Debora Verniz, PhD
Assistant Professor
Debora Verniz is a researcher in Design and Computation. She holds a Ph.D. in Architecture from The Pennsylvania State University (2022). Her Ph.D. research focused on developing a framework to plan accessible housing settlements in a mass-customized fashion.
Debora is an alumna of the University of São Paulo (Brazil), where she earned her bachelor’s in architecture and urban planning (2009) and her M.S. in architecture, urban planning, and technology (2013). Debora is originally from Brazil, and she loves to travel. She tries to make it back home to visit her extended family every year. She has a very sweet cat and two adorable kids that she will talk exhaustively about if you ask anything about any of them!
At the University of Missouri, she is the co-director of the ILab together with Doctor Kim and she is also responsible for the Fabrication Lab. Her research interests are shape grammar, parametric/computational design, virtual/ immersive/ augmented reality, 3D scanning, and rapid prototyping. Dr. Verniz is actively working with other faculty and graduate students on the research project “Identifying Barriers to Healthcare Facilities”. Since starting at Mizzou Dr Verniz has taught Design Studios (I, II, and III) in the past. She teaches computing classes (Intro to AutoCAD and Design Communication) and Digital Fabrication (undergraduate and graduate) on the regular.
Teaching Philosophy
The main goal I have for my students is that they become skillful learners and problem-solvers. Technology changes fast and some knowledge one has today might be already outdated in a short period of time. We live in the Digital/Information Revolution era and the students need to be ready to adapt to technologic changes. I prepare my students to take actions when they face a challenge:1. To understand the issue; 2. To recognize what is lacking; 3. To think on different ways that it can be solved; 4. To analyze what is the best way to solve it; 5. To take the action needed to solve it.
Recent Published Work
Verniz, Debora, Pisani, Valentina, Bitsicas, Katina. 2024. Experiencing arts in an immersive environment. Using the ARS survey to compare art appreciation. Estevez, A. T., Torreblanca-Díaz, D. A., Abdallah, Y. K., Orciuoli, A. (org), Biodigital Intelligent Systems – Proceedings of the SiGradi 2024.
Haque, Mohamed Obidul; Kim, Jong Bum, Verniz, Debora. 2024. Heathcare BIM: A computational compliance checking method to improve accessibility in hospital buildings. Estevez, A. T., Torreblanca-Díaz, D. A., Abdallah, Y. K., Orciuoli, A. (org), Biodigital Intelligent Systems – Proceedings of the SiGradi 2024.
Verniz, Debora; Duarte, José P. June 26-28, 2024. How restrictive building and planning codes hinder affordable housing settlements: The case of Santa Marta. Livable Cities. London, July 2024. AMPS (conference presentation, manuscript ready for publication under AMPS).
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Highlighted Research/Work
