● Data Science ● Gamification ● Digital Heritage ● Virtual Landscape
● E-Learning ● Extended Reality
● Data Science ● Gamification ● Digital Heritage ● Virtual Landscape
● E-Learning ● Extended Reality
Architecture & Design:
AutoCAD: Design and Modeling|●●●○○ Photoshop & InDesign: Print Design|●●●○○ TwinMotion: ArchViz|●●●●○
Game & XR Development:
3Dvista: VR in E-Learning|●●●●○
Twine, Stornaway, Unreal Engine: Game Development|●●●●○
DEVAR: XR Development|●●●●○
Data Analysis & Processing:
QGIS & ArcGIS: Geoprocessing|●●●○○ RapidMiner: Data Mining|●●○○○ Octoparse: Web Data Extraction|●●●○○
English (Duolingo & TOEFL iBT Certificate), Azeri (Native), Persian (Native), Turkish (Advanced)
● Vaez Afshar, S., Eshaghi, S. (2023). A Holistic Approach to Virtual World Design, 11th International Conference of the Arab Society for Computer-Aided Architectural Design, ASCAAD 2023, Amman, Jordan.
● Mostafavi, S., Mehan, A., Eshaghi, S., Afshar, S. V., Stuckemeyer, J., Howell, C., & Etemadi, A. (2023). Co-production of Liminal Spaces: Tectonics and Politics of Socio-Environmental Justice in Urban Thresholds, In book: Venice 2023 Architecture Biennial: Time, Space, Existence, Publisher: European Cultural Center, Venice, Italy, 268-269.
● Vaez Afshar, S., & Hadighi, M. (2023). Revolutionizing Historic Preservation: Analyzing Henry Trost's Buildings Using Data Gathering, Mining, and Visualization Technologies, The Association for Preservation Technology Journal, APT23. (Awarded)
● Vaez Afshar, S., Eshaghi, S., & Hadighi, M. (2023). The Union Depot Journey: Raising public awareness for the preservation of registered historic buildings through educational games, 9th eCAADe Regional International Symposium, RIS2023, Tallinn, Estonia.
● Eshaghi, S., Vaez Afshar, S., & Hadighi, M. (2023). A Framework Proposal for Developing Historical Video Games Based on Player Review Data Mining to Support Historic Preservation, ARCC 2023 International Conference: The Research-Design Interface, 297-305. (Awarded)
● Vaez Afshar, S. (2023). A Virtual Tour of Anatolian Caravanserais with Historical Puzzle, TTU 22nd Annual Graduate Student Research Poster Competition, Texas Tech University, USA.
● Vaez Afshar, S., Aytaç, G., Eshaghi, S., & Vaez Afshar, S. (2022). Online Footprint - A serious game for reducing digital carbon emission, International Conference of the Ibero-American Society of Digital Graphics, SIGraDi 2022. DOI: 10.19083/978-612-318-444-5
● Aytaç, G., Aluçlu, G., Dalay, L. & Vaez Afshar, S. (2022). Around Water: A Research-Based Landscape Design Studio. Journal of Design Studio, Landscape Research, 35-50. DOI: 10.46474/jds.1074495
● Vaez Afshar, S., Eshaghi, S. & Kim, I. (2022). Pattern Analysis of Virtual Landscape within Educational Games. Journal of Digital Landscape Architecture: HYBRID: Analog + Digital = The next normal, DLA 2022, 435-442. DOI: 10.14627/537724042
● Varinlioğlu, G., Vaez Afshar, S., Eshaghi, S., Balaban, Ö., & Nagakura, T. (2022). GIS-Based Educational Game through Low-Cost Virtual Tour Experience. 27th International Conference of the Association for Computer-Aided Architectural Design Research in Asia: Post Carbon, CAADRIA 2022, 1, 69-78. DOI: 10.52842/conf.caadria.2022.1.069
● Vaez Afshar, S., Aytaç, G., & Eshaghi, S. (2021). SU: A Serious Game for Water Management - Based on Istanbul. XXV International Conference of the Ibero-American Society of Digital Graphics, SIGraDi 2021, 523-532. DOI: 10.5151/sigradi2021-205
● Vaez Afshar, S., Eshaghi, S., Varinlioğlu, G., & Balaban, Ö. (2021). Evaluation of Learning Rate in Serious Game: Based on Anatolian Cultural Heritage. 39th International Conference of Education and Research in Computer Aided Architectural Design in Europe: Towards a new, configurable architecture, eCAADe 2021 (WOS), 2, 273-280. DOI: 10.52842/conf.ecaade.2021.2.273 (Awarded)
● Vaez Afshar, S., Eshaghi, S., & Örnek, M. A. (2021). A Game-Based Tool for Freshmen Design Students During the Pandemic Distance Learning. 4th International Symposium on Art and Design Education: Art and design during and after the Covid-19 Period, Başkent University.
