DrÍtalo Sousa de Sena
Lecturer/Assistant Professor in Digital Landscape Design
School of Architecture, Planning and Environmental Policy
- Lecturer/Assistant Professor in Digital Landscape DesignSchool of Architecture, Planning and Environmental Policy
- 01 716 3245
- University College Dublin, School of Architecture Planning and Environmental Policy, Richview Newstead Belfield Dublin 4
BIO
Ítalo de Sena is an Assistant Professor in Digital Landscape Design in the School of Architecture, Planning and Environmental Policy at University College Dublin (UCD). He joined UCD in 2023 as a postdoctoral researcher for the Horizon 2020 project HeritACT, also contributing to the Horizon 2020 project SCORE. In 2023, Ítalo was co-awarded funding by Research Ireland for the project Craft-my-Street, which leverages Minecraft's spatial game mechanics and virtual environment to facilitate public participation and engagement in climate action and urban planning.
Ítalo's expertise includes Geographical Virtual Environments and immersive landscape visualization. Following the completion of doctoral studies, Ítalo undertook postdoctoral research at Masaryk University in the Czech Republic (2021-2022), focusing on transforming geospatial data into interactive virtual environments. During this period, his involvement included collecting eye-tracking data in Bulgaria, Germany, and Armenia, as well as testing VR applications and Minecraft educational scenarios.
Furthermore, Ítalo has served as an external researcher at the Geoprocessing Laboratory of the School of Architecture at UFMG and the Geogames Lab at Iowa State University. His research has been dedicated to exploring the potential of Minecraft as a tool for landscape visualization and planning. His areas of specialization encompass GIS, remote sensing, environmental analysis, geotourism, and geoconservation.
His academic background includes a degree in Geography from the Federal University of São João Del-Rei (2013), a Master's degree in Analysis and Modeling of Environmental Systems from the Federal University of Minas Gerais (2015), and a Ph.D. in Geography from the same institution (2019). His doctoral research investigated the application of geogames to enhance player perception of significant landscapes through the recreation of the UNESCO World Heritage site, Ouro Preto, Brazil, within Minecraft. This resulted in the development of GeoMinasCraft, a geogame offering a virtual environment for visualizing and interacting with the geo-historical aspects of the landscape, including its 300-year history of mining activity and urban development in relation to historical mining sites.
Beyond academic research, Ítalo has contributed to various projects, including municipal master plan reviews using GIS, as well as providing physical environmental reports for numerous housing and mining projects in Brazil.
In addition to professional practice, Ítalo is a co-founder of Vertentes Espeleogrupo (VEG), a speleology group dedicated to the exploration and study of caves in the Campo das Vertentes Region, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
UNIVERSITY COLLEGE DUBLIN APPOINTMENTS
- Programme Director - Bsc Landscape ArchitectureUniversity College Dublin, School of Architecture, Planning and Environmental Policy, Dublin, Ireland1 Mar 2025
- Director of CommunicationsUniversity College Dublin, School of Architecture, Planning and Environmental Policy, Dublin, Ireland1 Nov 2025
ACADEMIC POSITIONS
- Lecturer/Assistant Professor in Digital Landscape DesignUniversity College Dublin, Architecture, Planning and Environmental Policy, Dublin, Ireland1 Jan 2025
- Teaching FellowUniversity College Dublin, Architecture, Planning and Environmental Policy, Dublin, Ireland1 Sep 2024 - 31 Dec 2024
- Postdoctoral Researcher HeritACTUniversity College Dublin, Architecture, Planning and Environmental Policy, Dublin, Ireland17 Apr 2023 - 31 Dec 2024
DEGREES
- Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.), Licenciatura in Geography (B.Ed.)Federal University of Sao Joao del-Rei Brazil
- MA, Masters in Analysis and Modeling of Environmental SystemsFederal University of Minas Gerais
- PhD, PhD in GeographyFederal University of Minas Gerais
LANGUAGES
- EnglishCan read, write, speak, understand and peer review
- PortugueseCan read, write, speak, understand and peer review