Design Researcher | Creative Technologist | Academic Leader

Dr Cheng-Hung Lo is a design researcher, creative technologist, and academic leader whose work explores how emerging technologies reshape cultural experience, human perception, and embodied interaction. He currently serves as Head of the Department of Industrial Design at Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University (XJTLU), where he leads strategic initiatives in immersive design, AI-driven creativity, and interdisciplinary research development.

With academic foundations spanning psychology, computer science, and design, Dr Lo bridges scientific inquiry with creative experimentation. His research sits at the intersection of virtual reality, human-computer interaction, and cultural heritage, employing both analytical and practice-based methods. He is particularly recognised for his work in cinematic VR, affective product design, and interactive storytelling, with publications in leading venues such as IEEE TVCG, ACM SIGGRAPH, and Presence, alongside exhibitions in international platforms including The Louvre’s International Heritage Fair.

As a practitioner-scholar, he has led award-winning projects such as Glacier, City as a Cultural Classroom, and Techno-Craftsmanship, which reimagine traditional narratives and craft practices through immersive media. His work frequently combines sensorial design with cultural interpretation, forging new approaches to design-led inquiry and engagement.

Dr Lo is also an experienced academic leader and mentor. He has developed and directed degree programmes across undergraduate and postgraduate levels, supervised doctoral research in immersive technologies and interaction design, and contributed actively to international dialogues through invited talks, exhibitions, and editorial responsibilities. He has served as guest editor for special issues on immersive storytelling and product experience engineering, and sits on programme committees for global design and technology conferences.

He is a professional member of the Design Research Society, ACM SIGGRAPH, and the VR/AR Association, and continues to promote cross-disciplinary and cross-cultural innovation within both academia and applied design practice.

Cultural Interface & Immersive Media

• Cultural Interface Design

• Immersive Cultural Experience Design

• Choreographic Interactions

• Gamified and Interactive Heritage Communication

Virtual Reality & Embodied Interaction

• Cinematic VR and Immersive Storytelling

• Embodied Cognition and Movement-Based Interaction

• Spatial Interface Design and Expressive Gesture Systems

Game Studies & Interactive Systems

• Game Control Mechanisms

• Player Experience and Embodied Interaction in Games

• Gamification for Cultural and Educational Contexts

Product Design & Human-Centred Development

• Virtual Prototyping and Digital-Physical Integration

• Affective and Life-Like Product Design

• Product Ergonomics and Embodied Form Development

• Head, Department of Industrial Design, Xian Jiaotong-Liverpool University, 2023~present
• Associate Dean for Learning and Teaching, School of Film and TV Arts, Xian Jiaotong-Liverpool Univeristy, 2021-2022
• Programme Director, BA/BFA Digital Media Arts, School of Film and TV Arts, Xian Jiaotong-Liverpool Univeristy, 2019-2021
• Senior Associate Professor, School of Film and TV Arts, Xian Jiaotong-Liverpool Univeristy, 2018-2022
• Programme Director, MDes Industrial Design, Department of Industrial Design, Xian Jiaotong-Liverpool University, 2016-2018
• Associate Professor, Department of Industrial Design, Xian Jiaotong-Liverpool University, 2015-2018
• Assistant Professor, Chang Gung University, 2010-2015
• Assistant Professor, Kainan University, 2009-2010
• Postdoc Research Fellow, National Tsing Hua University (Taiwan), 2008-2009
• Research Associate, University of Bristol, 2006-2007

Current:

• User-Focused Research
• Introduction to Human Computer Interaction
• Final Year Projects

Taught - Undergraduate:

• Digital Media Arts: Major Projects
• Design for the Internet
• Creative Coding
• Introduction to Visual Communication
• Introduction to Digital Media Arts
• Service Design
• Concept Generation and Interaction
• Final Year Projects

Taught - Postgraduate:

• Framing Design Research
• Advanced Design Visuaisation andCommunication
• Final Year Projects

• Outstanding Advisor, 2020 Suzhou-Taiwan Undergraduate Summer School of Media and Communication –, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China, Aug. 2020.
• First Prize on Exhibition and Display Design, Nanjing Zijin Award, Nanjing, China. 2019.
• Excellent Tutor, Nanjing Zijin Award, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China. 2019.
• Excellent Scientific and Educational Talents, Dushu Lake Science and Education Innovation District. 2016.
• Excellent Teacher, College of Management, Chang Gung University, Taiwan. 2013.
• Third Prize, Xueyi Yao: “Combating the Pandemics through News Framework: A Study on the China’s Official Media Strategy to the Outbreaking Incidents in Public Health”, 2021 Outstanding Undergraduate Dissertation Award, Jiangsu Province, China, 2022. (Student project tutor)
• Third Prize, Zixuan Guo: “An Evaluative Study on the Immersion of Game Narratives: Using 2D Scrolling Puzzle Games as an Example”, 2020 Outstanding Undergraduate Dissertation Award, Jiangsu Province, China, 2021. (Student project tutor)
• Second Prize, “Seeking Teaism”, The Fifth International 3D Printing and Design Competition, Xian, Shanxi, China, Sept. 2020. (Student project tutor)
• Outstanding Team Award, “AR Landmarks”, AR Creative Application Competition, co-held by Unity China –, Shanghai, China, Aug. 2020. (Student project tutor)
• Excellent Design Award, “Dazzling Fans”, Nanjing Zijin Award of University Design Competition, Nanjing, China, 2019. (Student project tutor)
• First Prize, “Planet Exploration/Mobile Game”, ILEAD Research-Led Learning Student Competition, XJTLU, 2017. (Student project tutor)
• Gold Award/First Prize, “Phonimals”, Social/Non-Profit Design, Samsung Campus App Star, Samsung Taiwan, 2014. (Student project tutor)