Sepehr VAEZ AFSHAR

Digital Heritage

Gamification

Data Visualization

Extended Reality

Sepehr VAEZ AFSHAR

Digital Heritage

Gamification

Data Visualization

Extended Reality

About Me
As an architect with a computer science background, Sepehr continued his master's studies in landscape architecture at ITU, combining his interests in gamification with the Virtual landscape. Currently, he is studying for his second master's in Architecture at Texas Tech University, focused on the intersection of digital heritage, and data science. Additionally, he is the Co-Founder of OyuNest Inc., a company dealing with the Virtual landscape and game design process.
  • Affiliation: Research Assistant at Texas Tech
  • Company: OyuNest Inc.
  • Position: Co-Founder
  • Address: TX, USA

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Data Science         Gamification           Digital Heritage         Virtual Landscape

E-Learning                    Extended Reality

RELEVANT SKILLS / LANGUAGES

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)

EDUCATION
2022 - Present
M.Sc. - Architecture Post Professional
Huckabee College of Architecture, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, USA (Fully funded Position)
2019 - 2022
M.Sc. - Landscape Architecture (English Program)
Department of Landscape Architecture, Istanbul Technical University, Istanbul, Turkey Thesis supervised by Dr. Ikhwan Kim ‘Virtual Landscape in Serious Games: ‘A Framework for Enhancing the Player Interaction Focusing on The Learning Rate’ (Overall GPA: 3.88/4.00 - Graduated with Honors)
2015 - 2018
B.Sc. - Architectural Engineering
Department of Architectural Engineering, Azad University (IAU), Urmia, Iran Final Project: ‘ARTech Startup, an innovative Augmented Reality platform in the architecture field’ (Awarded) (Overall GPA WES: 3.91/4.00 - Graduated with Honors)

PUBLICATIONS

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)

ASSISTANTSHIPS / TEACHING EXPERIENCES

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]

SELECTED ACADEMIC PROJECTS

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

GRANTS / AWARDS / SCHOLARSHIPS

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

MEDIA COVERAGE

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

SERVICE / PEER REVIEW CONTRIBUTION

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

INVITED LECTURES

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]

WORK EXPERIENCES

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.

Get in Touch
  • Address: Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79410
  • Email: sepehr.afshar@ttu.edu
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