange professor at several international universities. In the framework of the project Immersive Art which was sponsored by The German Research Foundation he initiated the first international Database of Virtual Art in 1998.