جامعة اليمامة الخبر

Dr. Shaden Abusafieh

Assistant Professor of Architecture

Biography

Dr. Shaden Fakhri Abusafieh is an Assistant Professor of Architecture in the College of Engineering at Al Yamamah University. She has over twenty years of academic and professional experience in architectural education, research, and leadership. Her career reflects a consistent commitment to advancing architectural pedagogy, sustainable design, and integrating emerging technologies in higher education.

Before joining Al Yamamah University, Dr. Abusafieh served as Head of the Department of Architecture at Middle East University (MEU), Jordan, where she led strategic curriculum development, faculty mentoring, and preparations for NAAB international accreditation. She has also held academic appointments at Al-Ahliyya Amman University, the University of Bahrain, Applied Science University, and King Faisal University in Saudi Arabia. In these roles, she contributed to curriculum modernization, interdisciplinary teaching, and the development of student-centered learning environments.

Dr. Abusafieh’s research focuses on environmental psychology, human-centered and sustainable design, and the intersections of digital transformation and design pedagogy. She has published in peer-reviewed international journals and contributed to book chapters and conference proceedings. Her work has been presented at prominent international conferences, where she has also delivered keynote lectures and chaired specialized sessions.

She has received multiple awards for her contributions to teaching and supervision, including the Tamayouz Award for supervising one of the Top 100 International Graduation Projects (2021) and the ISUSTAIN Award for supervising two of the Top 10 Regional Graduation Projects (2018–2020). She has also been recognized for initiatives supporting women’s leadership and empowerment in higher education

Dr. Abusafieh holds a Ph.D. in Architecture from Helwan University (Egypt), an M.Sc. in Architectural Engineering from Jordan University of Science and Technology (with fellowship at Argonne National Laboratory, USA), and a B.Sc. in Architectural Engineering from the same institution, all with First Class Honors

Her expertise spans environmental psychology and behavior studies in architecture, sustainable and human-centered design, heritage preservation and adaptive reuse, interdisciplinary design pedagogy, and the integration of AI into architectural education.

Publications

  • Empowering Digital Transformation in Higher Education: Assessing the Effectiveness of Asynchronous Online Learning in Architecture Pedagogy, Open House International, OHI-01-2025-0013.R1, 2025
  • “The Role of Fractal Patterns in Modulating Stress Response and Recovery in Virtual Interior Environments,” Building and Environment, 2025.
  • An interdisciplinary reflective approach to promote architectural design pedagogy: Animating basic design principles by music visualizer" Open House International, DOI: 10.1108/OHI-04-2022-0108. x July 2022.
  • Abusafieh, S., Muwahıd, N., Muwahıd, R. & Alhawatmah, L. (2022). The Effectiveness of Kindergarten Buildings in Jordan: Shaping the Future toward Child-Friendly Architecture. The Eurasia Proceedings of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, 17, 161-174. DOI: 10.55549/epstem. 1176080
  • "From Genius Loci to Sustainability: Conciliating Between the Spirit of Place and Time—A Case Study on the Old City of Al-Salt." Sustainable Vernacular Architecture- How the Past Can Enrich the Future. Springer International Publishing, Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2019.
  • "The Conflict Between Aesthetics and Sustainability: Empowering Sustainable Architecture with Aesthetics to Enhance People's Lifestyle and Sustainable Behavior." Renewable Energy and Sustainable Buildings: Selected Papers from the World Renewable Energy Congress WREC 2018. Springer International Publishing, Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2019.
  • "Human Behavior and Environmental Sustainability: promoting pro-environmental behavior by harnessing the social, psychological, and physical influences of the built environment." World Renewable Energy Congress – XVII Bahrain: 3-8 December 2016, E3S Web of Conferences, Volume 23 (2017) 02003.
  • "The Effect of the Angle between Navigation Paths and Transitional Spaces on Spatial Knowledge." Journal of Architectural and Planning Research, Vol. 27. No. 1, Spring 2010.

Certificates and Awards

  • BOLDCapacity Building Workshop series- The University of Strathclyde 2024
  • Qualify Implementation: Strategies and Methodologies in Developing Assignments, Assessments, and Curriculum Delivery. Arab Trainers Union, 2023
  • Recognized for initiatives supporting women’s empowerment in academic and professional settings.
  • Certificate of Entrepreneurship and Training Program, 2022
  • Creative Thinking and Design
  • Advanced
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Change
  • Certification of Competency/ BIG DATA General Level- IIOE UNESCO, 2021
  • Certificate/ Tamayouz Award for supervising one of the Top 100 International Graduation Projects 2021.
  • First Award/ Supervisor – Competition for the best Graduation Project for Architecture students in Jordan 2010.
  • Certificate/ Award for supervising one of the best ten scientific research projects in the 21st Creative Student Forum 2019/ UAE
  • Certificate/ ISUSTAIN Award for supervising Two of the Top 10 Regional Graduation projects 2018 - 2020.
  • Certification/ Award for designing the layout and decorations of the National Technology Parade 2008 Exhibition.
  • Certification of Competency/ Innovation and Creative Thinking/ JU
  • Communication Skills (9 Credit Hours), 29 September - 1 October / 2009. Applied Science University, Amman / Jordan.
  • Staff Development (9 Credit Hours), 17-19 February 2009, Applied Science University, Amman / Jordan.
  • Fusion 360, Autodesk training course (Autodesk Certified User).
  • Revit- Architecture, Autodesk training course (Autodesk Certified User).
  • Rhino Professional Certificate, MACNEEL & PARTNERS LTD
  • SPSS, 27 June – 1 July 2010 (10 Credit Hours), Jordanian Engineers Association/
  • Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, and Acrobat (45 Credit Hours), Grapheast Com., Applied Science University, Jordan.

