Curriculum - Rana Nazifi Rana Nazifi photovoltaics tensegrity stainable design

Rana Nazifi Charandabi – Biography

Rana Nazifi Charandabi is a PhD researcher at the University of Salerno, specializing in photovoltaics and structural engineering. Additionally, she is a visiting PhD student at Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, where she focuses on solar energy applications. With a strong background in architectural technology and computational design, she has made significant contributions to international research projects, high-impact publications, and academic collaborations.

Furthermore, her research explores the integration of tensegrity structures, renewable energy, and digital fabrication. As a result, her work not only advances sustainable architecture but also bridges the gap between engineering and design. Moreover, her interdisciplinary approach continues to drive innovation in the field

Experience

Visiting PhD Student/ March 2025-Ongoing, Institute of Solar Energy – Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Madrid, Spain

PhD Student/ NOV 2023-Ongoing , Photovoltaics / Module and System Design and Integration, University of Salerno, Salerno, Italy

Education

PhD Student/ NOV 2023-Ongoing , Photovoltaics / Module and System Design and Integration, University of Salerno, Salerno, Italy.

Master’s Degree /Oct 2018- Oct 2021 , Architectural Technology / Digital, Tabriz Islamic Arts University.Tabriz, Iran. – Thesis Topic:” Evaluation of Methods of Applying Transformation on Tensegrity Structures Based on Geometry and the Components Organization”.

Bachelor’s Degree /Oct 2010- Oct 2014 , Architectural Engineering, Tabriz Azad University. Tabriz , Iran.

Book Chapter

Al Sabouni-Zawadzka, A., Zawadzki, A., Nazifi Charandabi, R., Amendola, A., Lee , H.,Fraternali, F . (2025). “On the Additive Manufacturing of Tensegrity Systems.” In Editor(s) (Eds.), Advances in Additive Manufacturing (pp. 201-213). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-82283-4_9

Journal Articles

Nazifi Charandabi, R., Babilio, E., Carpentieri, G., Spagnuolo, G., Amendola, A., Fraternali, F. A tensegrity structure for a solar stadium roof with sun-tracking capability. THIN-WALLED STRUCTURES, 210, 113033, 2025. ISSN: 0263-8231, DOI: 10.1016/j.tws.2025.113033
Fraternali, F., Babilio, E., Nazifi Charandabi, R., Germano, G., Luciano, R., Spagnuolo, G. Dynamic origami solar eyes with tensegrity architecture for energy harvesting Mashrabiyas. APPLICATIONS IN ENGINEERING SCIENCE, 19, 100190, 2024. ISSN 2666-4968, DOI: 10.1016/j.apples.2024.100190.
Al Sabouni-Zawadzka, A., Gilewski, W., Nazifi Charandabi, R., Zawadzki, A. Stability of tensegrity-inspired structures fabricated through additive manufacturing. COMPOSITE STRUCTURES, 345, 118377, 2024. ISSN: 0263-8223, DOI: 10.1016/j.compstruct.2024.118377
Placidi, L., de Castro Motta, J., Nazifi Charandabi, R., Fraternali, F. A continuum model for the tensegrity Maxwell chain. NETWORKS AND HETEROGENEOUS MEDIA, 19(2), 597-610, 2024. ISSN: 1556-1801, DOI: 10.3934/nhm.2024026.
de Castro Motta, J., Placidi, L., Nazifi Charandabi, R., Fraternali, F. A Weierstrass approach to the analysis of rarefaction solitary waves in tensegrity mass-spring systems, COMMUNICATIONS IN APPLIED AND INDUSTRIAL MATHEMATICS. 15 (2), 8-16, 2024. ISSN 2038-0909, DOI: 10.2478/caim-2024-0008

Research Projects

Participation in the International Research Project Next-Generation Green Structures for Natural Disaster-Proof Buildings, which is part of the Science and Technology Cooperation between Italy and the United States of America, funded by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation – University of Salerno.
Participation in the PRIN 2022, Italian Ministry of University and Research, Research Projects of National Relevance, “Innovative Lattice Structures and Architectured Materials for civil engineering (ILAM)” project – University of Salerno.
Participation in the Innovative Structures and Materials for Civil Engineering Research Project – University of Salerno.

Collaborations

collaboration with Professor Julian Rimoli from the University of California. This collaboration focused on the mechanical modeling of multiscale deployable tensegrity structures, exploring their potential in renewable energy applications, particularly for supporting solar panel arrays.
collaboration was initiated with Dr. Anna Al Sabouni-Zawadzka from the Warsaw University of Technology, Poland. This research partnership centered on experimental and theoretical investigations of the stability of additively manufactured tensegrity structures, designed as scaled mockups for PV panel support systems
collaboration with Dr. Yaser Shahbazi and Dr. Farhad Ahmadnejad on the research titled “Combined effects of illumination and acoustics on individual thermal perception located in a cold tropical climate, Tabriz.” This study focused on experimental and theoretical analyses to understand the interplay of environmental factors on thermal perception in such climates.

