Luis Mejia-Puig. Ph.D.

Assistant professor for the University of Florida, I am originally from Colombia and earned my Ph.D. at Oklahoma State University in Design, Housing and Merchandising. My bachelor was in Industrial Design with and a master's degree in Design and Product Development. I have a teaching experience of over 15 years with undergraduate|graduate design students. Over 10 of those years, I was Head for the Industrial Design Program at Icesi University in Colombia.
I focus my research on design education and emergent technologies. More specifically, I use psycho-physiological tools to study creativity, embodiment, and immersive virtual reality environments.

Curriculum Vitae

What I do.

My academic profile is supported in 4 main pillars

Teaching

With a teaching experience of over 15 years on design studio courses for undergraduate and graduate students, I have had the opportunity to engage in multiple design projects. I am currently an assistant professor at University of Florida. Previously, I taught in two universities, “Universidad Icesi” in Colombia and “Oklahoma State University” in United States. At Oklahoma State University, I was awarded the Outstanding Teaching by a Graduate Student Award for the year 2021. Besides, I was the Head for the Industrial Design Program at Universidad Icesi between 2006 and 2017 when I moved to United States earn my doctoral degree.

Research

Since the beginning of my research activity as a doctorate student, I have had the opportunity to publish in journals and participate in multiple regional, national and international conferences. From these interactions, I have obtained various publications in journals and peer-reviewed conference proceedings. I was awarded the best graduate research presentation award in the regional IDEC Southwest conference in 2019. As a result of my research in virtual reality, I was the recipient of the Irma Dobkin Universal Design Grant by the International Furnishing and Design Association for 2018 and I obtained one patent in Colombia for a system to grow mushrooms in closed urban spaces.

Service

Currently, my service is limited since I am starting on my tenure track position. Nonetheless, I was part of committees for two universities at different levels. I was the graduate student council advisory representative for the the Dean's leadership committee at the college of Education and Human Sciences at Oklahoma State University. The president of the Graduate Student Association for Design, Housing and, Merchandising. Back in Colombia I am member of the Colombian Design Academic Web (RADColombia) of which I was chair for the period 2016-2018. I have participated as reviewer for multiple national and international conferences as well as being the graduate representative for the Regents Distinguished Award committee at Oklahoma State University for the year 2019.

Outreach

I have worked with vulnerable communities in my home country to develop products to improve their way of life. I also have done consulting with businesses to develop new products for revenue. Currently, I have worked and published Fact-sheets at Oklahoma State University addressing issues of interest to the aging community.