Lila Cicurel

Resume

Profile

Immersive Virtual Reality Developer (Pratt BFA, Art & Tech) who skillfully converts complex artistic concepts into functional virtual experiences. Capable of managing the full development cycle, including design, deployment, and training. Focused on using technical expertise and human-centered design to build intuitive, accessible, and delightfully engaging simulations.

Professional Experience

Agile Lens | Intern

2024 - Present

Assisted in creating 3D virtual reality luxury apartment tours for 30 high-end clients for Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts.

  • Developed plugins for Unreal Engine and conducted research on new and emerging technologies for Virtual Reality (VR) development
  • Experience with integrating conversational AI interactions (Convai) in VR experiences
  • Documented technical specifications in clear, organized formats, ensuring accessibility and usability
  • Supported collaborative troubleshooting during simulations and client demos

Pratt Institute | Assistant Instructor

2023

Led software training sessions in TouchDesigner and VCV Rack for high school students.

  • Guided learners through technical troubleshooting while maintaining a cooperative environment

Long Island High School for the Arts | Trainer

2023

Taught two master level sessions on integrating Adobe Firefly into artistic and Photoshop workflows.

Applied Visions | Intern

2020 - 2022

Produced engaging visual and written content for editorial projects, adhering to tight deadlines, and maintaining high creative standards.

  • Enhanced company website by editing and color grading visual assets to ensure visual appeal

Education

Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, NY

August 2022 - May 2025

BFA in Art and Technology, Minor in Sustainability Studies

Thesis: "The Window"

Built a custom 3D city in Unreal Engine, displayed across five vertically stacked monitors simulating a window. Explored emotional distance and digital intimacy through ambient scenes, interactive window views, and AI-translated textures derived from original paintings.

Notable Project: T1D Assistant

Developed a self-hosted T1D Assistant using the Qwen 3 language model, training it on diabetes data to analyze complex insulin, food, and pump logs. This tool served as a supportive management aid and demonstrably contributed to improved user A1C metrics.

Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), Savannah, GA

March 2022 – May 2022

Undergraduate studies in Art and Design

Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), Rochester, NY

August 2020 – May 2021

Undergraduate studies in Industrial Design

Long Island High School for The Arts, Cold Spring Harbor, NY

September 2019 - June 2020

High School Diploma

Harborfields High School, Greenlawn, NY

September 2016 - June 2020

High School Diploma

Technical Skills

AI Tools

  • Ollama
  • ComfyUI
  • Adobe Firefly
  • Convai
  • AI-powered code generation and automation
  • Shell scripting & logic prototyping

Simulation & 3D

  • Unreal Engine 5
  • VR Development
  • TouchDesigner
  • Visual Storytelling
  • Substance 3D Painter
  • Substance 3D Designer

Software + Systems

  • Adobe Suite (Photoshop, Premiere, After Effects, InDesign)
  • Dragon Frame
  • VCV Rack
  • Audacity

Audio/Visual + Hardware

  • VCV Rack
  • Audacity
  • Arduino IDE
  • Projection mapping

Exhibitions

Afterlives — Group Alumni Exhibition

May 2025

Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, NY

Sense sans Interface — Group Exhibition, Co-Curator and Artist

April 2025

Myrtle Hall Digital Arts Gallery, Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, NY

Nothing Island — Group Exhibition

October 2023

Governors Island, NY

Grasseaters Film Festival — Digital Installation and Screening Program, Host and Organizer

October 2023

Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, NY