Teaching Activities

A.A. 2024/25 Expert in the subject for teaching Structural Science, Degree Course in Civil Engineering for the Environment and the Territory, A.A. 2024/25
A.A. 2024/25 Expert in the subject for teaching Structural Mechanics, Degree Course in Building and Territory Techniques.

Events

Solar architecture essencials :Supsi – Department of Environment Constructions and Design, Madrid, Spain, April 2025
International winter school Materials and technologies for solar energy: photovoltaics and thermal solar photovoltaics and thermal solar PV Solar School, Bresssanone, Italy, February 2025
TensegritySystems:From Biomechanics to Mechanical MetamaterialsTensegrity Systems: From Biomechanics to Mechanical Metamaterials, CISM – International Centre for Mechanical Sciences, Udine, Italy, September 2024

Presentations

Design and Energy Harvesting Capacity of a Tensegrity-Mashrabiya PV Window, International winter school Materials and technologies for solar energy: photovoltaics and thermal solar PV Solar School, February 10-14, 2025, , Bresssanone, Italy.
Building-Integrated Mashrabiya PV Windows with Tensegrity-Origami Architecture seminar, Institute of Solar Energy – Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (2025) January 08 ,Madrid, Spain.
On the mechanical modelling of multiscale deployable tensegrities, XXVI AIMETA Congress(2024) September 02-06, 2024, Napoli, Italy.
Tensegrity systems for next generation solar structures, Multiscale Innovative Materials and Structures (M & MIMS 2024) July 11-13, 2024, Salerno, Italy.
Easily deployed tensegrity structures, Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Nonlinear Solid Mechanics (ICoNSoM 2024) June 11-14, 2024, Cagliari, Sardinia, Italy, In Press.
Multiscale asymmetric tensegrity structures, Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Nonlinear Solid Mechanics (ICoNSoM 2024) June 11-14, 2024, Cagliari, Sardinia, Italy, In Press.

Media Coverage

Research Results | UNISA Research | A study on photovoltaic solar energy conducted by researchers at the University on the cover of PV Magazine- Sun-tracking photovoltaics for stadiums, March 2025 https://web.unisa.it/unisa
“Sun-Tracking Photovoltaics for Stadiums,” PV Magazine, March 2025.

Rana nazifi - researcher in tensegrity solar architecture

Sun-tracking photovoltaics for stadiums

Honours and awards

Top 1/3 Among All Students of Architectural Technology/Digital Program, Tabriz Islamic Arts University GPA: 18.68/20

Selected Design of the 2nd National Festival of Digital Arts Industry in the content production department, 2021

Full Scholarship for Master of Architectural Technology/Digital, Tabriz Islamic Arts University

Ranked 44 Among 5432 Participants in the University Entrance Exam of Architectural Technology in M.sc degree,2018

Selected Courses

Advanced Computer Applications in Digital Architecture

Industrial Production Methods of Buildings

Digital Technologies in Architectural Technology

Modern Building materials and Technologies

FEM – Linear, Nonlinear Analysis & Post-Processing

Finite Element Analysis Convergence and Mesh Independence

Accomplishments

Construction Product Life Cycle Assessment Specialist / one click LCA

Introduction to embodied carbon, LCA, and sustainable construction

One Click LCA Construction LCA Bootcamp

Machine Learning in Building Science, IBPSA Iran

Design Computing: 3D Modeling in Rhinoceros with Python/Rhinoscript,University of Michigan

Mathematics for Machine Learning: Linear Algebra, Imperial College London

Mathematics for Machine Learning: Multivariate Calculus, Imperial College London

CAD and Digital Manufacturing specialization, Autodesk

Certificates & Workshops

June 2022 – Rhino & Grasshopper for Architects, How to Rhino.

April 2022 – Culebra Behaviors V1.0, Designmorphine.

December 2018 – Resilient Home Design Challenge, The World Bank.

October 2018 – 21st Century Architecture Kaleidoscope -Tehran, Khatam University, and Politecnico di Milano.

November 2018 – Transformable Systems in Architecture- Tabriz, International Academy of Innovative Art, Architecture and Technology.

Skills

Computational Design
Rhinoceros
Grasshopper
Python
Machine Learning
Adobe Photoshop
AutoCad
3DsMax

Languages

Persian: Native
Azari: Native
English: Advanced TOEFL Score: 97
Italian: Beginner

Volunteering

Cooperation in the executive committee of the Regional Conference on Architecture, Structure and Urban Management – 2012 – Tabriz Azad University. Tabriz, Iran

Cooperation in the executive committee of the Regional Conference on Civil Engineering and Sustainable Development – 2011 – Tabriz Azad University. Tabriz, Iran