Conferences

  • "Empowering Digital Transformation in Higher Education: The Effectiveness of Asynchronous Online " 7th International Conference of Contemporary Affairs in Architecture and Urbanism, ICCAUA 2024. Alania, Turkey
  • "Professionalizing study A Case Study of The Department of Architecture, Middle East University." The Eighth Conference: Training, Vocational and Technical Education and Training. Amman, Jordan 2023.
  • "An Interdisciplinary Approach to Promote Creativity in Design Pedagogy: Animating Basic Design Principles by Music Visualizer." Second International Conference on Academic Research in Science, Technology, and Engineering, Vienna, December 3 – 5, 2019
  • Virtual Reality Simulation of Architectural Clues' Effects on Human Behavior and Decision Making in Fire Emergency Evacuation." 5th International Conference on Pedestrian Evacuation March 2010, MD, USA. (Published 2011)
  • "Towards Child-Friendly Environment: A case study of kindergarten in " 21st Creative Student Forum. UAE, October 2019.
  • The partnership between higher education institutions and the labor market Conference. Ministry of Higher Education, in cooperation with the United Nations Development Program. 2009
  • World Renewable Energy Congress. Kingston University London, UK. Monday 30 July - Friday 3 August 2018 - Invited Speaker.
  • The Eighth Conference on Scientific Research in Jordan, November 2017, Amman/ Jordan. - Invited Speaker.
  • The 5th Jordan International Architectural Conference – November 2016. Amman/ - Invited Speaker.
  • World Renewable Energy Congress – XVII, Bahrain: 3-8 December - Invited Speaker-

Teaching

Courses taught with a strong emphasis on interdisciplinary research practices that bridge design, theory, and pedagogy:

  • Senior Thesis Research and Graduation Project
  • Behavior Studies in Architecture
  • Research Methodology
  • Basic Design and Architectural Design / Different Levels
  • Interior Design Studio and Landscape Design
  • Building construction and Production Drawings
  • Presentation techniques
  • History of Architecture

Services

  • Member of the Academic Curriculum and Education Committee, Jordan Society of Engineering, 2022–2025
  • Member of the Women and Leadership in Higher Education Network
  • Member of Quality Assurance Committees, MEU
  • Member of Jordan Society of Engineering, Amman
  • Architect - Chief Specialist
  • Steering Committee member at World Renewable Energy Network (WREN)
  • Committee member at Jordan National Building Council
  • Member of the Jordanian National Forum for Women
  • Member of the Automation and Online Education Committee
  • Attended and engaged in discussions at the Women’s Entrepreneurship Conference at the German Jordanian University, focusing on challenges and opportunities for women in higher education.
  • Explored gender equity and women’s roles in underserved communities, including refugee camps, through research projects and academic inquiry.
  • Contributed to discussions and initiatives on women’s leadership and empowerment in higher education.
  • Keynote Speaker at the 7th Architectural Conference, 27-28 April 2024, Amman,
  • International Summer School 2023- Brescia/Italy "Designing Soil and Subsoil Spaces in Architecture. Analysis and Enhancement of Disused Military Sites of the Cold War".
  • Rome winter school 2023 "Advisor and Scientific Committee"- Urban Parametric Design Optimization- Space Syntax - DepthMap X - Rhinoceros 7 – Grasshopper - Urbano & DeCodingSpaces – VisualARQ - Gizmo plugin
  • Member of the Building National Codes Developing Committee "Interior Building National Codes"- the Jordan National Building Council and the Royal Scientific Society.
  • Designing and Creating Automated Online Course: Basic Design / Architecture Engineering Department/ College of Architecture and Design/ AAU.
  • External Examiner/External Verifier for the Various Faculties at Royal University for Women in the Kingdom of Bahrain 2014
  • Invited Speaker. World Renewable Energy Congress. Kingston University London, UK. Monday 30 July - Friday 3 August 2018
  • Invited Speaker. The Eighth Conference on Scientific Research in Jordan, November 2017, Amman/ Jordan.
  • Invited Speaker. The 5th Jordan International Architectural Conference – November 2016. Amman/
  • Invited Speaker- World Renewable Energy Congress – XVII, Bahrain: 3-8 December
  • Design the layout and decorations of the National Technology Parade 2008
  • Certificate/ Online learning methods, TEAMS, ZOOM, MOODEL/ AAU, Jordan

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