Skip to main content

Dr. Natalie D. Ellis

Assistant Professor

University of North Texas

Department of Design

Email: Natalie.Ellis@unt.edu

Education

  • PhD, University of Missouri, 2015
    Major: Human Environmental Science
    Specialization: Architectural Studies: Emphasis in Environment and Behavior
  • Certificate, University of Missouri, 2013
    Major: Organizational Change
    Specialization: Organizational Analysis
  • MS, University of Missouri, 2013
    Major: Architectural Studies
  • BS, University of Missouri, 1995
    Major: Interior Design
  • BS, Missouri State University, 1982
    Major: Elementary Education

Licensures and Certifications

  • LEED BD+C, USGBC. (2009 - Present).
  • IIDA, International Interior Design Association, Multi-contributing. (1995 - Present).

Professional Memberships

  • Interior Design Educators Council. (January 2015 - Present).
  • Education Design Research Association. (January 1, 2011 - Present).
  • Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design, Accredited Professional, Building Design and Construction. (January 23, 2009 - Present).
  • United States Green Building Council. (January 1, 2009 - Present).
  • National Council for Interior Design Qualifications. (July 1, 2002 - Present).
  • National Council for Interior Design Qualification. (April 1, 2002 - Present).
  • International Interior Design Association. (January 1, 1995 - Present).
  • Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design. (July 23, 2009 - December 31, 2022).
  • United States Green Building Council. (June 23, 2009 - August 2021).

Development Activities

  • Continuing Education Program, IDCEC, IDCEC. (January 2019).
  • Continuing Education Program, LEED AP, BD+C, United States Green Building Council. (January 2019).
  • Conference Attendance, 2022 UNT Equity and Diversity Conference, UNT Equity and Diversity. Denton,TX,United States of America. (March 23, 2022 - March 23, 2022).
  • Conference Attendance, IDEC Regional Conference, IDEC. Virtual,Virtual,United States of America. (October 3, 2021).
  • Conference Attendance, Second Early Childhood Research Retreat, Early Childhood Education Institute (ECEI). Norman,OK,United States of America. (September 6, 2018 - September 7, 2018).
  • Workshop, Faculty Leadership Academy, Office of the Vice President of Research. Norman,OK,United States of America. (August 26, 2017 - December 9, 2017).
  • Seminar, Developing and Using Rubrics to Assess Student Learning, Norman,OK,. (January 30, 2015).
  • Seminar, Writing Multiple-choice Questions to Assess Higher-order Thinking, Office of Academic Assessment. Norman,OK,United States of America. (January 30, 2015).

Teaching

Teaching Experience

    University of North Texas

  • ADES 2640 - Interior Design: Design Studio I, 2 courses.
  • ADES 3610 - Interior Design: Presentation Techniques, 2 courses.
  • ADES 3630 - Interior Design: Space Planning II, 4 courses.
  • ADES 3635 - Interior Design: Detail, 3 courses.
  • ADES 3640 - Interior Design: Design Studio III, 2 courses.
  • ADES 3645 - Interior Design: Building Systems, 3 courses.
  • ART 5900 - Special Problems, 1 course.

Teaching at Other Institutions

  • University of Oklahoma: Master's Committee, Fall 2021.
  • University of Oklahoma: PhD committee co-chair, Fall 2021.

Directed Student Learning

  • Doctoral Advisory Committee Chair, "A MIXED-METHODS STUDY: INVESTIGATING THE ROLE OF ENVIRONMENT-BEHAVIOR (E-B) ATTRIBUTES UPON FACULTY," Design. (December 16, 2022).
  • Master's Thesis Committee Member, "Does Workstation Design, Materials, and Configuration Have an Impact on the Mental Health of Individuals Returning to the Office Post COVID-19?," Design. (August 29, 2022 - December 16, 2022).

Awards and Honors

  • Nominated for 2022 IIDA Educator Diversity Award Nomination, IIDA. (December 31, 2021).

Research

Published Intellectual Contributions

    Abstracts and Proceedings

  • Vail, J.S., Ellis, N.D. (2024). Advancing the Value of Design Competitions through Experiential Learning. (AMPS Proceedings Series 36.2) pages 92-100. Architecture Media Politics Society (AMPS) Teaching Beyond the Curriculum - Focus on Pedagogy 2023. https://amps-research.com/proceedings/
  • Vail, J.S., Ellis, N.D. (2023). Capturing the Impact of Experiential Learning through Student Design Competitions. page 87. Champaign, IL, Common Ground Research Networks, NFP. https://designprinciplesandpractices.com/about/history/2023-conference
  • Pober, E.F., Ellis, N.D. (2017). Entry Level Practitioner Preparedness: Evaluation of CIDA Standards for Beginning Interior Design Professionals. Interior Design Educators Council.

