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Our PhD Graduates

Christine Veras
Christine Veras.jpg 		Brief introduction

Christine Veras is a scholar and artist, originally from Brazil, researching the integration of physical and digital technologies to explore the multimedia possibilities of animation. She has completed her PhD at the School of Art, Design, and Media at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore.

Among her works, Christine has invented a new international prize-winning and now patented animated illusion device called Silhouette Zoetrope, which is now part of the permanent collection of the Children’s Museum in Dresden, Germany and of the Swiss Science Center Technorama in Winterthur, Switzerland.

She is now Senior Lecturer at the School of Arts, Technology and Emergent Communication at The University of Texas at Dallas, in the United States.

PhD Thesis Title

​“Contemporary Reinvenintions of Early Devices that Flicker and Rotate: A Particular Type of Animated Installation in the Quest for and Expanded Animation Experience"

What are you working on at the moment?

I am Senior Lecturer at the School of Arts, Technology and Emergent Communication at The University of Texas at Dallas, in the United States.

What was it that attracted you to the ADM when you applied?

The well-known internationally awarded animation Faculty such as Prof. Ishu Patel and Prof. Giannalberto Bendazzi.

What’s the best thing about studying at the ADM?

The contact with multiple cultures and people from different backgrounds and experiences, as well as the infra-structure.

The value of sharing your knowledge with the community, being open-minded to understand the different cultural backgrounds and how the relate to each other.

What’s been the biggest highlight of your career so far?

I have 3 particularly big highlights so far: being granted a patent for the animated illusion device that I have created; the selection of this device as one of the TOP 3 Best Illusion of the Year 2016 worldwide and the fact that my invention is now part of the permanent collection of two museums in Europe, the Children’s Museum in Dresden, Germany which is part of the Detsches-Hygyene Museum and the Swiss Science Center Technorama in Whinterthur, Switzerland (2019 upcoming exhibition).

Do you have any advice for current or future students?

Get out of your comfort zone and discover the different ways you can contribute to Adm as a community. You can learn a lot in the process.
​Supervisor Prof Vibeke Sorensen
Websites https://www.linkedin.com/in/christine-veras-13279649/​
https://atec.utdallas.edu/content/veras-christine/?portfolioCats=112%2C110%2C111/


Cinzia Bottini
Cinzia Bottini.jpg 		Brief introduction

Cinzia Bottini received her Ph.D. from the School of Art, Design and Media at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore (2016). She graduated in Philosophy (2004) and earned a Master degree in Philosophical Studies with an emphasis on fine art and cinema from the University of Milan (2010). She has worked as a journalist for radio, magazine and television, and she has written about the history and theory of animation for the following journals and book: ITINERA – Rivista di Filosofia e di Teoria delle Arti; Animation – A World History by Giannalberto Bendazzi; Animation Studies Online Journal; Cabiria – Studi di Cinema; and The International Journal of Visual Design (co-author).

PhD Thesis Title

​UPA: Redesigning Animation

My experience at ADM

When I started my doctoral studies at ADM, I could never have imagined what a formative learning experience it would be, both professionally and personally.

I applied to ADM to enhance my knowledge about the History and Theory of Animation and to become a professional in the field of animation’s critical studies. Back then, I couldn’t imagine that I would have also had some practical lessons. The best thing about studying at ADM was the possibility to learn from some unique professors, whose expertise was generously at the service of the students. I still remember some lectures I had the privilege to attend and how much the taught principles and concepts still resonate with my professional life.

The most important thing I learned at ADM is to value the contribution of every person and to be humble and consistent in my work. The biggest highlight of my career has been the publication of my Ph.D. thesis into a book.

What’s been the biggest highlight of your career so far?

My most recent work is the book ​Redesigning Animation: United Productions of America​ (CRC/Focal Press, 2017), which came out from my Ph.D. dissertation. Book info

Do you have any advice for current or future students?

