SYDNEY, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- Australian high achiever, Jessie Hughes, will use her Churchill Fellowship to further investigate how new technologies like virtual reality (VR) can be used to benefit not-for-profit organizations, the organization announced Thursday.

In the past Hughes' projects have included transporting viewers to hot zones like the orangutan habitats of Borneo or slums of Guatemala where they can witness issues first hand and hopefully gain an enhanced sense of empathy.

Now, thanks to a grant from the Churchill Foundation, Hughes will spend three months travelling the globe to discover where and how VR technology has been most successfully applied to benefit not-for-profits.

"VR has opened a new frontier in fundraising and storytelling by immersing potential donors in worlds and situations that are often difficult to imagine or empathize with," Hughes explained.

"Emerging technologies are enabling new forms of human engagement. They are 21st century tools for increasing awareness to social issues, evoking empathy, and eliciting action."

Throughout her journey, Hughes will participate in SXSW's VR Hackathon in Austin, capital of U.S. state of Texas, meet with the United Nations Virtual Reality project team in New York, and attend the Sustainable Development Goals Global Festival of Action in Bonn, Germany.

"By analyzing highly-acclaimed social impact VR experiences, meeting with their creators, and reviewing how they were displayed by the commissioning not-for-profits (e.g. high-end headsets at a fundraising gala, versus low-end mobile headsets for street fundraising), I intend to gain insight into what contributes to the success of a VR experience's impact," Hughes said.

When she returns, Hughes will share her findings through public speaking opportunities at industry events, such as panels, workshops and conferences.