Westphal College of Media Arts & Design

Marjan Miri joined Drexel University in September 2024 as an assistant professor of interior design, specializing in emerging technologies and evidence-based design. Before this, she was an assistant professor at the University of Arkansas. Miri holds a Master of Interior Design from the University of Texas at Austin, along with master's degrees in urban design and a bachelor's in architecture from her home country, Iran.

Miri’s research focuses on how VR and AI can transform design education by fostering creativity and improving spatial understanding. She has received two collaborative Donghia Foundation grants for integrating these technologies into academic settings. Additionally, her collaborative work on neurodiversity, supported by the AIA Upjohn Research Initiative, examines how electroencephalogram (EEG) technology can inform the design of adaptable environments for neurodiverse individuals.

Her teaching approach emphasizes active participation through immersive tools, allowing students to engage with design challenges in real-time. By fostering creativity and experimentation, Miri prepares her students to think critically about the impact of their designs on users and communities, while creating spaces that respond dynamically to user needs and the broader built environment.

 CV[docx]

2020, Master of Interior Design, University of Texas at Austin, USA
2013 Master of Urban Design, Islamic Azad University, Hamedan, Iran
2011 Bachelor of Architecture, Islamic Azad University, Qazvin, Iran

Publication:

• Faubel, C; Mowen, D; Miri, M; Demarquet Alban, U; Martinez-Molina, A; Alamaniotis, M. (2026).  “Multimodal Transformer Models for Real-Time Estimation of Indoor Environmental Quality in Educational Settings.” Journal of Smart and Sustainable Built Environment, Emerald. https://doi.org/10.1108/SASBE-01-2026-0069
• Park, J; Huh, MB; Miri, M; Hoelting, M; Flores, S; Karagaiah, Y; Afkhami, M. (2026). “Prospect and Refuge in the Workplace: An Exploratory Pilot EEG Investigation of Desk Orientation and Hypervigilance Among Adults with ADHD”. Architecture, MDPI. https://doi.org/10.3390/architecture6020051
• Huh, M. B., Miri, M., Tracy,T. (2025). Students’ Perceptions of Generative AI Image Tools in Design Education: Insights from Architectural Education. Education Sciences. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci15091160
• Miri, M., Faubel, C., Demarquet Alban, U., Martinez-Molina, A. (2025). Impact of Indoor Environmental Quality on Students’ Attention and Relaxation Levels During Lecture-Based Instruction. Building. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15162813
• Huh, M. B., & Miri, M. (2025). The effects of using VR to promote student motivation in architectural design studio course. International Journal of Design Creativity and Innovation. https://doi.org/10.1080/21650349.2025.2471973
• Lee, J., Miri, M., & Newberry, M. (2023). Immersive Virtual Reality, Tool for Accessible Design: Perceived Usability in an Interior Design Studio Setting. Journal of Interior Design, 48(4), 242–258. https://doi.org/10.1177/10717641231182981
• Miri, Marjan.(2023). From Concept to Virtual Reality: Exploring Interior Design through Immersive Technology. Interior Design Educator Council’s Innovative Teaching Idea.

Peer-reviewed conference proceedings:

• Faubel, C; Mowen, D; Miri, M; Demarquet Alban, U; Martinez-Molina, A; Alamaniotis, M. “Fusing visual and sensor data with multimodal transformers for indoor environmental quality assessment in educational settings”. The 12th International Conference on Indoor Air Quality, Ventilation & Energy Conservation in Buildings (IAQVEC 2026), Los Angeles, CA, USA. https://doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/202671606005
• Balkhyoor, R; Miri, M. “Beyond The Screen: Investigating Physical Material Perception Through Stereoscopic Visualization In Immersive Virtual Reality Design Education”. The 18th annual International Conference of Education, Research and Innovation (ICERI 2025), Seville, Spain. doi: 10.21125/iceri.2025.0766
• Miri, M; Faubel, C; Martinez-Molina, A. “Analyzing Cognitive Performance In Academic Settings: The Rolle Of Indoor Environmental Quality On Student Attention And Relaxation.” The 18th annual International Conference of Education, Research and Innovation (ICERI 2025), Seville, Spain. doi: 10.21125/iceri.2025.1023
• Miri, M; Faubel Alama, C; Martinez-Molina, A.  “Assessment of Indoor Environmental Quality in Educational Settings: Insights in level of stress, attention and engagement.” Building Technology Educators’ Society (BTES 2025) Conference, Chicago, IL, USA. doi:10.7275/btes.3376.

Awards/Recognitions:

• EDRA CORE (2026)- Certificate of Research Excellence. “Designing for Focus: Workplace Design for Inattentive-Type ADHD”. 

Grant:

2023-2024 AIA Upjohn Research Initiative
Inattentiveness Reduction through Environmental Interventions: Workplace Designing for Inattentive Type ADHA
Awarded $30,000
Role: Co-Primary Investigator with Asst. Professor Michael Huh and Asst. Professor Jinoh Park + Corgen

2023-2024 Angelo Donghia Foundation
Artificial to Conceptual Intelligence: an exploration of AI software as a tool for original iterative concept creation 
Awarded $34,900
Role: Co-Primary Investigator with Asst. Professor Michael Huh and Asst. Professor Torrey Tracy

2021-2022 Angelo Donghia Foundation
VR: Tool for Students' Improved Learnability and Creativity - Using VR in Interior Design Studios 
Awarded $49,000
Role: Co-Primary Investigator with Asst. Professor Jisun Lee

EXHIBITION & MEDIA:

• Miri, M. “Charm of the past”.  Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts and Design (2026).