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ProfessorLeon Gurevitch

Head of School

School of Design Innovation

Orcid identifier0000-0002-8124-5856
  • Head of School
    School of Design Innovation
  • +6444636207 (Work)
  • VS 235A, Te Aro Campus, 139 Vivian Street, Wellington, 6011, New Zealand

BIO

Leon's research covers areas of convergence between art and science, design and technology, collaborative and cross-disciplinary projects with a focus on Digital Simulation and Imaging Industries. Applied design sociology gathering data regarding individual and collective human social behavior. Such data is applied to both traditional academic analysis and less conventional design research outputs (usable software tools, visual representations, social science communication videos, photography and data-visualization). Interested in both design research, academic output and public engagement through the possibilities emerging from software culture and publicly available data. For more detail on Leon' research projects see the personal website link on the left hand side of the page.

General research areas:
Design, Science and Technology Studies, Software Studies, Labour Practices and Tech Industries, Automation and Industry, Innovation and Skills Migration, Cultural Analytics, Data-Visualization, VR/AR and Stereoscopic Media, Games and VFX Industries, Weta Digital, Animation Film and Media, Sustainable Design, Eco-Media, Photographics, Design Sociology, Energy Cultures, 3D Technologies, Game Engines, Employment Futures.

Current research projects:
+ The Digital Workshops of the World
+ Astrodata
+ Google Warming
+ Energy Architectures
+ Astrophoto
+ The Cinemas of Transactions
+ The Analogical Engines

ACADEMIC POSITIONS

  • Head of School
    Victoria University of Wellington, School of Design, Wellington, New Zealand6 Jan 2025 - present
  • Professor
    Victoria University of Wellington, The School of Design, Wellington, New Zealand1 Jan 2025 - present
  • Associate Professor
    Victoria University of Wellington, School of Design, Wellington, New Zealand1 Jan 2017 - 31 Dec 2024
  • Associate Dean Research
    Victoria University of Wellington, Faculty of Architecture and Design, Wellington, New Zealand1 Feb 2021 - 1 Jul 2024
  • Deputy Head of School
    Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand1 Jan 2017 - 1 Jan 2018
  • Invited Scholar - The Cultural Analytics Group
    University of California, Los Angeles, Institute for Pure and Applied Mathematics, Los Angeles, United States1 Jan 2016 - 1 Jun 2016
  • Invited Scholar - Entertainment Technologies
    University of California, Santa Barbara, Department of Film and Media, Santa Barbara, United States1 Jul 2016 - 1 Dec 2016
  • Chair - School Research Committee
    Victoria University of Wellington, School of Design, Wellington, New Zealand1 Jan 2012 - 1 Dec 2015
  • Acting Deputy Head of School
    Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand1 Jan 2014 - 1 Jan 2015
  • Invited Scholar - Media and Technology
    Shanghai Normal University, School of Film and TV, Shanghai, China1 Jun 2014 - 31 Jul 2014
  • Programme Director
    Victoria University of Wellington, School of Design, Wellington, New Zealand1 Jan 2011 - 31 Dec 2014
  • Postgraduate Coordinator
    Victoria University of Wellington, School of Design, Wellington, New Zealand1 Jan 2010 - 31 Dec 2010
  • Lecturing Fellow
    Lancaster University, Sociology, Film and Media, Lancaster, United Kingdom1 Oct 2003 - 30 Jun 2008

NON-ACADEMIC POSITIONS

  • Advisory Consultant
    Lane Street Studios, Upper Hutt, New Zealand1 Jul 2020 - present
  • Digital Media Programme and Education Manager
    The Dukes Theatre, Film and Media, Lancaster, United Kingdom1 Jun 2005 - 1 Aug 2008
  • AV Technician and Projectionist
    Centre for Contemporary Arts, Programme and Events, Glasgow, United Kingdom1 Jun 2000 - 1 Jun 2002

DEGREES

  • PhD
    Lancaster University, Lancaster, United Kingdom1 Jun 2002 - 2 Jun 2008
  • MA Honours
    University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom1 Sep 1997 - 2 Jul 2001

CERTIFICATIONS

  • Visual Effects Society Fellow
    Visual Effects Society, Wellington, New Zealand1 Jul 2015 - present
  • Certificate of Teaching and Learning
    Lancaster University, Lancaster, United Kingdom1 Oct 2004 - present

AVAILABILITY

  • Masters Research or PhD student supervision
  • Collaborative projects
  • Industry Projects
  • Media enquiries
  • Membership of an advisory committee
  • Mentoring (long-term)

FIELDS OF RESEARCH