our work enhances human potential, well-being, and community by design

The Department of Human Centered Design improves people’s lives and their environments through transdisciplinary research and collaboration. 

Students view 3D designs in a lab (historic photo circa 1975)
ruffles

Our history 

Since its founding, the college has been a leader in fashion, design and environmental psychology.

In 2021, the departments of Design and Environmental Analysis and Fiber Science and Apparel Design merged to form the Department of Human Centered Design, expanding opportunities for collaboration, innovation and academic impact.

CHE timeline

Academics + research 

We integrate hands-on instruction with rigorous scholarly research to inform and enhance the creative process. This approach situates individual design solutions within broader social, technological, and global frameworks, aligning with evidence-based research on human-centered and interdisciplinary design practices.

Explore our academic opportunities and research focuses

Public engagement

From engaged coursework to faculty outreach, we enhance communities near and far while preparing socially conscious designers who are committed to the well-being of both people and planet.

Learn more about our engagement initiatives

Our faculty

woman wearing a black v-neck shirt
Nooshin Ahmadi

Senior Lecturer

Human Centered Design
Focus areas
Architectural Design/Interior Architecture, Research-driven design, Human-centered design
portrait of a woman in a maroon top
Fatma Baytar

Associate Professor, Director of Undergraduate Studies in Fiber Science and Apparel Design

Human Centered Design
Focus areas
Digitalization in the apparel industry, 3D body scan data + apparel simulation, 3D digital technologies
portrait of a woman standing in front of bright green panels
Catherine Kueffer Blumenkamp

Lecturer

Human Centered Design
Focus areas
Fashion design, Vernacular art and architecture, Curation
woman with purple hair wearing a sweater with black cats on it
Melissa Conroy

Associate Teaching Professor

Human Centered Design
Focus areas
Surface design + textile design, Knit structure and design, Drawing
John Elliott

Associate Professor, Director of Undergraduate Studies in Design + Environmental Analysis

Human Centered Design
Focus areas
Material culture in the built environment, Ecological literacy in design, Arborworks sculpture
portrait of a man in a blue button down shirt
Gary Evans

Elizabeth Lee Vincent Professor

Human Centered Design, Psychology
Focus areas
Children's environments (e.g. schools, housing), Environment of childhood poverty, Development of environmental attitudes/behaviors in children
woman with black framed glasses smiling
Rhonda Gilmore

Senior Lecturer Emeritus

Human Centered Design
Focus areas
Interior design, Experience + exhibit design, Historic preservation
portrait of a woman wearing glasses and a patterned dress
Denise N. Green

Lau Family Associate Professor, Director of Graduate Studies in Fiber Science & Apparel Design

Human Centered Design
Focus areas
Anthropological studies of style and fashion, History and curatorial practice of dress and textiles, Native American textiles and regalia
Keith Evan Green headshot
Keith Evan Green

Jean and Douglas McLean Professor

Human Centered Design
Focus areas
Intersection of design + robotics + psychology, Robot “living rooms” interacting/adapting with inhabitants, Robots that improve community, learning and health
smiling man sitting in a blue chair
Juan Hinestroza

Rebecca Q Morgan '60 Professor of Fiber Science and Apparel Design Emeritus

Human Centered Design
Focus areas
Intersection Science-Design, Nanomaterials in Textiles, Use of waste as raw-material
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Ying Hua

Professor

Human Centered Design
Focus areas
Practice + approaches to creating optimal work + learning, Research methodology for post-occupancy evaluation (POE), Sustainable and resilience building practices in US + Asia
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Saleh Kalantari

Associate Professor

Human Centered Design
Focus areas
Wayfinding + spatial cognition using VR + simulation, Predictive design tools evaluating human responses to design, Human-environment interaction: built and virtual environment
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Cindy Hsin-Liu Kao

Associate Professor

Human Centered Design
Focus areas
Wearable technology and on-skin interfaces, Designing skins across scales, Social perceptions towards on-body technologies
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Sang Leigh

Assistant Professor

Human Centered Design
Focus areas
Accessible interactive technologies, Human-computer interaction, Design innovation – bridging art, technology and UX
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Renata Leitao

