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CV

_ Summary

Renia Papathanasiou is sound engineer and XR designer, developer and producer. She completed her studies at the Department of Music Technology and Acoustics of the Hellenic Mediterranean University in Rethymno, Crete and she holds a Master of Arts in "Art, virtual reality and multi-user systems of artistic expression" (a collaboration between the Athens School of Fine Arts and the department of Arts and Technologies of the Image of the Paris 8 University).

 

She has worked as a music teacher as well as an event manager and senior manager in fields related to the music industry in Athens and Crete. Since 2013 her research concentrates in extended reality systems and artistic interactive installations as well as in the involvement of extended reality systems in education especially addressed to special-needs populations via ludic environments. 

 

Her individual and team works have been presented in several conferences and festivals, including the IEEE VR2015 in Arles, the Digital Storytelling in Times of Crisis in Athens, the International Conference: The Future of Education, 5th Edition (2015) in Florence-Italy, Festival Miden in Kalamata, the 5th International eLife Dual Congress in Greece, the Invisible Cities Conference (University of Athens, Communication and Media Department) in Athens, the exhibition “Dream Minds in Virtual Bodies” at the metamatic Taf gallery in Athens, in Layer One Conference Greece 2018 etc. 

 

Since 2016 she works also as a tutor in several educational seminars on design and creation of immersive interactive experiences using XR technologies and game development, in collaboration with the Onassis Foundation, Panteion University and Space Under and since 2018 she co-organizes the Global Game Jam Athens. 

 

She is the co-founder and Managing Director of ViRA | Virtual Reality Applications, a company founded in 2016 based in Greece that focuses on the design and development of XR applications and game development.

 

Since 2019 works in Pausilypon Films and Documatism as a project manager focusing mainly on documentary films and installations.

 

Since 2020 she is also part of the Studio Bahia orgnanisation, whose mission is making therapy accessible so we can address mental health crises, from epidemics of anxiety and depression to conditions caused by violence and trauma by designing and developing accessible XR applications.  

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Currently she is a PhD Candidate at the School of Film of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece.

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_ Work Experience

2020-today

Documatism AMKE

Project manager

2019-today

Studio Bahia Immersive Lab (Non-Profit Organization)

XR Designer & Developer

www.studiobahia.org

2018-today

Pausilypon Films 

Project Manager and coordinator for the creation of the interactive documentary platform "Meeting with Remarkable People" by Menelaos Karamaghiolis.

2018-today

Global Game Jam [Athens]

Event Manager / Co-Organizer  

2016-today

ViRA | Virtual Reality Applications

Co-Founder / Co-Owner / Managing Director / XR Designer & Developer / Project Manager

www.vira.design

2015 (March)

didascalie.net - Paris, France 

Motion Capture & Unity3D character animation for the project “ParOral”  

2015 (January)

CreaTic Atelier : “Du geste capté au geste d'interactivité numérique”, Université Paris 8 – Paris, France 

Motion Capture & Unity3D coding (c#) for the project “Liaison Renversée”  

201 4(July)

NCSR "DEMOKRITOS" - Athens, Greece

Special Effects in Unity3D and Sound design for the research project "iRescue"

Internship for M1

01/09/2001 – 30/09/2014

Filomusos Music School – Rethymnon, Greece

Event manager, graphic designer, DVD and CD production

05/01/2009 – 30/09/2014

CP Events - Event planning – Athens, Greece

Event manager/graphic designer

01/08/2011 - 07/12/2012

AEPI S.A. – Athens, Greece

Personal Assistant to General Manager

01/02/2012 - 07/12/2012

OPUS L.L.C. – Athens, Greece

Network sales manager & trainer, Major customers’ manager, banking, patent applications

01/10/2010 - 31/07/2011

AEPI S.A. – Athens, Greece

Major customers’ manager at Public Performance Department

07/04/2010 - 30/09/2010

AEPI S.A. – Athens, Greece

Assistant at Concert Department

07/09/2009 - 07/03/2010

AEPI S.A. – Athens, Greece

Final Internship for the Bsc at Concert Department, Legal support Department and Members Department

05/08/2004 - 31/03/2009

Häagen Dazs Rethymnon, Greece

Shop Manager

01/09/2001 - 30/06/2009

Filomuso Music School Rethymnon, Greece

Secretary – Account manager

_ Teaching experience | tutor

2019 (June - July)

