Sherif M. Abdelmohsen

Associate Professor - Department of Architecture School of Sciences and Engineering The American University in Cairo Cairo, Egypt

Biography

Sherif Abdelmohsen is an associate professor of digital media and design computing in architecture at the Department of Architecture in the American University in Cairo (AUC), Egypt. He received his PhD in architecture from Georgia Tech, USA (2011), and MSc (2004) and BSc (2000) in architectural engineering from Ain Shams University, Egypt. He participated in design computing research and teaching at Carnegie Mellon University, Georgia Tech, the British University in Egypt, the Arab Academy for Science, Technology and Maritime Transport, the Future University in Egypt, and Ain Shams University. His courses and design studios involve computational design, theories of architecture, and advanced building technology at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.

Abdelmohsen has over 40 articles, book chapters and publications in international peer-reviewed conferences and journals and served as member of scientific committees and editorial boards for several international journals and research funding agencies. His research lies in areas at the intersection of design cognition and design computing, including cognitive processes in design, qualitative methods in design research, space layout planning, responsive architecture, parametric design, digital fabrication, building information modeling (BIM), smart building management, and automated assessment of building models. His recent research involves several topics, including the development of low-cost soft adaptive façade systems using hygroscopic properties of wood, automated post-occupancy space management using BIM and GIS, and the design and fabrication of complex facades using robotic depositing and multi-point forming.

At the professional level, Abdelmohsen has participated in international competitions and in designing several architectural projects including residential buildings and towers, mixed use complexes, office buildings, museums, libraries, exhibitions, and mosques in the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Italy, Germany and Egypt. He is also co-founder and managing partner at UDAAR, an international company specialized in architecture, computational design research, and smart building management solutions.

Abdelmohsen has supervised and examined 17 MSc students and five PhD students. He participated in several public talks, international exhibitions, workshops, panel sessions, and design reviews in the USA, UK, Germany, Turkey, France, Chile, Austria, Lebanon, and Egypt. He was awarded the Young Active Researcher Award for outstanding research activity (2013), the Faculty Award of Merit for best doctoral presentation (2012), and the ARCC/King Student Medal for Excellence in Architectural + Environmental Design Research (2009). He is an associate member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA), a member of the Golden Key International Honor Society, and the International Experts for Research Enrichment and Knowledge Exchange (IEREK).