Saleh Kalantari

Saleh Kalantari is the Lois and Mel Tukman Assistant Professor in Cornell University’s Department of Human Centered Design, with graduate field faculty appointments in the Department of Information Science. He directs the Design and Augmented Intelligence Lab (DAIL), focusing on human-technology partnerships in design to enhance design practice and spatial understanding. Previously, he taught at the University of Houston and Washington State University, and worked at Parkin Architects Ltd., where his team earned an International Academy for Design and Health Award for forensic mental health center design.

Dr. Kalantari holds a Ph.D. in Architecture from Texas A&M University. His research integrates behavioral and neurological methods to study human interactions with designed environments, particularly through virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) technologies. Key areas include spatial navigation for aging populations, lighting design impacts on well-being, and AI-driven tools for healthcare decision-making. He has secured grants from the NSF, NIH, and NIDILRR.

His lab develops solutions like NavMarkAR (AR wayfinding for older adults) and the i-SDM framework for AI-augmented clinical decision-making. Research emphasizes biometric data (EEG, physiological measurements) to evaluate design outcomes, such as stress recovery in virtual environments or lighting preferences.

Scientific awards include the Center for Health Design’s Touchstone Award. His work spans interdisciplinary collaborations in architecture, computer science, and health sciences, aiming to bridge technological innovation with human-centered design principles.