    • Conference Proceeding

  • Kile, M.S., Ellis, N.D. (2020). The Quality of Work Environments for Early Childhood Educators’ Well-being from an Interdisciplinary Approach. Other. 2 (18) 171-181. Tallahassee, Forida, Publication & Research in Art, Architecture, Design and Environments (PARADE). http://architecturemps.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Architecture-MPS-18-2-2.pdf
  • Yi, Y., Ellis, N. (2020). Accessible Environment for People with Cognitive Disabilities: Toward an integrative theoretical framework and future research. Environmental Design Research Association.
  • Kile, M.S., Ellis, N.D. (2019). Continuity in Architecture: Enlightenment through and Immersive Studio Experience for Design Students at Fallingwater. (ACSF 11) 5. Architecture Culture Spirituality Forum. http://www.acsforum.org/symposium2019/works.htm
  • Ellis, N.D., , H. (2014). Creating Making: Theory, Modeling and Synthesis to Build: Theorizing the Studio Curriculum. IDEC SW Regional Conference.
  • Ellis, N.D. (2014). The Relationship between Office Work Typeology and Interior Attribute Preference. Philadelphia, PA, The Constructed Environment.

    • Journal Article

  • Ellis, N.D., Yi, Y. Systematic Review on Environmental Design for Adaptive and Problem Behaviors of People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities. Health Environments Research & Design. Health Environments Research & Design Journal.
  • Yi, Y., Ellis, N.D. (2023). Associations between environmental factors and adaptive skills of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in educational settings. 7 (1) 1-11. Elsevier Ltd..
  • Trippeer, B.C., Stark, J., Gam, H., Ellis, N., Morgan, B., Park, P. (2022). Sustainable Textiles for Health and Well-being: An Investigation of Curricular Opportunities for Fashion Design and Interior Design Student Collaboration. Other. 10 (2) 29. Oxfordshire, Taylor and Francis. https://www.tandfonline.com/journals/rftd20
  • Kwon, K., Ford, T.G., Salvatore, A.L., Randall, K., Jeon, L., Malek-Lasater, A., Ellis, N., Kile, M., Horm, D.M., Kim, S.G., Han, M. (2022). Neglected Elements of a High‑Quality Early Childhood Workforce: Whole Teacher Well‑Being and Working Conditions. Early Childhood Education Journal. Happy Teacher project. 50 157-168. Springer.
  • Kwon, K., Ford, T.G., Jeon, Malek-Lasater, A., Ellis, N.D., Randall, K., Kile, M.S., Salvatore, A. (2021). Testing a holistic framework for early childhood teacher well-being. Journal of School Psychology. Happy Teacher project. 86 178-197. Elsevier.
  • Kwon, K., Ford, T.G., Salvatore, A.L., Randall, K., Jeon, L., Malek-Lasater, A., Ellis, N.D., Kile, M.S., Horm, D.M., Kim, S., Han, M. (2020). Neglected elements of a high-quality early childhood workforce: Whole teacher well-being and working conditions. Early Childhood Education Journal. Springer Nature B.V..
  • Kwon, K., Ford, T., Salvatore, A., Randall, K., Jeon, L., Malek-Lasater , A., Ellis, N., Kile , M., Horm, D., Kim, S., Han, M. (2020). Neglected elements of a high-quality early childhood workforce: Whole teacher well-being and working conditions.
  • Kwon, K., Ford, T., Jeon, L., Randall, K., Ellis, N., Kile, M., Malek, A., Salvatore, A. (2020). Testing a holistic conceptual framework for early childhood teacher well-being.

Presentations Given

    Keynote/Plenary Address

  • Kwon, K. (Presenter), Ford, T.G. (Author), Jeon, L. (Author), Randall, K. (Author), Ellis, N.D. (Author), Kile, M.S. (Author), Malek, A. (Author), Salvatore, A. (Author), Annual Conference of Korean Association of Child and Parents Studies, Happy Teacher Project: Supporting early childhood teachers' well-being., Annual Conference of Korean Association of Child and Parents Studies, Kyeongsangdo, (2019).

