Robert Amor

Robert Amor

2015

Robert Amor has been a professor of Computer Science at the University of Auckland in New Zealand since 2012. He is a graduate of the University of Wellington where he received his BS in Computer Science in 1990, and the University of Auckland where he obtained his Ph.D. in 1997.

Amor undertakes research in the field of Construction Informatics, with a passion for the application of beneficial computer science techniques to the Architectural, Engineering, and Construction industries. His core research interest is achieving interoperability and to do so he investigates integrated environments, mostly building information modeling (BIM). “I think it’s really interesting to see how information modeling has changed the representation of buildings over the last twenty years,” says Robert. “We used to use simple geometry to denote doors and windows and whatnot, but now we can use real intelligent objects and programming to constrain how parts of these buildings connect with each other.”

Currently, Amor is working with the government of New Zealand to achieve more awareness of BIM and maintain the adoption of its beneficial features. He has also coordinated the working group W78 (IT for Construction) for the International Council for Research and Innovation in Building and Construction (CIB) since 2003. He is also a founding member of CIB’s priority theme on Integrated Design and Delivery Solutions, as well as the editor-in-chief for the Journal of Information Technologies in Construction (ITcon).

Amor has been Primary Investigator on a number of major national and international research projects, and successfully bid for approximately $6 million in research funding both internationally and in New Zealand.

Outside of computer science, Amor enjoys hiking and kayaking through the beautiful wilderness of New Zealand. He also enjoys a variety of jazz music and spending time with his family.