"At this early stage in my career, I really appreciate the opportunity at BR+A to keep learning through different project types and from the people I work with. They have helped me better understand how design thinking, technical knowledge, and collaboration come together in practice."
Tell me about yourself.
I was born and raised in Nanjing, a peaceful and historic city in China. I studied theatrical lighting in college in Shanghai, where I began my journey with light and gained some invaluable experience working for theater productions. I later moved to New York to pursue my MFA in Lighting Design at Parsons. I’m now a Junior Lighting Designer at Borealis Lighting Studio in BR+A’s New York office. Outside of work, I love going to theaters and concerts, trying different foods, and discovering fun things.
What does your typical day look like?
Depending on the project phase, I might be developing a concept, coordinating with architects and engineers, modeling in Revit, running photometric calculations, researching fixture options, preparing presentations, or participating in a mock-up or site visit. My work is moving between the experiential side and the measurable side of lighting—how a space should feel and how the lighting performs, meets codes, and integrates with the building system.
What brought you to BR+A?
I first came to BR+A as an intern while I was studying at Parsons. Brooke Silber, founder and lead of Borealis Lighting Studio, was my professor at Parsons, and Tzu-Hao Guo, who is also a part of Borealis, was a guest critic in my studio. Through their feedback on my school projects, I had the opportunity to learn from them and get to know professionals whose work I respected, which made me curious about Borealis at BR+A. During my internship, I had the chance to contribute to real projects, and I really valued how collaborative and supportive the team was. That experience made BR+A a natural place for me to begin my professional career.
Tell me about a project or accomplishment that you consider to be the most significant in your career.
The Johns Hopkins University Life Sciences Building, Biogen, and Watchtower projects are where I feel I’ve contributed and learned the most at BR+A. This year, I also stepped outside my comfort zone and was selected to present “Integrating VR into Lighting Design: Vision and Application” at LEDucation, one of North America’s largest lighting industry events. The session drew a full house, and the live VR demonstration sparked some great conversations. I’m very grateful for Borealis’s support and proud to have taken this step as an emerging professional in the industry.
What inspires you?
I’m inspired by the fact that only a fraction of the sensory information our brains process reaches our conscious awareness, yet much of it can still affect our minds and bodies. Light is a great example: vision is only one part of how we respond to it. Beyond what we consciously see, light can also influence circadian rhythms, melatonin regulation, and cognitive performance. That idea inspires me both professionally and on a broader philosophical level.
Tell me something about yourself that I wouldn't know from reading your resume.
I make pretty good food!
If you could be anywhere in the world right now, where would you be?
Since college, I’ve spent most of my life away from my hometown, and now I’ve ended up on a different continent. I’ve enjoyed the journey, but if I had the superpower of teleportation, I’d go home to Nanjing, where I grew up, and spend time with my family.
What’s a current industry trend that excites you?
AI is one industry trend I’m paying attention to. I’ve been following conversations across the industry to understand where it’s heading, while also using AI in parts of my own workflow to save time and improve efficiency. I’m already exploring its use in design visualization and information analysis, but I’m especially curious about how it could support greater automation within BIM workflows.