Jae Yong Suk

Jae Yong Suk is a Professor in the Department of Design, the Arthur H. Rosenfeld Endowed Chair in Energy Efficiency, and Director of the California Lighting Technology Center (CLTC) at UC Davis. An internationally recognized lighting designer and building-science researcher, he brings together design, human factors, emerging technologies, and energy research to improve building performance and occupant well-being.

Suk’s research integrates lighting and daylighting design with human health and well-being, indoor environmental quality, building energy efficiency, and advanced control systems. Currently, he is investigating circadian and stress-mitigating lighting, visual comfort and glare, ecologically responsible exterior lighting, smart home energy management, residential smart panels, electric vehicle charging, integrated building controls, and grid-responsive technologies. Through laboratory studies, field demonstrations, and collaborations with government, utilities, industry, healthcare institutions, and international research organizations, he works to translate research into practical technologies, design guidance, energy codes, and scalable solutions supporting decarbonization and resilience.

At UC Davis, Suk teaches Lighting Technology and Design (DES 136A), Designing with Light—Industrial Design (DES 136B), and Daylighting Design Studio (DES 137B). His courses combine design inquiry with lighting science, emerging technologies, and hands-on experimentation at CLTC. Students learn to design architectural lighting environments, develop and prototype luminaires, apply lighting controls, and evaluate daylighting performance using climate analysis, lighting metrics, high-dynamic-range photography, and physical models.

Before joining UC Davis, Suk taught architecture and building technology at the University of Texas at San Antonio and worked as a senior lighting designer and daylighting specialist. His professional projects include the United States Courthouse in Los Angeles, the LAX Tom Bradley International Terminal, Playa Vista Central Park, and award-winning public library projects in Washington, D.C. His research and design work has received recognition from the Architectural Research Centers Consortium, Passive and Low Energy Architecture, the International Association of Lighting Designers, the Illuminating Engineering Society, the Professional Lighting Design Convention, and the American Institute of Architects.

Suk holds a Ph.D. in Architecture and a Master of Building Science from the University of Southern California and a Bachelor of Engineering in Architecture from Ajou University in South Korea.