Sahra Kunz

Sahra Kunz is an Assistant Professor at the School of Arts, Portuguese Catholic University, and a Researcher at the Research Center for Science and Technology of the Arts (CITAR). She has taught the Sound and Image course since 1998 and leads key projects including CITAR (2020-2025) and CCD: Centro de Criatividade Digital (2017-2021), focusing on digital arts innovation and cultural heritage preservation.

Her academic background includes a PhD in Drawing from the University of the Basque Country (2011), a Master's Degree in Sound and Image from the Portuguese Catholic University (2001), and a degree in Fine Arts - Painting from the School of Fine Arts, University of Porto (1997). These qualifications underpin her interdisciplinary approach to artistic research.

Kunz's research explores animation, motion capture, and character design through lenses of gender representation, cultural studies, and mental health. She investigates how animation techniques empower female characters, analyzes the uncanny valley phenomenon, and examines anime's global cultural impact. Her work bridges technical animation practices with theoretical frameworks in digital arts, emphasizing practical applications in education and healthcare contexts.

Analysis of her 15 most recent publications (2018-2023) reveals three dominant trends: (1) motion capture technology for character animation and gender empowerment, (2) the revival of 2D animation through streaming platforms, and (3) interdisciplinary health applications during the pandemic. Her publications consistently integrate computer graphics with cultural analysis, particularly in Japanese animation studies and mental health interventions.

Kunz has supervised 48 students at UCP and serves as main examiner for numerous theses. Her grant activities include CITAR's €1.2M project on science and technology of the arts (2020-2025) and CCD's digital creativity initiative (2017-2021), both involving industry partnerships with cultural institutions and technology firms.

As a core member of CITAR, she collaborates with over 20 researchers across animation production, motion capture visualization, and digital drawing. She co-organizes major events including the Olho Animation Film Festival (2022) and CINANIMA (2024), fostering connections between academic research and professional animation communities.