    • Oral Presentation

  • Ellis, N.D. (Author & Presenter), Vail, J.S. (Author & Presenter), The 9th IAFOR International Conference on Education in Hawaii (IICE2024), Experiential Learning through Reflection and Practice for Student Design Competitions, The International Academic Forum (IAFOR), Hawaii, US, United States of America. (2024 - 2024).
  • Vail, J.S. (Author & Presenter), Ellis, N.D. (Author & Presenter), Teaching Beyond the Curriculum - Focus on Pedagogy 2023, Advancing the Value of Design Competitions through Experiential Learning, AMPS - Architecture Media Politics Society, Virtual: UK, USA, China, United Kingdom. (2023).
  • Ellis, N.D. (Author & Presenter), Faisal, A. (Author & Presenter), Yi, Y.J. (Author & Presenter), IDEC Southwest Regional Conference, DESIGN AT THE EDGE: How have ADA and Universal Design created a path for creating Inclusive Design and its understanding for 21st-century designers?, IDEC, Denton, TX, United States of America. (2023).
  • Ellis, N.D. (Author & Presenter), Faisal, A. (Author & Presenter), IDEC SW Regional Conference, A MIXED-METHODS STUDY: INVESTIGATING THE ROLE OF ENVIRONMENT-BEHAVIOR (E-B) ATTRIBUTES UPON FACULTY, IDEC, Huntsville, TX, United States of America. (2022 - 2022).
  • Ellis, N. (Author & Presenter), IDEC 2021 Virtual Regional Conference., In the spirit of the now and Since Covid-19: Improving the Environmental Preference Index validity and reality, United States of America. (2021 - 2021).
  • Ellis, N. (Author & Presenter), IDEC 2020 Virtual Regional Conference, Covid 19 retrofit outcomes for mental health care hospitals: CDC Best Practice Guidelines impact upon healthcare workers, United States of America. (2020 - 2020).
  • Kwon, K. (Presenter), Ford, T.G. (Presenter), Randall, K. (Presenter), Malek, A. (Presenter), Jeon, L. (Author), Ellis, N.D. (Author), Kile, M.S. (Author), Salvatore, A. (Author), the Professional Development Leadership Academy, Happy Teacher Project: Supporting early childhood teachers' well-being., the Professional Development Leadership Academy, Tulsa, Oklahoma, (2019).
  • Kwon, K. (Presenter), Randall, K. (Presenter), Ellis, N.D. (Presenter), Kile, M.S. (Presenter), Malek, A. (Presenter), Amirault, C. (Presenter), Williams, B. (Presenter), Jeon, L. (Author), Salvatore, A. (Author), OK Moving Forward Conference, Happy Teacher Project: Supporting early childhood teachers' well-being., OK Moving Forward Conference, Norman, Oklahoma, (2019).
  • Ellis, N.D., 2019 Oklahoma Service Learning Conference, Collaborative Design: A Service-Learning Project with the University of Oklahoma DHS Training Center and the Gibbs College of Architecture, Oklahoma Service Learning, Tulsa, OK, (2019).
  • Kwon, K. (Presenter), Randall, K. (Presenter), Ellis, N.D. (Presenter), Kile, M.S. (Presenter), Malek, A. (Presenter), Bradford, T.G. (Author), Jeon, L. (Author), Salvatore, A. (Author), Tulsa Educare Leadership Team Meeting, Happy Teacher Project: Supporting early childhood teachers' well-being., Tulsa Educare Leadership Team Meeting, Tulsa, Oklahoma, (2019).
  • Ellis, N. (Author & Presenter), IDEC 2019 Southwest Regional Conference, Teaching design principles and elements to Generation Z students through the American School Philosophy: An iterative design longitudinal case study between Bruce Goff homes and design/build furniture., United States of America. (2019 - 2019).
  • Ellis, N.D. (Presenter), IDEC Southwest Regional Conference, Teaching design principles and elements to Generation Z students through the American School Philosophy: A longitudinal case study of iterative design between inspirational homes and design/build furniture objects, IDEC, Waco, Texas, (2019).
  • Kwon, K. (Presenter), Randall, K. (Presenter), Ellis, N.D. (Presenter), Ford, T.G. (Author), Jeon, L. (Author), Kile, M.S. (Author), Malek, A. (Presenter), Salvatore, A. (Author), Early Childhood Education Institute Advisory Board, Happy Teacher Project: Supporting early childhood teachers' well-being., Early Childhood Education Institute Advisory Board, Tulsa, Oklahoma, (2019).
  • Kwon, K. (Presenter), Ford, T.G. (Author), Jeon, L. (Author), Randall, K. (Author), Ellis, N.D. (Author), Kile, M.S. (Author), Malek, A. (Author), Salvatore, A. (Author), Kyeongbuk National University, Happy Teacher Project: Supporting early childhood teachers' well-being., Kyeongbuk National University, Kyeongbuk , Korea, (2019).
