Architectural heritage, historic preservation, architectural photography and cartography, digital heritage.
I am fascinated by unraveling the complexities of architectural heritage, particularly within the context of underrepresented communities and minorities. My geographical focus is on Islamic lands, particularly Iran, where I am eager to explore the diverse perspectives that have shaped the country's architectural legacy. With a background in architecture and architectural history, I am keen on delving into the cultural and historical forces that have influenced architectural preservation practices. My research has focused on understanding the motivations and perceptions behind preservation and demolition decisions in Iran, challenging the predominant Eurocentric narratives that often dominate heritage studies. Through both my research and teaching endeavors, my goal is to broaden the understanding of architectural heritage and empower communities to actively participate in its preservation for the benefit of future generations.
2025 the Beinecke Library Research Fellowship, Yale University.
2024 the UC Berkeley Architecture Department Travel Grant.
2024 the UC Berkeley Graduate Division Fellowship.
2021 Nominated for Neekeyfar Award by the Department of Architecture, MIT.
2021 & 22 the Aga Khan Scholarship Award, MIT.
2014-2017 the Top Student Position in Class of 2016, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
2013 the Shahid Beheshti University Scholarship for Masters’ Degree Studies, Tehran, Iran - with the Rank in the University Entrance Exam: 5 (among 28,000 applicants).
2007 the 3rd Position in Sketch Competition at Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran.
2008 the Shahid Beheshti University Scholarship for BArch, Tehran, Iran.
Journal Paper (Peer Reviewed):
"Digital Reconstruction of Qajar Dār al-Funūn School, based on Visual Evidence.” Soffeh. Volume 30, Issue 1 (March 2020), PP. 107-140.
“The Architecture of Dār al-Funūn School and Its Changes in Qajar Era.” With M. Qayomi. Journal of Architecture and Urban Planning of Tehran University of Arts. Volume 10, Issue 20 (spring and summer 2018), PP. 99-128.
Public Lectures and Conferences:
“Dār al-Funūn School: Rethinking Architectural Modernity in 19th-century Iran.” Society For Architectural Historians Annual Conference. Poster Presentation, Apr. 2025.
“Nādir Mīrzā’s History and Geography of Tabriz: a mirror to a perception of architectural heritage in 19th-c Iran.” Central Eurasian Studies Society Conference. Syracuse University. Sep. 2024
“History and Geography of Tabriz: a perception of architectural heritage in the Late 19th-Century Iran.” Seventeenth Annual ASMEA Conference. Washington, D.C. Accepted for presentation, Jun. 2024
“The Idea of Heritage in Nineteenth-Century Iran: Nādir Mīrzā’s Account on Tabriz.” Association for Iranian Studies Online Symposium, Oct. 2023.
2022 “Perception of Tabriz for Sixteenth-Century European Travelers.” Middle Eastern, Islamic, and Ottoman Studies Graduate Student Colloquium, George Mason University, Sep. 2022.
“Empiricism in the Descriptions of Sixteenth-Century European Travelers Who Visited Tabriz.” Cross-cultural entanglements in the Mediterranean and beyond, 1200–1600. St Catharine's College, Cambridge, UK. Accepted for presentation, Aug 2022.
Panelist in AKPIA Lecture Series at MIT. “From Sectarian to Muslim Ecumenicalism: Changing Contours of Muslim Sacred Landscape in 19th Century Kashmir,” by Dr. Sameer Hamdani, MIT, Feb. 2022.
Panelist in AKPIA Lecture Series at MIT. “Fischer von Erlach to Banister Fletcher,” by Prof. Sussan Babaie, MIT, Nov. 2021.
“Recognition of Dār al-Funūn Building and its Changes during Qajar Period.” With M. Qayomi. The Provincial Congress of the 4th Congress on The History of Architecture and Urbanism in Iran, Tehran, Iran. Apr. 2017.
Other Publications:
“Women, Art, Freedom, Interview with Pamela Karimi.” Room One Thousand, Issue 13, UC Berkeley (May 2025).
“Nāsir al-Dīn Shāh’s Photographs of His Harem: a Critique of Self-Orientalism.” Imprint. Volume 2, No. 03, MIT (2022), PP. 255-57.