Silvia Van Aken obtained a PhD in Social Sciences (KU Leuven) and specialized in visual storytelling. After completing her master's in Communication Sciences, she gained project experience in the media (freelance journalist for Mediahuis) and communication sectors (internal and external communication channels and events).
In 2007, she transitioned to higher education and started as a lecturer at LUCA School of Arts in Genk. She taught communication, research, change management, and media and design theories to Interaction Design students. She supervised various student projects, including 360° videos, AR projects, interactive stories (such as the exhibition for Cosmodrome Genk and the traveling exhibition Conn3ct for Flemish Heritage Library and KB in The Hague). She also led awareness campaigns, such as the fine dust data campaign (VITO), donation (WeForest), organ donation (Maakbare Mens), earplugs (Festival Genk), and Color Your Media (VRT/Mediarte).
In June 2016, she became a Doctor in Social Sciences (KU Leuven & LUCA) with the dissertation "The Labyrinth of the Mind. A Narrative and Stylistic Analysis of Van Dormael's Mindfilms." She specialized in the grammar and storytelling techniques of visual media. In this context, she designed her own analysis model and gave lectures at (inter)national scientific conferences, including on non-linear stories (Theatre Academy Helsinki), adaptation of Incendie (VUB), Magritte's Les amants & Van Dormael's Toto le héros (European Narratology Network Conference, University of London) (FWO travel grant). She is also familiar with desk research and qualitative research: in-depth interviews, focus groups, and observation.
In 2016, she started at AP Hogeschool: first as a research lecturer, researcher, and research coordinator for the Graphic and Digital Media program. Currently, Silvia is the research coordinator of the Immersive Lab, the knowledge center for Virtual, Augmented, and Mixed Reality and generative AI. In this context, she is the applicant and project manager for various projects. Additionally, she collaborates with research partners and companies (creative and other sectors).