Researcher of vernacular architecture, restorer engineer, professor, academician. He followed the studies at the Faculty of Engineering at University of Tirana, where was graduated as civil engineer (1962). During the years 1962-1965, he was scientific employee of Material Culture Group at the Institute of History and Linguistics; during the years 1965-1993 and 1997 onwards, Emin Riza was part of the scientific staff and a restorer specialist at the Institute of Cultural Monuments, where he has performed management duties as head of division, deputy director (1985-1988) and director (1988-1993); during the years 1993-1997, he has worked as scientific secretary of the Academy of Sciences of Albania and editor of the journal “Studia Albanica”. During 2009-2012, he was the Head of the Department of Social Sciences and Albanological of AAS. He has worked in the fields of restoration and study of monuments of architecture, mainly in the Albanian Vernacular House. He has conducted activities about tracking and putting of the monuments under protection, their study and restoration; given assistance through the publication of articles and monographs. To date he has published 16 monographs (4 as coauthor), an album and two university textbooks (co-author), and 90 articles in journals and scientific publications.