Elif Tural
- Associate Professor
Elif Tural is an Associate Professor of Interior Design in Virginia Tech’s School of Design. She holds a Ph.D. in Environmental Design and Planning from Arizona State University, an MFA in Interior Architecture, and a B.Arch. Her research examines how the built environment shapes health and wellbeing, with a focus on indoor environmental quality—particularly acoustics and lighting. She has studied residential settings for older adults as well as higher education learning environments through an environment–behavior research lens.
Dr. Tural’s funded, interdisciplinary work has been published in peer-reviewed journals and presented at national and international conferences. At Virginia Tech, she teaches third-year design studios with an emphasis on workplace, cultural, and educational environments, often in collaboration with community and industry partners. She has also taught courses on building systems (lighting and acoustics), contemporary practice, health + interiors, and study abroad programs.
She is a WELL AP and LEED Green Associate. From 2021 to 2025, Dr. Tural served on the Board of Directors of the Environmental Design Research Association (EDRA), chairing the board in 2023–2024.
Health and design, environment-behavior studies, community design and participation, lighting design, learning environments, behavioral healthcare settings
ITDS 3044: Interior Design Studio III
ITDS 3054: Interior Design Studio IV
ITDS 3176: Building Systems II
ITDS 3954: Interior Design Study Abroad
ITDS 4554: Contemporary Practice
ITDS 4984: Health and Interiors
Journal articles
Tural, A., & Tural, E. (2024). Comparative Analysis of Restorative Interior Design Elements: Screen-Based Versus Virtual Reality Evaluations for Future Medical Treatment Prospects. Int J Environ Res Public Health, 22(1). doi:10.3390/ijerph22010044
Tural, A., & Tural, E. (2024). Exploring sense of spaciousness in interior settings: Screen-based assessments with eye tracking, and virtual reality evaluations. Frontiers in Psychology, 15. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1473520
Jalali, M.S*.; Jones, J.R.; Tural, E.; Gibbons, R.B. (2024). Human-Centric Lighting Design: A Framework for Supporting Healthy Circadian Rhythm Grounded in Established Knowledge in Interior Spaces. Buildings 2024, 14, 1125. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14041125
Tural, E; Lu, D*; Cole, DA*. (2021). Safely and actively aging in place: Older adults’ attitudes and intentions toward smart home technologies. Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, 7. doi:10.1177/23337214211017340.
Tural, E; Lu, D*; Cole, DA*. (2020). Factors predicting older adults’ attitudes toward and intentions to use stair mobility assistive designs at home. Preventive Medicine Reports, 18, 8. doi:10.1016/j.pmedr.2020.101082
Tural, E. (2017). Organizational Transformations in Community Design Centers: An Analysis through Giddens’ Theory of Structuration Framework. Journal of Community Practice: organizing, planning, development and change 25(2): 253-282.
Pulay, A., Read, M., Tural, E., & Lee, S. (2016). A Field Investigation of Student On‐task Behavior under Two Color Temperature Levels of Fluorescent Lighting in an Elementary School Classroom. Educational Planning, 23(3), 57‐70.
Ahrentzen, S., & Tural, E. (2015). The role of building design and interiors in ageing actively at home [Special Issue: Physical activity, sedentary behaviour & the indoor built environment]. Building Research & Information 43(5): 582‐601.
Tural, E., & Tural, M. (2014). Luminance contrast analyses for low vision in a senior living facility: A proposal for an HDR image‐based analysis tool. Building & Environment 81, November: 20‐28.
Edited books
Kader, S., Elyezadi, I, Narayan, D. M., & Tural, E. (Ed.s). (2025). Proceedings of the 54th Annual Conference of the Environmental Design Research Association 2024 (EDRA55). Human-Centric Environments, June, Portland, OR.
Tural, E., Ortega-Andeane, P. & Ruggeri, D. (Ed.s). (2024). Proceedings of the 54th Annual Conference of the Environmental Design Research Association 2023 (EDRA54). Health in All Design: ENVIRONMENT AND HEALTH: GLOBAL/LOCAL CHALLENGES AND ACTIONS, June 20-23, 20923, UNAM. Mexico City, Mexico: EDRA. ISBN: 979-8-9855428-3-7
Book chapters
Tural, E. (in press). Higher education interior design challenges and opportunities: Insights from industry-sponsored design research projects. In N. Fernando (Ed.), The Routledge Handbook of Interior Architecture Research. Routledge: Dec 2025 (expected).
Tural, E. & Kniola, D. (in press). Designing Purposeful Learning Spaces for Neurodiverse Students in Higher Education. In N. Fernando (Ed.), The Routledge Handbook of Interior Architecture Research. Routledge: Dec 2025 (expected).
Ahrentzen, S., Tural, E., & Erickson, J. (2017). Green Design and Health. In D. Kopec (Ed.), Health and Wellbeing for Interior Architecture (pp. 77-93). New York, NY: Routledge.
Papers in refereed conference proceedings
Ahrentzen S, Tural E, & Erickson J. (2018). Is Green Housing Healthy Housing: Examining the Evidence. In A. Memari, & S. Klinetob Lowe (Eds.), 4th Biennial Residential Building Design and Construction Conference Proceedings (pp. 131-145). University Park, PA: Pennsylvania Housing Research Center (PHRC).
Tural, E., & Tural, M. (2006). Reflections on Design Juries. In Proceedings of CSAAR 2006 Changing Trends in Architectural Design Education: Sharing Experiences and Building Partnerships across the Mediterranean Rim, (pp.483‐498), Rabat, Morrocco.