My advice for current and future students is to take advantage of all the learning tools, lectures and facilities that the University provide them, and to try to learn from everything they encounter in their every-day life. And for the international students, I recommend to explore and enjoy the South-East Asian culture as much as possible.
Websites https://it.linkedin.com/in/cinzia-bottini-a3555916​
https://www.flickr.com/photos/cinziabottini/albums​


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Luo Shen Shen
 PhD Thesis Title

​A Design Theory to Experience Cultural Heritage Through Animation Media Installations in Theme Parks

I will conduct a comparative study on theme parks in the contemporary era by applying their artistic laws. This research starts with modern animation installations, to explore the cultural heritage resources used in the design of contemporary theme parks. I will try to find out the design theory of the theme park and other similar places.

Research Area(s)
  • Filmmaking
  • Animation Installation Applications in Cultural Heritage
  • Animation History
  • Design Theory of Theme Parks
Supervisor
Co-Supervisor 		Assoc Prof Andrea Nanetti
Prof Ben Shedd


MOHAMMAD JAVAD KHAJAVI
Mohammad Javad Khajavi.jpg 		M Javad Khajavi is a digital media artist and scholar who is deeply invested in interdisciplinary research approaches that are informed by practice-led research, design thinking, and methods and tools in digital humanities. He is currently an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Media of Volda University College in Norway, where he also serves as the head of the division of Animation and Digital Arts. The underlying focus of his research is to investigate issues of representation and perception in animation-based media, including information and data visualization, scientific and medical animation, Virtual Reality, Immersive media and Game. He recently finished a book titled Arabic Script in Motion: A Theory of Time-based Calligraphic Art, which is scheduled to be published by Palgrave McMillan in 2019. In this book, he theorized the temporal behaviors of Arabic letterforms for time-based arts, screen media and computer programming, and investigated the influences of those behaviors on viewers’ perception of temporal typography in terms of legibility and readability.

Research Interests:
  • Theorizing animation-based media
  • Information and Data Visualization
  • Scientific and medical animation
  • Immersive media and Virtual Reality
  • Game Studies
Websites http://www.javadkhajavi.com/​
https://hivolda.academia.edu/MJavadKhajavi​
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/M_Javad_Khajavi​
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mjavadkhajavi/


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YU MENG TING
 Mengting Yu is an art historian, artist and scholar with a multidisciplinary background in fine arts, design, art history and curatorial related studies. She recently received her Ph.D. in art history from the School of Art, Design and Media, Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore, under the supervision of Professor Michael J. K. Walsh. Her research interests include painting, London’s early Modernism, women artists and women art education in cross-cultural contexts.

PhD Thesis Title

“A Talented and Decorative Group”: A Re-examination of London’s Women Artists, 1900-1914

I am currently working on converting my thesis manuscript into a book.

Initially, ADM attracted me for being part of a leading research university (NTU) with established reputation. I was also fascinated by some of the research projects led by the ADM professors.

The best thing about studying at the ADM for me is that I have met some great people (professors, students as well as staff members) with marvelous minds. In particular, I met my supervisor Prof Michael J. K. Walsh, who had initial interest to my research subject and consistently provided supports during my investigative process. His patience, enthusiasm, commitment have had a significant impact on my research and on me. I would highly recommend him to future students for his supervision.

  • Learning how to learn (hard and soft skills)
  • Ability to master and do original research in any subject systematically, methodologically and efficiently
  • Persistence and patience
  • Work and life balance
  • Time management
  • Critical thinking


During my PhD years, I successfully received Research Support grants from the Paul Mellon Centre for Studies of British Art, Yale University on two occasions in support of my trips to London in April 2015 and December 2016, as well as a Dissertation Fellowship from Harry Ransom Centre, University of Texas at Austin in 2015 to visit its collections of rare manuscripts and works of art.

  • Get to know your supervisor before you begin your PhD.
  • Students and supervisors might have different working styles, for this developing and establishing a ground-rule that works for both parties will be very helpful from the start of supervision. So communicate with your supervisors the kind of assistance you might need, and don’t be afraid to ask fro help when you need it.
  • Allow backward steps after making forward steps in the learning process.
  • Familiarize yourself with the research resources available at the ADM and make the most of them.
  • There is free counseling services available on campus and please seek help when you want to talk to someone about anything.
​Supervisor Prof Michael J. K. Walsh
Websites https://www.linkedin.com/in/mengtingyu/

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