The Cyprus Institute

VR Applications design & development

2018 (June )

Panteion University

"Developement of digital games"  short training seminar / Topic: Interactive Installations

2018 (February)

Space Under

VR Applications design & development / Sound design

2017 (December)

Onassis Stegi

"Sci-Fi Game Development" - Game design & development / Sound design

2017 (November)

Space Under

VR Applications design & development / Sound design

2017 (March)

Onassis Stegi

"Retro Gaming" - Game design & development / Sound design

2016 (October - November)

Space Under

Enter the immersion | VR

VR Applications design & development / Sound design

2016 (April - May)

Space Under

Create the Imagery edition II. Game Development & Interactive Virtual Environments

VR Applications - Game design & development / Sound design

2015-2016 (December - January)

Space Under

Create the Imagery. Game Development & Interactive Virtual Environments

VR Applications - Game design & development / Sound design

2017-2009 (December - January)

Filomousos Music School, Rethymnon - Crete

Curator of the School of Advanced Theory (Harmony)

_ Publications

Patsaki I, Karatzanos E, Tzoumi D, Despoti A, Leventakis N, Roussou G, Dimitriadi N, Papathanasiou A, Nanas
S “Promoting physical recovery in neurological diseases through immersive virtual reality: a systematic review” (ePoster (PO)), World Physiotherapy Congress 2021 online

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A. Despoti, L. Karatzanos, D. Tzoumi, I. Patsaki, N. Leventakis, N. Dimitriadi, A. Papathanasiou, S. Nanas “Immersive Virtual Reality in Cognitive Rehabilitation: A systematic Review” (ePoster (PO)), INS 2021 International Neuropsycology Society, San Diego 2021

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Monograph: «Création d’un environnement ludique, immersif, interactif, virtuel et sonore pour les sourds / Creating a ludic, immersive, interactive, virtual and acoustic environment for the deaf», Université Paris 8 (2015)

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A.Papathanasiou, M.Santorineos, S.Zoi “Constructing a ludic and acoustic environment for the deaf; the technology as a tool in music education of the deaf”, International Conference: The Future of Education, 5th Edition (2015) - Florence, Italy

 

M.Santorineos, S.Zoi, N.Dimitradi, T.Diamantopoulos, J.Bardakos, C.Chrisanthopoulou, I.Mavridou, A.Papathanasiou, M.Velaora, A.Meli, N.Papadopoulos “Επιλογή in crisis” (Research Demos category), VR2015 IEEE Virtual Reality Conference (2015) – Arles, Camargue, Provence, France

 

M.Santorineos, S.Zoi, N.Dimitradi, J.Bardakos, A.Papathanasiou, M.Velaora, V.Tselepidou “From the monologue of mass media to the dialogue of new media in information society. The interactive narrative of digital games as a case of study of crisis”, International Digital Storytelling Conference (2014) – Athens, Greece

 

M.Santorineos, S.Zoi, N.Dimitradi, T.Diamantopoulos, J.Bardakos, C.Chrisanthopoulou, I.Mavridou,

A.Papathanasiou, M.Velaora, A.Meli, N.Papadopoulos, V.Tselepidou, VR Project installation “Επι-λογή in Crisis”, International Digital Storytelling Conference (2014) – Athens, Greece

​

_ Group exhibitions

2018

Eye' Walk Digital Festival

"Roes" VR Interactive installation

2016

TAF (The Art Foundation)

"Dream Minds in Virtual Bodies" exhibition

Multiple VR interactive installations

Curators: ViRA Virtual Reality Applications & Andriana Daouti

2016

81st TIF 

"Enter the Game" exhibition

“Επιλογή (Epilogi) in Crisis” team work

2016

Kinono.1, Tinos

“Επιλογή (Epilogi) in Crisis” team work

2016

5th International eLife Dual Congress | Lake Plastiras, Greece

“Επιλογή (Epilogi) in Crisis” team work / Research Demo

2014 & 2016

"OPEN DOORS / PORTES OUVERTES", Athens School of Fine Arts

“Επιλογή (Epilogi) in Crisis” team work 

2016

Istituto Italiano di Cultura - Atene

"In the visible city" VR Interactive installation - team work based on "Invisible cities" by Italo Calvino

