ZAHRA ZARE
Gainesville, FL, US +(1) 352 779 5344 zahrazare94@gmail.com, zzare@ufl.edu
EDUCATION
Google Scholar ORCID ResearchGate
2023-2026 M.Arch Student, Certificate in Sustainable Architecture, School of Architecture, College of Design, Construction and Planning, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32608, USA.
CGPA: 3.84
2018-2021 M.Sc. in Landscape Architecture, Tarbiat Modares University (TMU), Department of Architecture, Faculty of Art and Architecture, Tehran, Iran.
CGPA: 4/4 (18.44 out of 20)
2013-2017 B.Sc. in Architecture, Persian Gulf University(PGU), Department of Architecture, Faculty of Arts and Architecture, Bushehr, Iran
CGPA: 3.74/4 (17.47 out of 20)
PUBLICATION
2023 Dehghan, N., Yeganeh, M., Zare, Z., “Urban green parks as sociomental landscapes: Understandings from Iran’s case study”, Journal of Environment and Social Psychology, Volume 9, (Published)
2022 Zare, Z., Yeganeh, M., Dehghan, N., “Environmental and social sustainability automated evaluation of plazas based on 3D visibility measurements”, Journal of Energy Reports Volume 8, 6280-6300. (IF: 6.87, Q1) (Published)
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCES
Work Experiences
• Intern – Digital Twin and Unreal Engine Specialist, Imerza, Sarasota, FL (June 2023 – July 2023)
- Developed an interactive hurricane visualization for Fort Myers, Florida, using Unreal Engine (Blueprint & C++).
- Designed a user interface allowing dynamic color-coded categorization of buildings based on land use (e.g., residential, educational, commercial).
- Implemented a risk assessment feature highlighting structures most vulnerable to hurricane impact.
- Enhanced user experience by integrating real-time data visualization techniques.
• Landscape Architect and Architectural Assistant in Diba Group in Tehran, Iran (Feb2021-June2021)
- Conducted site inventory and analysis, determined project needs, and developed functional diagrams, conceptual and final design plans.
- Participated in the Gandi Walkway Design Competition, contributing to innovative urban design solutions.
- Collaborated on the Isfahan Chamber of Commerce project, integrating sustainable design principles and community-focused planning.
Research Experiences
• Research Assistant in FIBER (Florida Institute For Built Environment Resilience) (Jan 2024 – Present) working on Digital Twins sponsored by the National Academies of Science (NAS) Gulf Research Program (GRP)
- Developing Digital Twin technology for hurricane visualization and flood resilience modeling in Fort Myers, Pine Island, Matlacha, and Cedar Key, Florida using Unreal Engine (Blueprint & C++), ArcGIS Pro, and CloudCompare.
- Developing interactive 3D simulations to assess flood impact and plan disaster preparedness
- Integrating real-world GIS and climate data into Unreal Engine to enhance predictive modeling.
- Part of a National Academies of Science (NAS) Gulf Research Program (GRP)-funded initiative, leveraging prior work from the Gulf Studio grant.
- Contributing to community-focused climate resilience efforts by providing actionable insights for urban planning and emergency response.
Assistance Experiences
• Teaching Assistant - Introduction to Building Technology (Fall 2023)
Professors: Lee-Su Huang and Stephen Belton
Teaching Experiences
• Adjunct lecturer at the Persian Gulf University(PGU), Department of Architecture, Faculty of Arts and Architecture, Bushehr, Iran (2022-2023)
SOFTWARE SKILLS
• Software: Rhino, Autodesk AutoCAD, Autodesk Revit(BIM), Lumion, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe InDesign, Adobe Illustrator, SketchUp, Unreal Engine, ArcGIS pro, Cloudcompare, Hand Drafting, Hand Model.
• Soft Skills: Photography, Team collaboration, Problem-solving, Communication
LICENSES & CERTIFICATION
• Coastal Inundation Mapping
NOAA: National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration | Nov 2024
Skills: ArcGIS Pro, ArcMap, flood risk analysis, coastal resilience strategies.
• Resilience in Urban Environments toward Sustainable Cities (Workshop Series)
University of Florida College of Design, Construction, and Planning | Feb 2024
Skills: Urban resilience, sustainable development, heritage preservation, community-led change.
• What is “the Mind” and What is Artificial Intelligence?
University of Colorado Boulder | Mar 2023
HONORS
• Certificate of Outstanding Merit
University of Florida International Center | Nov 2024
• School of Architecture Scholarship
University of Florida - School of Architecture | Apr 2024
Awarded in recognition of academic merit. REFERENCES
Prof. Jeff Carney AIA, LEED AP
E-mail: j.carney@ufl.edu
+(1) 510 520-4465
Associate Professor, University of Florida School of Architecture College of Design Construction and Planning 231 Architecture Building - PO Box 115702 Gainesville, FL 32611 and Director (FIBER)
Prof. Jason Alread AIA, LEED AP
E-mail: jalread@ufl.edu +(1) 515 778-4549
Professor, University of Florida School of Architecture College of Design Construction and Planning 231 Architecture Building - PO Box 115702 Gainesville, FL 32611
Prof. Lee-Su Huang
E-mail: huangleesu@gmail.com +(1) 857 445-1114
Associate Professor, Lawrence Technological University
Dr. Pouya Doulabi
E-mail: Pouya.doulabi@pgu.ac.ir +(1) 818 575-0647
Former Professor and Head of the Architecture and Urban Planning Department (Persian Gulf University)
Dr. Mansour Yeganeh
E-mail: yeganeh@modares.ac.ir
Associate Professor at the Department of Architecture (Tarbiat Modares University) and head of Architectural Design, Modeling, and Fabrication lab