Assistant Professor

Human Centered Design
Focus areas
Design for Indigenous empowerment, Transformational design for societal + environmental change, Intercultural design knowledge
Van Dyk Lewis

Associate Professor

Human Centered Design
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Janet Loebach

The Evalyn Edwards Milman Assistant Professor in Child Development

Human Centered Design
Focus areas
children's environments, participatory research & design, behavior mapping
Roberta Militello

Lecturer

Human Centered Design
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Heeju Terry Park

Vincent V.C. Woo Professor

Human Centered Design
Focus areas
Activewear and protective clothing, Smart wearable interface, Ethics of design and fashion
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Kimberly Phoenix

Teaching Professor

Human Centered Design
Focus areas
Improving patterning/fit with custom half-scale dress forms
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Jaleesa Reed

Assistant Professor

Human Centered Design
Focus areas
Self-definition + consumption for marginalized groups, Feminist theory + Black geography, Racism + representation in relation to beauty + identity
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Larissa Shepherd

Assistant Professor

Human Centered Design
Focus areas
Tailoring fibers (spinning) for practical applications, Optically responsive fabrics, Immersion electrospinning
Jung-hye Shin
Jung-hye Shin

Professor and Chair

Human Centered Design
Focus areas
Environmental design, Aging in place
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Tamer Uyar

Associate Professor

Human Centered Design
Focus areas
Nanofibers and nanotextiles, Medical textiles and drug delivery, Water treatment, food packaging
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Nancy M. Wells

Senior Associate Dean for Research + Graduate Education, Professor

Human Centered Design, Cornell Human Ecology
Focus areas
Environmental psychology, Effects of the built and natural environment on human health, Environmental design + policy impacts on consumption + reuse
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Jay (JungKyoon) Yoon

Associate Professor, Director of Graduate Studies in Design + Environmental Analysis

Human Centered Design
Focus areas
Experience-driven design, Design for emotion, subjective well-being + behavior change, Product design + development
So-Yeon Yoon headshot
So-Yeon Yoon

Professor

Human Centered Design
Focus areas
Human-computer interaction in virtual environments, Large-scale interface/interaction design, Interior design
Rana Zadeh
Rana Sagha Zadeh

Associate Professor

Human Centered Design
Focus areas
User-centered design in healthcare, Systems approach, Healthcare entrepreneurship

Contact us

NameTitleOffice Phone Email
Jung-hye ShinDepartment ChairT57A Human Ecology Building (HEB)607-255-3672

hcd-chair [at] cornell.edu

Sienna Torbitt

Chair's Assistant

T57 Human Ecology Building (HEB)607-255-2168

slt86 [at] cornell.edu

Caroline Brockner

Administrative Manager

T57B Human Ecology Building (HEB)

607-255-6266

ceb68 [at] cornell.edu

Vicki SillFinancial AdministratorHybrid - Remote and G411 Martha Van Rensselaer Hall (MVR)607-255-5321vss25 [at] cornell.edu
Fran KozenDirector of Undergraduate Studies, Fiber Science and Apparel Design and Department Extension Leader275 Human Ecology Building (HEB)607-255-6204fhk2 [at] cornell.edu
Jay YoonDirector of Graduate Studies, Design + Environmental Analysis3427 Martha Van Rensselaer Hall (MVR)607-255-2011jy846 [at] cornell.edu
Denise GreenDirector of Graduate Studies, Fiber Science and Apparel DesignT37 Human Ecology Building (HEB)607-255-3199dng22 [at] cornell.edu
Darin GillenwaterUndergraduate Programs CoordinatorT57 Human Ecology Building607-255-3196djg326 [at] cornell.edu
Shane HutchinsonGraduate Programs Coordinator1414 Martha Van Rensselaer Hall (MVR)607-255-2809sah49 [at] cornell.edu
Christine CiolettiFaculty Support1411 Martha Van Rensselaer Hall (MVR)607-255-3151cc2757 [at] cornell.edu
Karen SteffyEvents Coordinator, eNews and Website1411 Martha Van Rensselaer Hall (MVR)607-255-8605ks247 [at] cornell.edu