Team on SPARC Lab

Prof. Dr. Jakub Krukar

Mon, 01 Jan 2024 00:00:00 +0000

I am Junior Professor in Spatial Cognition — a branch of cognitive science studying how people think about, think in, and think with space. My background and approach are interdisciplinary, with an MA in psychology, a PhD from a department of architecture, and postdoctoral experience in geoinformatics.

Methods I work with include virtual reality, mobile eye-tracking, spatial computation, Bayesian statistics, and architectural theory of Space Syntax.

I am a Visiting Fellow at the Future Cities Lab in Singapore, an Associate Editor at the open-access Journal of Global Environmental Psychology, and head of the faculty’s Ethics Committee. Prior to coming to Germany I was at Northumbria University in Newcastle, UK.

Fengxu Tian

Mon, 01 Jan 2024 00:00:00 +0000

I am a PhD student at the Institute for Geoinformatics, University of Münster, holding a master’s degree in environmental design with a background in architecture and spatial design. My research interests are primarily in computer-aided design, parametric design, and spatial cognition.

Methods I work with include optimisation algorithms, shape grammar, and space syntax to examine architectural configurations and their effects. I am also deeply interested in virtual reality, statistical models, and artificial intelligence to enhance spatial planning and design.

Jung-Won Lee

Mon, 01 Jan 2024 00:00:00 +0000

I am a PhD student at the Institute for Geoinformatics, with an interdisciplinary background in civil engineering and computer science. My academic journey has focused on spatial cognition and human-environment interaction, with a growing interest in the cognitive processes behind wayfinding and environmental transitions.

My research draws on behavioural experiments, virtual reality, and spatial analysis to study how people think, feel, and act as they move through cities, stations, and buildings. I am particularly interested in applying cognitive insights to improve human-space interaction in complex environments.

Maximilian Elfers

Wed, 01 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

I am a PhD student at the Institute for Geoinformatics, University of Münster, with a master’s degree in geoinformatics and spatial data science. My research interests are indoor navigation as well as spatial cognition with a focus on using VR to conduct research.

In addition to my studies as a PhD student, I also work part-time as a software engineer at con terra in the Networks and Infrastructure division.

Student assistants & ongoing theses

Mon, 01 Jan 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Tilda Blomqvist — Erasmus+ intern
Moritz Denk — student assistant

Alumni

Mon, 01 Jan 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Amirtha Varshini Raja Sonathreesan Latha — MSc thesis
Ahmed Aly — student assistant, MSc thesis
Maximilian Elfers — MSc thesis
Lea Heming — BSc thesis
Maryamsadat Valizadeh — MSc thesis
Seyedmohammadhossein Hosseini — MSc thesis
Guangyu Wang — MSc thesis
Hamidreza Behbood — student assistant
Rabia Yagmur Yildiz — student assistant, MSc thesis
Abdelbasset Laroui — visiting PhD student, University of Ghardaia, Algeria