My name is Victor Zappi, I am a Marie Curie Fellow working between the Human Communication Technologies lab [University of British Columbia] and the department of Advanced Robotics [Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia].
As an Electronic Engineer and a New Media Artist, I have a provocative attitude towards research. I am currently investigating how creativity can be used to push the boundaries of HCI and design, focusing in particular on the physiological and psychological processes that influence the way we interact with technology. One of the strongest sources of inspiration throughout this long journey that spreads across different projects is art and, in particular, music.
I obtained my Ph.D. in Computer Science Engineering at the IIT in 2012, investigating the usage of Virtual Reality technologies in audio/visual performances. I then joined the Sound Music Movement Interaction group at the Institut de Recherche et Coordination Acoustique/Musique, working on sound augmentation of real and virtual environments. My next destination was Queen Mary University of London, where I moved in 2013 to work as Postdoctoral Research and Teaching Assistant at the Centre for Digital Music, in the Augmented Instruments Laboratory; here I specialized in Digital Musical Instrument design and I focused on creative appropriation of technologies. My work at UBC has been heavily influenced by this experience.
Throughout my career I had the chance to teach and mentor talented students. I believe teaching is a great responsibility. To teach means to foster culture, regardless the specific subject, and culture is one of the keys to improve the world we live in. I feel a great excitement about this.
On a more egocentric note, my artistic production includes electroacoustic music, interactive performances and audio/visual installations.
My research and my art would not be possible without all the amazing people I have been collaborating with.