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Technical University of Munich
Technical University of Munich

Siobhan Rockcastle

Fellowship
Hans Fischer Fellowship

Appointment
2022

Institution
University of Oregon

Department
School of Architecture & Environment

Host
Prof. Thomas Auer

Focus Group
Human-Centric Building Performance

Short CV

Siobhan is an Assistant Professor of Architecture at the University of Oregon, Director of the Baker Lighting Lab and co-founder of OCULIGHT dynamics, a company offering daylight design support to promote healthy indoor occupation. She explores topics at the intersection of architectural design, environmental dynamics, human perception, and lighting performance with a focus on well-being.  Her research uses both experimental design and building simulation to measure and evaluate the impact of environmental conditions on human subjects. Siobhan was awarded the 2021 ARCC New Researcher Award and was on the organizing committee of two SimAUD symposia as Scientific Chair in 2018 and General Chair in 2019.  She received her PhD in 2017 from the LIPID lab in the Doctoral Program in Architecture and Sciences of the City (EDAR) at the Swiss Federal Polytechnic in Lausanne, Switzerland (EPFL) where her dissertation was awarded with ‘special distinction‘.

Siobhan earned her professional BArch from Cornell University in 2008 and her SMArchS degree in Building Technology from MIT in 2011. Her previous academic experience includes assistant and full-time teaching positions at Cornell, Northeastern, MIT, and EPFL. Her professional work experience includes KVA matX in Boston, Snøhetta NY, MSR design in Minneapolis, Epiphyte lab in Ithaca, and Gensler NY. 

Selected Awards

  • 2021, ARCC New Researcher Award, selected by the ARCC Board of Directors
  • 2020, Francis Bronet Innovation Award, College of Design, University of Oregon
  • 2020, Best Paper Award, SimAUD 2020 conference, Vienna Virtual due to COVID-19
  • 2018, 2nd Prize for OCULIGHT dynamics, ‘LePrix StartUp Durable’, Les Temps, Swizterland
  • 2018, Special Distinction for PhD Thesis, Recognized by the Doctoral School, EPFL
  • 2012, Best Paper Award, SimAUD 2012 conference, Orlando
  • 2011, SMArchS Thesis Prize, for ‘Daylight Variability and Contrast-Driven Arch. Effect,’ MIT
  • 2010-2011, Samuel A. Marx Fellowship, full tuition award for outstanding scholastic merit, MIT
  • 2008, Alpha Rho Chi Bronze Medal, for leadership and professional merit, Cornell

Research Interests

Architectural design, environmental dynamics, human perception, lighting performance with a focus on well-being. Her research uses both experimental design and building simulation to measure and evaluate the impact of environmental conditions on human subjects in buildings

Selected Publications

  • S. F. Rockcastle, M. Danell, E. Calabrese, G. Sollom-Brotherton, A. Mahic, K. Van Den Wymelenberg, and R. Davis.Comparing Perceptions of LED Lighting Between a Physical Space and Virtual Reality Display, Lighting Research and Technology, published online February 24, 2021. View at Sage Journals
  • M. L. Ámundadóttir, S. F. Rockcastle, M. Sarey Khanie, and M. Andersen.  A human-centric approach to assess daylight for non-visual health potential, visual interest and gaze behavior, Building & Environment, Vol. 13, 2017.  View at Science Direct
  • S. F. Rockcastle, M. L. Ámundadóttir and M. Andersen. Contrast measures for predicting perceptual effects of daylight in architectural renderings, accepted in Lighting Research and Technology, Vol. 40, Issue 7, 2017. View in Journal
  • S. F. Rockcastle, G. Whalen, R. Davis. Comparing perceptions of web-based 2D perspective and 360-degree navigable images with measurements from a physical space and a virtual reality headset, IES Annual Conference 2022, New Orleans, Aug. 18-20, 2022.
  • H. Parhizkar, M. Fretz, S. F. Rockcastle, K. Van Den Wymelenberg. A simulation-based approach to mitigate disease transmission risk from aerosol particles in buildings. SimAUD 2022, San Diego, July 18-19, 2022.
  • J. McLaughlin, M. Young and S. F. Rockcastle.  Fine-grained measurement of the indoor built environment with robotic vacuum cleaners, Building Simulation 2021, Bruges, Sept. 1-3, 2021.
  • S. F. Rockcastle, M. Danell, L. Petterson, and M. L. Ámundadóttir.  The Impact of Behavior on Healthy Circadian Light Exposure Under Daylight and Electric Lighting Scenarios, ACEEE Summer Study on Energy Efficiency in Buildings 2020, Pacific Grove, Aug 16 – 21, 2020.
  • M. Danell, M. L. Ámundadóttir and S. F. Rockcastle. Evaluating Temporal and Spatial Light Exposure Profiles for Typical Building Occupants, SimAUD 2020, Virtual Conference, May 25 – 27, 2020 [Best Paper Award].
  • S. F. Rockcastle, M. L. Ámundadóttir and M. Andersen. The case for occupant-centric daylight analytics: a comparison of horizontal illumination and immersive view. BS2019 – 15th International Conference of the International Building Performance Simulation Association, Rome, September 7-9, 2019.

Publications as TUM-IAS-Fellow

2024

  • Rockcastle, Siobhan; Mahic, Alen: Simulating the annual energy demand to meet non-visual health recommendations from a luminaire level lighting control system. Energy and Buildings 303, 2024, 113772 more… BibTeX Full text ( DOI )
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