2015

Lumen Online Gallery

“Επιλογή (Epilogi) in Crisis” team work 

2015

VR2015 IEEE Virtual Reality Conference Arles, Camargue, Provence, France

“Επιλογή (Epilogi) in Crisis” team work (Research Demo)

2014

FESTIVAL MIDEN

“Επιλογή (Epilogi) in Crisis” team work 

2014

Hellenic American Union

International Conference: Storytelling in time of crisis, Athens

“Επιλογή (Epilogi) in Crisis” team work 

2012

MECAL BCN Festival

"Same as usual" stop motion pixilation animation - short film, personal project

2009

Antiwar Festival of Rethymno 2009

"Kitazo tin Irini" b&w short film, personal project

2005

1st Educational Film Festival

"Sihna Roto" Oktava, Music Video Clip, team project

_ Education

PhD Candidate at the School of Film of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece (12/2020 - present)

​

M.A. “Art, Virtual Reality & Multi-user systems of artistic expression”, 2015 (two-year full time master program)

Athens School of Fine Arts, Department of Fine Arts & Paris-8, Department of Art and Technology of the Image

Collaborating institutions:

Technological, Educational Institute of Athens, Department of Informatics

Greek-French Master in collaboration with Limoges University

N.T.U.A., School of Architecture

N.C.S.R. Demokritos, Institute of Informatics and Telecommunications

THESIS: «Création d’un environnement ludique, immersif, interactif, virtuel et sonore pour les sourds»

​

​

Training Program: “Music & Movement Education for children” Annual full time educational program, 2014

Music School “Opera”, Athens

​

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BASc “Music Technology and acoustics engineering”, 2012

Technological, Educational Institute of Crete, Rethymnon Branch

Department of Music Technology & Acoustics

THESIS: «Creation of a prototype audiovisual play, based on the stop motion pixilation animation technique»

​

​

Deegre in Advanced Music Theory, 2004

Music School “Filomuso”, Rethymnon, Crete

Major: Harmony

_ Attended seminars & conferences

November 2015 – June 2015 – Paris, France

Surdité et langue des signes : analyseurs politiques, philosophiques et sociolinguistiques. EHESS (Ecole des hautes études en sciences sociales)

 

8-10 May 2014 – Athens, Greece International Digital Storytelling Conference “Digital Storytelling in time of Crisis”

Organized  by:  National  &  Kapodistrian  University  of  Athens,  Lab.  of  New  Technologies  in Communication, Education & Mass Media, the University Research Institute of Applied communication and the Hellenic American Union

 

28 May 2013 – Athens, Greece

Workshop on "Child and digital media: from the game and networking to addiction and bullying"

Organized by: University Research Institute of Applied Communication, National & Kapodistrian University of Athens

Moderator: Mr. Michalis Meimaris

 

9-12 May 2013 – Athens, Greece

Seminar:  Carl  Orff  -  Music  and  Education:  “The  children's  choir  and  the  Elementary  Music Composition”

Moderators:   Professors   Christiane  Wieblitz,   Ernst   Wieblitz   (Mozarteum  University,   Munich) Organized by: Moraitis School

 

6-7 April 2013 - Athens, Greece

Workshop (16 teaching hours)

“Exploring the beneficial effects of sound”

Organized by: Greek Research Institute of sound, music and speech under the auspices of the Ministries of Education & Religion, Culture & Sports

 

27-28 September 2004 - Thessaloniki, Greece

International Conference of Acoustics “Acoustic

2004” Organized by: Greek Institute of Acoustics

EL.IN.A

 

June 2004 - Rethymno, Greece

Seminar: “The style and the characteristics of Cretan music”

Organized by: Prefecture of Rethymnon / Technological, Educational Institute of Crete, Rethymnon

Branch, Department of Music Technology & Acoustics / Folklife, music and dance association Arkadi / Association on historical & folklore studies in Rethymnon

 

2-6 July 2001 - Lefkada, Greece

Seminar: "Computer Assisted Composition)”

Moderator: A. Georgakis - Ionian University

 

April 2001 / June 2001 - Rethymnon, Greece

Seminar: “Recording and editing electroacoustic music"

Moderator - Laboratory Supervisor: Dimitris Kamarotos

Organized by: Technological, Educational Institute of Crete | Rethymnon Branch, Department of Music Technology & Acoustics

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