Sahar Niknam

She

Date of Birth: 11 Jan. 1983
Nationality: Iranian
Residence: Luxembourg

Research Interest

  • Artificial superintelligence

  • Computational creativity

  • Complexity

  • Collective behavior

  • XR

Education

  • possible PhD in Computer Science, 2022-present

    University of Luxembourg, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg

    Thesis: Extended Cognition in eXtended Reality: Measuring, Modeling, and Modulating Perception

  • MSc in Cognitive Science, 2017-20

    Osnabrück University, Osnabrück, Lower Saxony, Germany

    Thesis: Using Convolutional Neural Networks for Development of an Eye-Tracking Application Capable of Running on Mobile Devices

    Majored in Neuroinformatics and Robotics and Artificial Intelligence, graduated with distinction

  • not an MSc in Creative Studies, 2014-15

    Buffalo State University, Buffalo, NY, USA

    Dropped out after one year

  • not an MSc in Philosophy of Science, 2007-10

    Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran

    Thesis: Artificial Creativity With Swarm Algorithms

    Dropped out after two chapters in my thesis

  • BSc in Robotics Engineering, 2002-07

    Shahrood University of Technology, Shahrood, Iran

    Thesis: Comparative Analysis of MP3 and WMA Encoding Algorithms: Impacts on the Auditory System

  • Secondary Education in Mathematics & Physics, 1998-2001

    National Organization for Development of Exceptional Talents (SAMPAD), Shahrood, Iran

Research Projects

  • Predicting time perception accuracy with neural networks trained on eye-tracking data, 2024-present, University of Luxembourg

  • Predicting cognitive failure by training transformers on eye-tracking data, 2023-present, University of Luxembourg

  • Predicting time perception accuracy with neural networks trained on EEG signals, 2023-present, University of Luxembourg

  • Measuring time perception using EEG signals, 2023-24, University of Luxembourg

  • Modulating time perception in virtual reality, ChronoPilot project, 2022-present, University of Luxembourg

  • Investigating cognition in neural networks with gradient-based adversarial attacks, 2020-21, Osnabrück University

  • Hybrid CNNs for eye-tracking, 2020, Osnabrück University

  • Applications of AI in finance, 2019-20, Osnabrück University

  • Understanding learning in deep neural networks, 2018-19, Osnabrück University

Teaching Experience

  • Teaching assistant, Programming II: Java (Winter semester 2023), University of Luxembourg

  • Teaching assistant, Programming I: Swift (Spring semester 2022-23), University of Luxembourg

  • Teaching assistant, Machine learning (Spring semester 2020), Osnabrück University

  • Teaching assistant, Implementing ANNs with TensorFlow (Winter semester 2019-20), Osnabrück University

  • Teaching assistant, Machine learning (Spring semester 2019), Osnabrück University

Work Experience

  • Doctoral researcher, University of Luxembourg — 2022-present

  • Executive manager, Science Center for Children and Teenagers, Semnan Province Science and Technology Park, Shahrood, Iran — 2017-2018

  • Communication chair, The 2nd Exhibition of Research and Technology Week, Semnan Province Science and Technology Park, Shahrood, Iran — October 2016

  • CEO, INNO group, a failed startup, supposed to be the first creativity consulting firm in Iran, Tehran, Iran — 2016-2018

  • Freelancer (editor, translator,…), Upwork.com, Online — 2014-2022

  • Translator, Eshraf: Iranian Political Think Tank, Online — 2011-2014

  • Translator, Fars News Agency, Tehran, Iran — 2011

  • Editor and translator, Donya-ye Bazi: Video Game Magazine, Tehran, Iran — Spring 2011

  • Editor, columnist, and graphic designer, Hamrah-e Irani: Hi-Tech News, Tehran, Iran — Winter 2011

  • Graphic designer, Hamsafar: Tehran Subway Magazine, Tehran, Iran — Fall 2010

  • Researcher, Pezeshkyar Pars Biomedical Co., Shahrood, Iran — Summer 2006

  • Academic Activities

    • Co-organizer, NeuroXR Workshop @ IEEE ISMAR, 2025

    • Program Committee Member, 22nd EuroXR Conference, 2025

    • Stuednt Volunteer, CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, Hamburg, Germany — April 2023

