A selection of projects that reflect my commitment to activism, storytelling, and scholarship. Each piece represents a unique blend of research, creativity, and collaboration, highlighting my dedication to using communication as a tool for social impact.
An immersive media experience that documents daily life in Gaza through virtual reality, showing its history, culture, and resilience. I proposed the project during my master’s at CSUSB. With the support of XREAL Lab, I co-founded it and have since been co-directing with Dr. Ahlam Muhtaseb.
This 360-degree film documents the aftermath of the earthquake that struck Turkey on February 6, 2023. It shares the stories of Syrian refugees living in the affected areas, highlighting their suffering as they endured displacement and loss for a second time after fleeing their homeland.
This experimental film, created more as a personal hobby, uses 360-degree filming and planetarium immersive tools to guide viewers on a journey exploring the afterlife through the perspective of the departed body.
Short documentary about the effects of war on Syrian women refugees living in Turkey, presented at the International Antalya Film Festival. 2016, October.
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Selected keynote addresses and invited talks delivered at universities, conferences, and public forums. These events highlight my commitment to sharing research and creative work with diverse audiences, bridging scholarship, activism, and community engagement.
February 21, 2025
I was honored to deliver a keynote speech alongside Dr. Ahlam Muhtaseb at A Lens Onto Ourselves: Gaza and a Reckoning for Urban Planning, a conference organized by MIT’s Department of Urban Studies and Planning (DUSP) on February 21, 2025. The event brought together a distinguished group of scholars and experts. The event was sponsored by MIT Aga Khan Program for Islamic Architecture (AKPIA), MIT Global Health and Medical Humanities Initiative (GHMHI), DUSP Displacement Research Action Network (DRAN), DUSP Bemis Fund, DUSP City Design and Development (CDD), DUSP International Development Group (IDG), DUSP Housing Community and Economic Development (HCED), DUSP Racially Just Research Initiative, MIT CSF, MIT MSA, MIT Mobin, Mipsterz, MIT Data + Feminism Lab, Palestine at MIT, MIT Jews for Collective Liberation and Religion, Conflict, and Peace Initiative at Religion and Public Life Program at Harvard Divinity School.
December 3, 2024
I was honored to deliver a keynote speech alongside Dr. Ahlam Muhtaseb at Yale University, where we introduced The Phoenix of Gaza XR project and discussed the significance of immersive technologies in fostering empathy, preserving memory, and supporting reconstruction. The event was co-sponsored by Yale Center for the Study of Race, Indigeneity, and Transnational Migration; Institute for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage; Whitney Humanities Center; MacMillan Council on Middle East Studies; Department of the History of Art; School of Architecture; AntiArab Racism and Islamophobia Lecture Series; Center for Collaborative Arts and Media.
December 4 and 5, 2024
Over the course of two days, I was honored to speak about the power of immersive technologies for social change alongside a distinguished group of scholars and speakers. The event was sponsored by the Department of African American Studies, the Center for Digital Humanities, the Ida B. Wells JUST Data Lab, the Palestinian Studies Colloquium, the Program in Media & Modernity, the Princeton Humanities Council, the Princeton Institute for International and Regional Studies, Students for Justice in Palestine, the Liechtenstein Institute on Self-Determination, and the University Center for Human Values.
February 24-25, 2025
I was honored to delvie a keynote address alongside Dr. Helga Tawil and Dr. Ahlam muhtaseb to discuss the intersections of surveillance and digital media in portraying Gaza in its multitudes through immersive technologies. The event was presented by the Global Technology for Social Justice Lab (GloTech) and supported by the Departments of Anthropology, Communication, Journalism, Landscape Architecture & Regional Planning, Social Thought and Political Economy, Women, Gender, Sexuality Studies, and the Ethnography Collective at UMass Amherst.
A selection of immersive exhibitions and installations that bring research, storytelling, and activism into public spaces. All of these exhibitions were made possible through The Phoenix of Gaza XR project. Out of more than 100 invitations we received last year, our team was only able to accommodate about 30. I am deeply grateful for the dedication of my co-founder, Dr. Ahlam Muhtseb, and our entire team, especially our photojournalist, Yahya Sobeih, who was recently killed in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza. His spirit will live on through the powerful work he captured.
See All ExhibitionsThe VR exhibition was sponsored by the Department of African American Studies, Center for Digital Humanities, Ida B. Wells JUST Data Lab, Palestinian Studies Colloquium, Program in Media & Modernity, Princeton Humanities Council, Princeton Institute for International and Regional Studies, Students for Justice in Palestine, Liechtenstein Institute on Self-Determination, and University Center for Human Values. Princeton University.
Co-sponsored by Yale Center for the Study of Race, Indigeneity, and Transnational Migration; Institute for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage; Whitney Humanities Center; MacMillan Council on Middle East Studies; Department of the History of Art; School of Architecture; AntiArab Racism and Islamophobia Lecture Series; Center for Collaborative Arts and Media. Yale University.
Phoenix of Gaza XR VR Exhibition, A Lens Onto Ourselves: Gaza and a Reckoning for Urban Planning Conference at MIT. Co-sponsered by MIT Aga Khan Program for Islamic Architecture (AKPIA), MIT Global Health and Medical Humanities Initiative (GHMHI), DUSP Displacement Research Action Network (DRAN), DUSP Bemis Fund, DUSP City Design and Development (CDD), DUSP International Development Group (IDG), DUSP Housing Community and Economic Development (HCED), DUSP Racially Just Research Initiative, MIT CSF, MIT MSA, MIT Mobin, Mipsterz, MIT Data + Feminism Lab, Palestine at MIT, MIT Jews for Collective Liberation and Religion, Conflict, and Peace Initiative at Religion and Public Life Program at Harvard Divinity School
Held in Bologna, Italy, the exhibition honored our photojournalist Yahya Sobeih, whose powerful footage formed the heart of the experience. Killed in a recent Israeli airstrike in Gaza, Yahya’s lens captured the everyday resilience of its people, allowing his voice to live on through this project. From May 13–18, the exhibition ran daily from 3 PM to 11 PM, fully booked at every slot, with over 500 attendees. It offered an immersive journey into Gaza, its people, history, and resilience—made possible by 30+ volunteers, partner organizations, and dedicated technicians.
A collection of virtual reality projects and showcases designed to transport audiences into the lived realities of Gaza. These immersive works blend storytelling, technology, and activism to preserve memory, foster empathy, and reimagine possibilities for liberation.
Fiske Planterium, Dome Fest West
The full-dome film was competitively selected for screening at The Dome Fest West Festival, one of the leading festivals dedicated to immersive dome cinema. This prestigious event celebrates immersive storytelling, cutting-edge technology, and groundbreaking fulldome films. The film was also honored as the audience’s third favorite selection.
Fiske Planterium
I organized this show as a guest speaker for the Intro to Critical Media Production class, in collaboration with CU Boulder’s Department of Media Studies, the Center for Documentary and Ethnographic Media, the Immersive Media Lab, and the Center for Media, Religion, and Culture. The event featured a high-level technical performance that combined livestreamed footage of Gaza’s night sky, a live artistic performance, and 360-degree video adapted for the planetarium dome.
Black Box Studio. CU Boulder
This mixed-reality show combined Black Box projections with eight VR headsets. While eight participants experienced The Phoenix of Gaza through the VR headsets, the rest of the audience viewed their perspectives on large-scale projections. The show was enhanced with immersive sound design and advanced lighting, creating a powerful sensory journey that transported the audience to Gaza.
This event was presented as part of the Documentary Lab showcases at CU Boulder and was open to graduate students, faculty, and the public.
