So-Yeon Yoon admits that while she has always liked computer games, even as a young child, she has also always enjoyed painting and drawing. Yoon describes her watercolor paintings and how for her the creative process is “very addictive”: “I like colors and creating something beautiful, and creating things on the computer actually gives the same kind of fulfillment.” She is attracted to three-dimensional (3-D) images and experimenting with different textures and colors. Thus it is perhaps no surprise that Yoon found herself drawn to the field of architecture and interior design—“a perfect match” in which her creative desires and her interest in computers could merge. Today, the assistant professor of Architectural Studies focuses her research and teaching on the areas of Human Environmental Psychology and Interior and Architectural Design. Her current research combines information technology with interior design and architecture, a composite field in which she applies technology, particularly virtual reality (VR), to interior design problems.

In terms of influences on her research, Yoon describes her watercolor paintings and how the creative process can be “very addictive.” As she explains, “I didn’t study art, but I like drawing and painting. I like colors and creating something beautiful, and creating things on the computer actually gives the same kind of fulfillment. I like creating things in 3-D and experimenting with different options in terms of materials, texture, and colors.”