HELLO, I'M

Nouran 'Nora' Sadek

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About Me

I'm Nouran "Nora" Sadek, a PhD student at the Exertion Games Lab, Monash University in Melbourne, Australia.

My research centers on the design of cognitive-physical training systems for sports using extended reality (XR). I aim to develop interactive XR systems that support footballers in training both the cognitive and physical skills required for sport skill mastery—moving beyond traditional methods that focus solely on physical performance.

I explore how immersive technologies can be designed to reflect the demands of real-world training by unifying cognitive and physical skill development within a single, engaging experience. My work aims to help athletes train both the mind and body in synchrony, promoting skill mastery through ecological and motivational design.

Publications

2022

Superhero Pose Publication Teaser

Sadek, N., Elagroudy, P., Khalil, A., & Abdennadher, S. The Superhero Pose: Enhancing Physical Performance in Exergames by Embodying Celebrity Avatars in Virtual Reality. In Proceedings of the Nordic Human-Computer Interaction Conference (NordiCHI'22), 2022.

2021

Give-Me-A-Hand Publication Teaser

Yassien, A., Makled, E., Elagroudy, P., Sadek, N., & Abdennadher, S. Give-Me-A-Hand: The Effect of Partner's Gender on Collaboration Quality in Virtual Reality. In Extended Abstracts of the ACM Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI EA'21), 2021.

Education

Nov 2023 - Present

PhD in Human-Computer Interaction

Exertion Games Lab, Monash University, Australia
Feb 2021 - Feb 2023

MSc in Computer Science and Engineering

German University in Cairo (GUC)
Excellent with High Honors
Oct 2015 - July 2020

BSc in Computer Science and Engineering

German University in Cairo (GUC)
Excellent with Honors

Experience

Teaching & Research Assistant
German University in Cairo (GUC), Egypt
Sept 2020 – Feb 2022

Courses Taught:

Game Development (Unity 3D)

Delivered hands-on lab sessions covering Unity animation systems, physics integration, UI development, and scene composition.

Mentored students through the design and implementation of gameplay-focused projects, including endless runners and narrative-driven experiences.

Supported students in creating polished final projects inspired by commercial titles such as Apex Legends and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, providing technical feedback and design mentorship throughout the process.

Software Engineering (MERN Stack)

Taught full-stack web development using MongoDB, Express, React, and Node.js.

Supervised the development of a classroom reservation platform for university staff, guiding students through backend logic, frontend workflows, and deployment considerations.

Designed lab activities and co-authored project specifications and assessment rubrics.

Advanced Databases

Led tutorials on advanced relational design, indexing strategies, and query optimization techniques.

Evaluated coursework, projects, and exams with a focus on conceptual understanding and technical accuracy.

  • Supervised undergraduate graduation projects and supported HCI-related research
  • Developed test cases and grading rubrics for all assigned courses
Junior Teaching Assistant
German University in Cairo (GUC), Egypt
Feb 2017 – April 2019
  • Supported foundational computing courses including Python, Java, Data Structures, Prolog, and Haskell
  • Assisted students during lab sessions and tutorials with programming concepts, debugging, and problem-solving
  • Contributed to grading and provided in-lab guidance across multiple student groups
Game Development Intern
Explore Agora (Egypt-based EdTech Startup)
Summer 2017
  • Contributed to the development of an Augmented Reality Android application designed for STEM education in schools
  • Collaborated with educators and designers to align technical implementation with curriculum goals