Presenter

Dr. Xiaoyu Chen is an interior design scholar and educator specializing in sustainable material performance, healthcare environments, and evidence-based design decision-making. She earned her M.S. in Architectural Studies and her Ph.D. in Design, Construction, and Planning with a concentration in Interior Design from the University of Florida, where her research focused on the integration of sustainable interior materials in healthcare settings and the development of cost-benefit and life-cycle–based evaluation frameworks. Her work has been published in HERD, Architectural Engineering and Design Management, and peer-reviewed conference proceedings. She has presented internationally and collaborated on interdisciplinary research teams addressing healthcare resilience, infection-prevention design, and sustainability-driven decision frameworks

Dr. Xiaoyu Chen served as an Assistant Professor of Interior Design in the Department of Fashion, Interior Design & Merchandising at Central Michigan University. During her appointment, she taught materials and components and the healthcare studio for special user groups, integrating sustainability, ADA compliance, inclusive design, and evidence-based practices into project-based learning. She also advised the Interior Design Student Organization, managed the Interior Materials Resource Room, coordinated guest lectures and industry partnerships, and mentored undergraduate researchers.