Dr. Maryam Mahvash, Research Associate

Dr. Mahvash is an architectural academic and researcher. She holds a PhD in Architecture from the University of Tehran (2006) where she also received her Master's degree in Urban design (2000). She also has a Master of Architecture from Tehran Azad University (1997). Prior to her relocation to Vancouver, she had taught at several universities, including the University of Tehran College of Fine Arts and served as scientific adviser for several architectural and urban design conferences, festivals, publications and periodicals. She has published several papers in academic and professional journals and has spoken and presented her work in conferences including a presentation of the findings of her doctoral research at 2010 Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC) Annual Conference and Festival in Saskatoon. 

Dr. Mahvash’s interests span the broader context of Persian studies as well as history and theory of architecture; while her specialty is the study of qualitative dimensions of daylighting in historical architecture of Persia. Her most recent presentation, titled "In Praise of Light in Historical Persian Architecture", was at the Department of Asian Studies of University of British Columbia in March 2012. Her research at the Centre will focus on the comparative study of daylighting in Safavid and Seljuq Mosques of the greater Persia (beyond current political borders).