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Dr. Gabriela Fonseca Pereira

Assistant Professor, Interior Design
Family and Consumer Sciences
Office
TUR Turner Hall 139
  • About
  • Education
  • Awards & Honors
  • Research

Biography

Gabriela Fonseca Pereira is an Assistant Professor for Interior Design. She received her Ph.D. from the Oklahoma State University and has a Master's degree in Design and Technology from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Brazil, a degree in Visual Arts (Federal University of Pelotas - UFPel, Brazil) and Furniture Design (Sul-Rio-Grandense Federal Institute - IFSul). She practiced graphic, furniture, and interior design in Brazil. Her current research focus on housing solutions for aging-in-place, gerontechnology, and virtual reality for interior design.

Current Courses

499.023Independent Research For The Master's Thesis

303.001Emerging Technology in Interior Design

442.001Emerging Technology in Interior Design

448.001History of Interior & Environmental Design II

348.001History Of Interior And Environmental Design II

285.008Honors Undergraduate Research I

347.001Human Factors In Interior Environments

447.001Human Factors in Interior Environments

299.002Independent Honor Study

499.024Independent Research For The Master's Thesis

287.023Independent Study

340.001Interior Design I: Studio

340.002Interior Design I: Studio

440.001Interior Design I: Studio

440.002Interior Design I: Studio

491.001Internship: Seminar In College Teaching In Family & Consumer

424.001Selected Problems In Family And Consumer Sciences

291.023Undergraduate Teaching Experiences In Family And Consumer Sciences

Teaching Interests & Areas

- Emerging Technology
- Virtual Reality
- Housing Solutions for Older Adults
- Human Factors and Special Populations
- History of Interiors

Research Interests & Areas

Housing solutions for Aging-in-Place, Gerontechnology, Virtual Reality

PhD Human Sciences (Interior Design)

Oklahoma State University
Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA

MS Design

Rio Grande do Sul Federal University (UFRGS)
Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil

Bachelor of Arts Visual Arts

Pelotas Federal University (UFPel)
Pelotas, RS, Brazil

Connie J. Ley Outstanding Researcher Award

Department of Family and Consumer Sciences
2023

CAST Outstanding Teacher Award – Pre-Tenure Category

College of Applied Science and Technology
2022

2018 Women's Research Award

The Women's Faculty Council, Oklahoma State University
2018

1st Place - IDEC Student Design Competition - Graduate Student Level

Interior Design Educators Council
2017

Abstract

Xiu, D., Dyar, C., Fonseca Pereira, G., Vaux, D. (2024, March). Multigenerational households in the United States: Design for American Families. IDEC Annual Conference, New York City, NY

Book, Chapter

Kang, M., & Fonseca Pereira, G. Designing co-living communities for the aging population. Transforming issues in housing design. Wiley (2023)
Altenburger, E., & Fonseca Pereira, G. Navigating the space between soft leads and mixed reality with design students. Nisha Ashanti (EDs), Handbook of Interior Architecture. Routledge

Conference Proceeding

Fonseca Pereira, G., Gruber, D., & Bicudo, A. A case study of Inclusive Design to improve sense of belonging in higher education.. EDRA55 Annual Conference Proceedings (2024)
Fonseca Pereira, G. Exploring students’ experiences with mixed reality technology in interior design projects: a pilot study.. 2024 IDEC Annual Conference Proceedings (2024)
Fonseca Pereira, G., Kang, M., & Elsey, E. Potential hazards in aging parents’ homes and adult children’s attitude towards Gerontechnology for falls. 2024 IDEC Annual Conference Proceedings. (2024)
Culbreth, C., & Fonseca Pereira, G. Inclusive Design Analysis in Educational Spaces and Users’ Perceptions: A Case Study.. EDRA54 (2023)
DeZur, E., Culbreth, C., Elsey, E., & Fonseca Pereira, G. The Potential Use of Unity Game Engine for VR in Interior Design Human Factors Research.. EDRA54 (2023)

Journal Article

Whelan, E., Dyar, C., Edwards, K., Altenburger, E., Fonseca Pereira, G., & Johnson, B. Anticipated satisfaction of technologies in the homes & lives of older adults to prolong independence. Online Journal of Complementary & Alternative Medicine (2023)
Xiu, D., Dyar, C., & Fonseca Pereira, G. Multigenerational living style is back? An awareness for interior Designers. Dana E. Vaux (EDs). IDEC Exchange A Forum for Interior Design Education. 1.Spring (2023): 13-14.
Pereira, G. F., & Kang, M. (2022). Examining the diffusion of fall monitoring gerontechnology among older adults for aging-in-place. Journal of Aging and Social Change, 13(1), 33-48. doi: 10.18848/2576-5310/CGP/v13i01/33-48
Sehn, T., Pereira, G. F., Ruecker, S., & Aymone, L. (2020). Reading together: A way to bring older adults closely and increase place attachment. PIXO – Journal of Architecture, City, and Contemporaneity, 4(4), 32-51. doi: 10.15210/pixo.v4i14.19885.
Pereira, G. F., Kang, M., & Sample, R. (2019). Older adults’ perceptions on accessibility in a senior cohousing community. International Journal of Constructed Environment, 10(2), 9-25. doi: 10.18848/2154-8587/CGP/v10i02/9-25.

Presentations

Belonging/Inclusion in Campus Spaces: Considering Caregiving and Intersectional Identities. Annual Conference of the National Council on Family Relations. National Council on Family Relations. (2024)
Xiu, D., Dyar, C., Fonseca Pereira, G., Vaux, D. (2024, March). Multigenerational households in the United States: Design for American Families. IDEC Annual Conference, New York City, NY. chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://idec.org/wp-content/uploads/2024-Proceedings-Report_Final-6_11_24.pdf
Aging simulation to build learning and empathy among interior design students.. EDRA53. Environmental Design Research Association. (2022)
Home spaces used as third places during the COVID-19 pandemic among older adults living in the U.S.A. and in Brazil.. IDEC. Interior Design Educators Council. (2022)
Use of gaming program Unity for interior design virtual reality 3D modeling. IDEC. Interior Design Educators Council. (2022)
Anticipated Satisfaction of Technologies in the Homes & Lives of Older Adults to Prolong Independence. IDEC National Fall Symposium. Interior Design Educators Council. (2021)
Difficulties for Aging-in-Place in a Senior Cohousing Community: A Pilot Study.. EDRA52. Environmental Design Research Association. (2021)
Interior design teaching at public universities in Brazil during the COVID-19 pandemic.. IDEC Annual Meeting. Interior Design Educators Council. (2021)
Senior Co-Housing Dementia Care Facility; A Qualitative Study. IDEC National Fall Symposium. Interior Design Educators Council. (2021)
Social Interaction during the COVID-19 Pandemic Among Older Adults at Home. EDRA52.. Environmental Design Research Association. (2021)

Grants & Contracts

Educating older adults on home modifications through Virtual Reality experience to promote aging-in-place.. BirdFEEDER (Fund for Experimentation, Enquiry and the DEvelopment of Student Research). Illinois State University. (2025)
Center for Inclusive Intergenerational Environment. Illinois State University. Illinois State University. (2023)
CAST Grant for Innovation in Diversity, Equity, Belonging, and Inclusion (DEBI). CAST. Illinois State University. (2022)
Enabling Extended Reality and Game-Based Learning in Design and Construction Courses.. University Teaching Grant. Illinois State University. (2022)
Examining Gerontechnology’s diffusion for falls among the decision-makers to support their parents’ aging-in-place.. Interior Design Educators Council Foundation (IDECF) Special Projects Grant. Other. (2022)