    • Stuednt Volunteer, The 25th ACM Conference On Computer-Supported Cooperative Work And Social Computing (CSCW), Virtual — November 2022

    • Stuednt Volunteer, IEEE International Conference on Autonomic Computing and Self-Organizing Systems (ACSOS), Virtual — September 2022

    • Stuednt Volunteer, Creative Problem Solving Institute (CPSI) Conference, Buffalo, NY, USA — June 2014

    • Stuednt Volunteer, Creativity Expert Exchange (CEE) Conference, Buffalo, NY, USA — June 2014

Publication

  • Niknam, S., Duraisamy, S., Botev, J., & Leiva, L. A. (2025, ). EEG-Based Prediction of Perceptual Timing Errors in Virtual Reality. In Proceedings of the International Workshop on Neurophysiological Signals, Affective Computing and Cognition in Extended Reality (NeuroXR), IEEE International Symposium on Mixed and Augmented Reality Adjunct (ISMAR-Adjunct).

  • Niknam, S. (2025, ). eXtended Cognition: Measuring, Modeling, and Modulating Perception in XR. In Proceedings of the IEEE International Symposium on Mixed and Augmented Reality Adjunct (ISMAR-Adjunct).

  • Niknam, S., Duraisamy, S., Botev, J., & Leiva, L. A. (2025, May). Brain Signatures of Time Perception in Virtual Reality. In Proceedings of the IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics. Volume 31, Issue 5 (pp. 2535-2545). doi: 10.1109/TVCG.2025.3549570

  • Niknam, S., Picard, S., Rondinelli, V., & Botev, J. (2024, October). Some Times Fly: The Effects of Engagement and Environmental Dynamics on Time Perception in Virtual Reality. In Proceedings of the ACM Symposium on Virtual Reality Software and Technology (pp. 1-9). doi:10.1145/3641825.3687726.

  • Niknam, S., & Botev, J. (2024, January). Predicting Cognitive Failures in Virtual Reality Using Pupillometry. In Proceedings of the IEEE International Conference on Artificial Intelligence and eXtended and Virtual Reality (AIxVR) (pp. 261-264). doi:10.1109/AIxVR59861.2024.00043.

  • Picard, S., Botev, J., & Niknam, S. (2023, October). A Dynamic and Scriptable Environment and Framework for Stimulus-Based Cognitive Research in Virtual Reality. In Proceedings of the IEEE International Symposium on Mixed and Augmented Reality Adjunct (ISMAR-Adjunct) (pp. 387-392). doi:10.1109/ismar-adjunct60411.2023.00084.

  • Perry S. D. (2012). City of the Dead. (Niknam S., Trans.). Tehran: Donya-ye Bazi. (Original work published 1999). ISBN:9786009219582

  • Niknam, K., & Niknam, S. (2008, May). A Mathematical Description of Physician Decision Making. In Proceedings of the International Conference on Bioinformatics and Biomedical Engineering (pp. 581-584). doi:10.1109/icbbe.2008.141.

  • Niknam, S., Ghorbani Samini, M., Mahmudi, H., & Niknam, K. (2007, June). How do physicians make a decision?. In Proceedings of the Mediterranean Conference on Medical and Biomedical Engineering and Computing (MEDICON) (pp. 696-699). doi:10.1007/978-3-540-73044-6_181.

Hobbies

  • Doodling and writing; as a teenager, I won a few national prizes in caricature and critical writing.

  • Disassembling mechanical wristwatches, and not being able to put the pieces back together into a working whole.

  • Doing dumb electronics projects, such as making a radio for listening to Jupiter.

  • Quantification; I can give a visually rich presentation on my water intake and excretion over the past two years.

  • Droning, obsessively stressed about hitting birds.

  • Listening to absolute or human-free silence, preferably under a completely clouded gray sky, during daylight hours.

  • Hunting for musical pieces with a specific percussion seamlessly blended during a brief, silent moment.

Language

  • Persian, native

  • English, fluent

  • German, B2

  • French, B1

  • Basic: Spanish, Arabic, Hebrew, Polish, Russian, Swahili, Chinese