Extension publications
2024 Tural, E. Creating Beautiful Spaces to Enhance Well-being and Healthy Aging, in Buzz, Body & Bites (HNFE-1116NP). Retrieved from https://www.pubs.ext.vt.edu/
External Funding
2025-2026 LLM-Assisted Usability Evaluation of Smart Classrooms: A Proof-of-Concept Using Posture and Spatial Layout Analysis, 4-VA Collaborative Research, USD 30,000, PI: Nizamani, Sehrish B.; Co-Is: Tural, E., Tural, A., Katz, A., Nizamani, S.; External collaborator: Basit, N., UVA.
2025 Lighting Educator Travel Stipend from the IALD Education Trust to attend the Educator Workshop at IALD Enlighten Americas.
2024-2027 MRCS Rural Health Expansion Evaluation, USD 774,925, PI: Dunkenberger, Mary E.; Co-Is: Tural, E., Silverman, R. A., Nagle, L., Taylor, L., Hanlon, A., Moore D., McCoy, A., Gao,
2022-2025 Building Ecology: examining space/place dynamics in a shared indoor environment, National Science Foundation, USD 350,000, Principal Investigator: Baird, T.; Co-Is: Abaid, N., Franusich, D., Pingel, T, Tural, E. (role: 20%)
2023 Purposeful learning spaces for neuroatypical students in higher education: An investigation of design principles in small, medium, and large classrooms, Steelcase, USD 10,000 (Active: 01/16/2023 - 05/31/2023), Principal Investigators: Kniola D; Tural E.
2022-2023 Project-based Learning (PBL) in Hybrid/Blended Higher Education Settings, Steelcase, Inc., USD 7,500, PIs: Tural, E; Zhou, Y.
2021-2022 Steelcase: Acoustic Exploration, USD 15,000, Principal Investigators: Upthegrove, T; Tural, E (role: 50%). + USD 5000 for a sponsored junior studio project.
2017-2020 Active Living at Home through Interior Design: Senior Residential Environments and Affordable Assistive Technologies, American Society of Interior Designers, PI: Tural E; Co-Is: Brossoie N, Meaney K, Tucker L, Renard H, 08/01/2017- 12/31/2020, USD 30,000.
2017-2018 Warm Hearth Kroontje Healthcare Center Memory Courtyard Conceptual Designs, Blacksburg, VA. Principal Investigators: Gilboy E (34%); Proctor N (33%); Tural E (33%), 10/16/2017- 05/31/2018. USD 10,437.
2017 US Forest Service, in cooperation with the Virginia Department of Forestry ($4,500). Blacksburg, VA: Warm Hearth Kroontje Healthcare Center Memory Courtyard Conceptual Designs, (PIs: Gilboy E; Proctor N; Tural E). (33%)
2014 IDEC Special Projects Award (USD 3,000) (Role: co‐principal; w. M. Read & A. Pulay) for the project titled “The Impact of Lighting on Children’s On‐Task Behavior in the Elementary Education Classroom”.
2013 IES Teachers of Lighting Workshop Grant (to cover tuition, room and board) to improve lighting‐related teaching and research.
Internal Funding
2024 Whole Health Research. Role: Collaborator (Whole Health Leadership Council): Virginia Tech, Destination Area 2.0 Planning & Development Grant. Amount: USD 50,000.00.
2021 Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Grant ($1,937), Virginia Tech, Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning. Project title: Use of Light and Material Demonstrations to Enhance Lighting Design Learning Among Interior Design Students. PI: Tural, E.
2017-2019 Healthy and Active Living at Home through Design and Affordable Assistive Technologies, Virginia Tech, Institute for Creativity, Arts, and Technology (ICAT), Principal Investigators: Tural E; Brossoie N; Tucker L; Meaney K; Renard H, 11/03/2017, USD 3,000.
2015 L.L. Stewart Faculty Development Grant, the OSU Foundation to attend AGI32 lighting design software training, USD 2,200.
2014 OSU College of Business Research Funding ($2,870) (PI: Tural, E; Co-Is: S. Lee & M. Read) to support the research study on collaborative learning and university building designs.
Select Awards
2025 National Distinction Award, Virginia Tech National Distinction Program (NDP).
2022 CAUS Certificate for Excellence in Teaching.
2021, 2022 Interior Design Educators Council (IDEC) Service Award.
2020 Excellence in Scholarship Award; Virginia Tech, School of Architecture + Design.
2018 New Faculty Teaching Award; Virginia Tech, School of Architecture + Design.
2017 Edison Price Fellow, The Nuckolls Fund for Lighting Education.
Credentials & memberships
WELL AP, 2016 - present. (Well AP #5653)
LEED Green Associate, 2012‐present. (LEED Green Assoc. #10792115)
Registered architect; Chamber of Architects, Section of UIA in Turkey (# 29823).
Environmental Design Research Association (EDRA), Member, 2007‐present.
Board of Directors, Elected Member, 2021-2025.
· Past-Chair, Governance Committee Chair, Ex Officio, 2024-2025.
· Chair, Board of Directors, 2023-2024.
· Chair-Elect, Program Committee Chair, 2022-2023.
· Communications Committee Chair, 2021-2022.
Interior Design Educators Council (IDEC), Member, 2013‐present.
Grant and Awards Committee, Chair, 2020-2022.
Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IESNA), 2012‐2022.
Association of Community Design (ACD), 2008 ‐ 2013.
Education
Ph.D. in Environmental Design and Planning, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona.
MFA in Interior Architecture and Environmental Design, Bilkent University, Ankara, Turkey.
B. Arch, METU, Ankara, Turkey.