● Eshaghi, S., Vaez Afshar, S., & Varinlioğlu, G. (2021). THE SERICUM VIA: A Serious Game for Preserving Tangible and Intangible Heritage of Iran. 9th International Conference of the Arab Society for Computer-Aided Architectural Design, ASCAAD 2021, 306-316. (Awarded)
Graduate Teaching Assistant, College of Architecture, Texas Tech University, USA
● Community Design & Development Resources (ARCH 5384, Graduate Course) | Spring 2023
● Co-Production of Liminal Spaces (ARCH 5604 – Studio III, Graduate Course) | Spring 2023
● Advanced Architectural Technology 1 (ARCH 5354, Graduate Course) | Fall 2022
Graduate Research Assistant, The National Endowment for Humanities Digital Projects for the Public Discovery, College of Architecture, Texas Tech University, USA | Fall 2023
Workshop Instructor, bo[AR]d GAME: Tools and Methods for Architectural Heritage Augmentation (Photogrammetry, Materials and Rendering, and Character Design), DigitalFUTURES/Summer Workshops, 5 Days | 2022 [Link]
Workshop Instructor, Gamification in Architecture, Introductions to Twine Platform, and Developing Serious Games with Twine 2.00, Computing and Making (ARCH566-Graduate Course), Izmir University of Economics, Turkey, 8 Hours | 2021 [Link]
Extended Reality R&D and Graphics, FabriCity XR: Co-Production of Liminal Spaces, Project Leader: Mostafavi, Texas Tech University, USA | 2023-2024 [Book | Virtual Tour]
● Exhibited at the Venice Biennale Architecture - ECC 2023 Exhibition, Italy, representing the Texas Tech University
● Designing and developing a Web-Based Gamified AR Experience for the FabriCity pavilion, Leading the project's poster design
R&D Team Advisor, SILK (Sustainable Information Lifecycle of Kervansaray), Project Leader: Varinlioglu, Department of Architecture at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) | 2023-2024 [Link | YouTube | Sketchfab]
● Funded by the U.S. Department of State in partnership with Assoc. Prof. Takehiko Nagakura, Design Computation Lab, MIT
● Funded partly by a grant from the U.S. Mission to Türkiye and MIT MISTI Global Seed Funds.
● Partners and Sponsors: Chevening Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies - Abdullah Gül Visiting Scholar Program and Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism - Directorate General of Cultural Assets and Museums, Göreme Archeological Site
Gamification R&D, Khan Game, Project Leader: Varinlioglu, Istanbul Technical University, Turkey | 2022 [Game | Video]
● Funded by: Koc University Suna & Inan Kirac Research Center (Project Number AKMED 2021/P.1050)
● Presented at the International Conference of the Association for Computer-Aided Architectural Design Research in Asia, 2022
R&D Team Advisor, Reverse engineering the Virtual Landscape in the digital games, Istanbul Technical University, Turkey | 2021-2022
Web Master & Researcher, ClimateLa Project, Project Leader: Aytac, Istanbul Technical University, Turkey | 2021-2022
Grant
● The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey Grant, Online Platform Design Tool for the Digital Game’s Virtual Landscape Project, TÜBİTAK 1512 ESP-BIGG Program, Grant amount: $25,000 | 2021
Awards
● Ivan Petrovic Prize (Best Presentation by a Young Researcher), eCAADe Conference, Novi Sad, Serbia | 2021 [Link]
● Best Presentation Award, ASCAAD (Arab Society for Computer-Aided Architectural Design), Cairo, Egypt | 2021 [Link]
● 1st Prize, ACCELERATION (Architect and Entrepreneur) Startup Weekend, Urmia, Iran | 2019
● Distinguished Student, Department of Engineering, Azad University | 2019
● 1st Prize, ACCELERATION (Employment in Architecture) Startup Weekend, Urmia, Iran | 2018
● 2nd Prize, Tabriz Startup Weekend (Architecture Programme/Powered by Google), Tabriz, Iran | 2017
● 3rd Prize, Ardabil City Management & Services Competition, Ardabil, Iran | 2017
Scholarships
● APT Conference Student Scholarship, The Association for Preservation Technology International (APT), Seattle, USA | 2023
● Albert & Jackie Payne Memorial Scholarship in Historic Preservation, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, USA | 2023
● Dr. Elizabeth Louden Scholarship in Historic Preservation, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, USA | 2023
● Elizabeth Sasser AIA Scholarship, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, USA | 2023
● Willard B. Robinson Memorial Scholarship, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, USA | 2023
● Huckabee College of Architecture office of ARDS Research Scholarship, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, USA | 2022
