● Data Science ● Gamification ● Digital Heritage ● Virtual Landscape
● E-Learning ● Extended Reality
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
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
Contact Form