Affiliate Faculty
Affiliate Faculty share an interest and enthusiasm for the Center's mission, conduct tourism research activities in conjunction with the Center, serve as thesis advisors and members, and mentor students working on sustainable tourism related research.
Return to All Affiliate Faculty
|
|
Design Solutions in Sustainable TourismRebecca Sweet
Associate Professor, Department of Interior Design & Merchandising College of Human Ecology Rivers West 226 East Carolina University Greenville, NC 27858 Voice: 252-328-1357 FAX: 252-328-5655 |
Community Outreach Interests
My main outlet for community outreach is Rebuilding Together Pitt County, NC, Inc. It is a 501(c)(3) non-profit affiliate of the national Rebuilding Together, www.rebuildingtogether.org. I am a founding member and President of the Board of Directors of our local affiliate. We were incorporated in August, 2007. We rehabilitate homes for the elderly, low income, single parent families with children. We have an annual Work Day the first Saturday of April to complete our selected homes with volunteers from the community. Preparation for this event begins a year in advance. RT Pitt County is committed to encouraging student participation in community outreach and we provide opportunities for them to work with us as interns.
In addition I participate in collaborative community projects with faculty from other disciplines and institutions. These projects are diverse with some being design development for new construction or adaptive reuse. The projects are consistent in the requirement that the design must be sustainable.
Research Interests
My research is a qualitative, interpretive research study that examines seminal architecture and design solutions to identify qualities that each work shares according to a prescribed set of criteria. The integration of this body of research led to the definition of a unique framework for interior design entitled Interior Environmental Poetics. Interior Environmental Poetics is the art and science of designing interior environments that evoke aesthetic and emotional experiences between the designer and the user to convey a sense of place and a perception of human spirit. It is the art of interior design that gives a place meaning and life, embodying it with features that move us deeply. It is the science that develops programs, identifies needs, and addresses life, safety, and health issues pertaining to human interaction within an interior environment.
Publications and Presentations
- O’Brien, E., Sweet, R., & Sagdic, Y. (2005). Greening kitchen and bath cabinets. Housing and Society, 32(2), 63–80.
- Sweet, R., Warsco, K., & Chin, R. (2006). Greening homeowners: A collaborative educational challenge. Housing and Society, 33(1), 73–86.
- Interior environmental poetics: The art and science of interior design. (2006, March 28–April 2). 2006 IDEC International Conference. Scottsdale, AZ.
Courses
- IDSN 2800: Interior Design I: Residential Design
- IDSN 2850: Interior Design II: Commercial Design I
- IDSN 3550: Materials and Specifications for Interior Design
- IDSN 4700: Problems in Interiors – Sustainable Design
