Academic Staff

Dr. Cehao Yu is a Research Assistant Professor at the Color, Imaging and Metaverse Research Center, with a rich academic and professional background in the interplay of light, color, and human perception. His educational journey began with a Bachelor's degree in Architecture from Chongqing University, followed by a Master of Science in Light and Lighting from University College London (UCL), culminating in a Ph.D. in Industrial Design Engineering from Delft University of Technology (TU Delft). During his Ph.D., he was a Marie Skłodowska-Curie fellow, part of the EU Horizon 2020 project DyViTo, focusing on dynamic vision and the intricacies of human visual perception.

Dr. Yu's research is centered on understanding the fundamental aspects of how humans perceive their environment, particularly the perception of colors and their interaction with other sensory attributes like shape and texture. His work explores how colors influence emotions and names and delves into the neural processes from the eye to the brain. Utilizing a blend of psychophysical, computational, and neuroimaging techniques, his research spans across all ages and includes both typical and atypical developmental trajectories.

A significant part of his work also investigates the non-visual effects of spectral light variations on human health, mood, and performance, driven by the melanopsin-containing retinal ganglion cells. By leveraging tuneable LED technology alongside physiological and behavioral measurements, Dr. Yu aims to pioneer a dynamic lighting system tailored to human behavioral and emotional needs.

Before joining academia, Dr. Yu spent a decade as a lighting specialist at AECOM, where his innovative design projects earned him IES Awards of Merit in 2019 and 2020, as well as recognition from Lighting Magazine's 40Under40 in 2016. His unique blend of academic research and professional experience positions him at the forefront of applying color and lighting science to solve real-world challenges.

• Master of Science, University College London
• Doctor of Philosophy, Delft University of Technology
• Bachelor of Architecture, Chongqing University

• Member of the Society of Light and Lighting
• Member of the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers
• Chartered Engineer