● Huckabee College of Architecture Graduate Student Scholarship, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, USA, Amount: $15,000 | 2022
Venice Biennale Architecture - ECC 2023 Exhibition | Italy
● ECC Italy [Book | Instagram] | 2023
● Texas Tech University, College of Architecture [LinkedIn] | 2023
ASCAAD Best Presentation Award | Egypt
● ASCAAD Conference LinkedIn, ASCAAD 2021 Highlights [Link] | 2021
● Izmir University of Economics | News Page - Best article award for Silk Road Article & Newspaper Clippings [Link] | 2021
Ivan Petrovic Prize | Serbia
● eCAADe Conference Page - Awarded annually for the best presentation by a young researcher [Link] | 2021
● Istanbul Technical University | Landscape Architecture - Awards: eCAADe Conference [Website | Instagram] | 2021
● Izmir University of Economics | News Page - One more award for the "Digital Caravanserai" project from Serbia! [Link] | 2021
● Izmir University of Economics | News Page - ‘Anadolu Yolculuğu’ Newspaper Clippings [Link] | 2021
● PEMDER | News Bulletin – Istanbul Technical University, pp.13 [Link] | 2021
OyuNest Startup | Turkey
● F6S - 10 Top Video Games Startups and Companies in Turkey [Link]
● Istanbul Technical University | Landscape Architecture - News [Instagram] | 2021
● İTÜ Çekirdek Incubation Center [Blog1 | Blog2 | Instagram] | 2022-2023
SILK (Sustainable Information Lifecycle of Kervansaray) | USA
● YouTube Interviews [Link] | Jul 2023
R&D Internship at JHP Architecture | USA
● Summer Intern Recap, JHP Newsletter [Link] | Sep 2023
Scientific Review Committee Member
● International Journal of Serious Games (IJSG) | 2023-Present
● International Conference of the Association for Computer-Aided Architectural Design Research in Asia (CAADRIA) | 2023-Present
● The Arab Society for Computation in Architecture, Art and Design (ASCAAD) | 2023-Present
● International Conference of the Ibero-American Society of Digital Graphics (SIGraDI) | 2023-Present
● International Conference of Education and Research in Computer-Aided Architectural Design in Europe (eCAADe) | 2022-Present
Conference Judge
● 12th Annual Arts & Humanities Conference, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, USA | 2022
● 13th Annual Arts & Humanities Conference, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, USA | 2023
DigitalFUTURES.world, USA | 2023-Present [Link]
● Team Coordinator (Turkish Language) and Web Master [Link]
● Workshop Coordinator, 2023 International Workshops [Link]
● Technology Coordinator, AI Series: An Introduction to AI for Designers [Link]
TTU - HCoA Robotic Lab, Researcher | College of Architecture, Texas Tech University, USA | 2022-2023
İTÜ Çekirdek Incubation Center (UBI Best World Incubation Center), Young Entrepreneur | Turkey | 2021-Present
ASLA (American Society of Landscape Architects), Student International ASLA | 2022 [Link]
VirtualLandscape Lab, Core Member of Research Team | Department of Architecture, Istanbul Technical University | 2021-2022
International Conference on Building Information Modeling, Webmaster | Tehran, Iran | 2020-2021
Young Researchers and Elite Club, Member | Iran | 2016-2019
Good Architecture NGO, Program Coordinator | Tehran, Iran | 2018-2019 [Link]
The (College) Students’ Scientific Association Lab, President | Azad University, Iran | 2016-2018
MIT University, Department of Architecture, Gamification of Design Heritage: Participation as a Research Method, USA | 2022
DigitalFUTURES.world/Talks, Serious Games: Cultural Heritage Oriented Games| 2022 [Link]
The World Environment Week, SU: An educational Game for Water Management of Istanbul, Istanbul Technical University, Turkey| 2022
Metametrik/Wednesday Meetups, From Architecture to Digital Games, Turkey | 2021 [Link]
Research & Development Internship, JHP Architecture / Urban Design, Dallas, USA | Jun 2023-Aug 2023
● Developing a Gamified ArchViz project incorporating AI using Unreal Engine for clients
● Proving the concept of transitioning architectural projects from ARCHICAD to Twinmotion and Unreal Engine
Co-Founder & CTO, OyuNest Digital Game and Design Technologies Inc., İTÜ ARI Teknokent Science Park, Turkey | Nov 2021-Present
● Developing a web-based platform providing digital game designers, developers, and artists a time and cost-efficient shared design language for virtual environment design (Methodology: Patented in South Korea)
● Startup company: Founded by the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey
Co-founder & R&D Team Leader, ARtechi Startup, West Azerbaijan Science & Technology Park, Iran | Jun 2017-Jul 2020
● An innovative Augmented Reality platform for architectural applications / Secured funding: Science and Technology Park of Urmia.