Associate Professor, Interior Design
School of Design and Art
Academic Credentials
B.A. Science Psychology- Mount Saint Mary’s University, Emmitsburg Maryland
M.A. Interior Design, Marymount University
Other study/credentials – ASID, LEED AP
Biography
Moira Gannon Denson is an Associate Professor of Interior Architecture + Design at Marymount University, where she teaches undergraduate and graduate students in design process, user- centered design, health and well0being, and sketching and rendering for ideation. She has over 10 years of professional experience in project delivery and interdisciplinary coordination of various building types, including healthcare, workplace, hospitality, and residential.
As a NCIDQ-certified and LEED-accredited Interior Designer, she is committed to improving the design process and exploring the impacts of design on overall health and wellness. She is a speaker and published author on topics such as empathic design, design psychology, well-being, and aging. She is also the recipient of multiple awards and honors, such as the Wm. L. Wilkoff, FASID Design for Humanity Award, HIBR Scholar, ASID Ones to Watch, and the Liebrock Universal Design Scholarship. In addition, she practices watercolor and illustration as a way to enhance her personal health and creativity.
- 2024 Marymount BILT Faculty Research Award
- 2020-ASID One’s to Watch Winner
- 2014-2015 Washington Metro Chapter of ASID, Wm. L. Wilkoff, FASID Design for Humanity Award recipient
- CIDA Award for Excellence, 2016 Merit Award
Other Information
Teaching Area
- User Centered Design
- Health + Well-being Design
- Design + Storytelling
- Sketching + Rendering for Ideation
Research Interests
- Impact of Design on Health and Well-being
- Design and Longevity
Publications
Denson, M & Wong, R. (2020). Environmental Design: Accommodating Sensory Changes and Mobility Limitations in Older Adults. In, D. Avers, & R. Wong (Eds.), Guccione’s Geriatric Physical Therapy (4th ed., pp 85-10 Elsevier.
Denson, M. (2017). Empathic Design Matters. In D. Kopec (Ed.), Health and Well-being for Interior Architecture (pp. 148-158). New York, NY: Routledge.
Empathic Design Matters (Book Chapter)
Interview with Moira: https://www.oseterics.com/crafting-future-spaces-aging/
