MEET THE TEAM

The students highlighted on this page contributed to the research initiatives of Phygital through collaborative design projects. Under faculty guidance, they supported the translation of digital design into physical form through experimentation, prototyping, and fabrication.

Founders

Anna Ruth Gatlin

Ph.D., NCIDQ, ASID, IDEC; Associate Professor of Interior Design;

Anna Ruth Gatlin, Ph.D., is an award-winning designer, educator, and scholar in the Interior Design Program, which is housed in the Department of Consumer & Design Sciences in the College of Human Sciences at Auburn University. Her background in institutional/commercial/educational design informs her teaching, scholarship and service. She teaches undergraduate interior design courses, including the history of interior design classes and commercial studio courses (these are taught alongside Prof. Georges Fares); she also mentors graduate students in the Department of Consumer & Design Sciences. Her scholarship spans two distinct but complementary tracks: one examining the role of interior design as a component of nonprofit organizational capacity, and another advancing creative scholarship at the intersection of traditional handwork and emerging technologies.

Her current creative scholarship explores Baroque design works through this lens. In 2024, Dr. Gatlin started Phygital Design Lab with her creative scholarship research partner, Prof. Georges Fares. Together they work with 3D-printing, cross-stitch, augmented reality, weaving, quilting, virtual reality, artificial intelligence, and many other physical and digital modalities.

Georges Fares

M.I.D., ASID, IDEC;

Assistant Professor of Interior Design;

Georges Fares is an Assistant Professor of Interior Design in the Department of Consumer and Design Sciences at Auburn University. His research centers on neuro architecture and sensory design, exploring how spatial environments shape perception, behavior, and overall well being. He investigates the relationship between built environments and human experience, with an emphasis on designing spaces that support cognitive, emotional, and behavioral outcomes.

His teaching and creative scholarship prioritize experiential learning, cross cultural design perspectives, and the integration of emerging technologies such as 3D printing, virtual reality, and augmented reality. Through curriculum development, public facing exhibitions, and funded research initiatives, he advances innovative approaches that connect design education with practice and technology.

His work has been recognized through national awards, juried exhibitions, invited panels, and professional leadership roles within the field of design education.

Digital Media & Communications

Jenna Nicholls

Jenna Nicholls is a graduate student in Interior Design Research at Auburn University. Her research explores patient well-being in healthcare environments and emerging technologies such as 3D printing, AR, and VR.

She manages the Phygital Design Lab’s website and Instagram, sharing the lab’s research, projects, and events.