  • Kwon, K. (Presenter), Ford, T.G. (Author), Jeon, L. (Author), Randall, K. (Author), Ellis, N.D. (Author), Kile, M.S. (Author), Malek, A. (Author), Salvatore, A. (Author), Yeonsel University, Happy Teacher Project: Supporting early childhood teachers' well-being., Yeonsel University, Seoul, Korea, (2019).
  • Kwon, K. (Presenter), Jeon, L. (Presenter), Ford, T.G. (Author), Randall, K. (Author), Ellis, N.D. (Author), Kile, M.S. (Author), Malek, A. (Author), Salvatore, A. (Author), Early Childhood Education Institute Advisory Board, Happy Teacher Project: Supporting early childhood teachers' well-being., Child Care and Early Education Policy Research Consortium, Tulsa, Oklahoma, (2019).
  • Kwon, K. (Presenter), Malek, A. (Presenter), Ford, T.G. (Author), Jeon, L. (Author), Randall, K. (Author), Ellis, N.D. (Author), Kile, M.S. (Author), Salvatore, A. (Author), Biennial Meeting for Society of Research in Child Development, Happy Teacher Project: Supporting early childhood teachers' well-being., Biennial Meeting for Society of Research in Child Development, Baltimore, Maryland, (2019).
  • Ellis, N.D. (Presenter), Kile, M. (Presenter), IDEC Southwest Regional Conference, A case study: Design pattern consolidation study for enhancing design studio learning, IDEC, Little Rock, AR, (2018).
  • Ellis, N.D. (Presenter), Kader, S. (Presenter), Barker, G. (Presenter), EDRA49, Participatory Design and Post-Occupancy Evaluation Strategies, Environmental Design Research Association, Oklahoma City, OK, (2018).
  • Ellis, N.D. (Presenter), EDRA49, Photographic Content Analysis, Environmental Design Research Association, Oklahoma City, OK, (2018).
  • Ellis, N.D. (Presenter), Pober, E.F. (Presenter), IDEC SW Regional Conference, Pilot study development: Entry level practitioner preparedness: Evaluation of CIDA standards by beginning interior design professionals, Interior Design Educators Council, Dallas, TX, (2017).
  • Ellis, N.D., EDRA48, POE/Programming/Building Process & Alliance Track: Making Voices Heard: Workplace design trends case study and the link with sense of place, Environmental Design Research Association, Madison, WI, (2017).
  • Ellis, N.D. (Author), Environmental Design Research Association, Making Voices Heard: Workplace design trends case study and the link with sense of place, EDRA, Madison, Wisconsin, (2016).
  • Ellis, N.D. (Presenter), Interior Design Educators Council, SODR: Evidence Based Design: Creating the bridge between academics, practice, and research, San Antonio, Texas, (2016).
  • Ellis, N.D. (Presenter), Environmental Design Research Association, Changing the workplace: Descriptive analysis for organizational worker's actual and ideal environmental congruency perceptions, EDRA, Raleigh, North Carolina, (2016).
  • Ellis, N.D. (Presenter), 2016 IDEC National Conference, Reaching the millennial student: a Comparative analysis of team-based learning student outcomes over traditional lecture/test instructional methods, Interior Design Educators Council, (2016).
  • Ellis, N.D. (Presenter), IDEC_2014 SW Regional Conference, Preparing the Millennial student to problem-solve through full-scale furniture model design and testing. Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SOTL), Interior Design Educators Council, Fort Collins, CO, (2015).

    • Other

  • Vail, J.S. (Author & Presenter), Ellis, N.D. (Author & Presenter), Denton ISD Fine Arts Professional Development Fest, Capturing the Impact of Experiential Learning, Denton ISD, Ryan High School, Denton, TX, United States of America. (2023).
  • Kile, M.S. (Presenter), Ellis, N.D. (Presenter), Architecture Media Politics Society, Indoor Environmental Strategies to Support Teacher Health and Well-being, Florida State University, Florida, (2020).
  • Ellis, N.D., Creating_Making Forum 2014, The Dash of Theory_Making Room for Studio Theory Practice, (2014).
  • Ellis, N.D., Wachter, H., IDEC SW Regional Conference, Creating Making: Theory, Modeling and Synthesis to Build: Theorizing the Studio Curriculum, (2014).
  • Ellis, N.D., The Relationship between Office Work Typeology and Interior Attribute Preference, The Constructed Environment, Philadelphia, PA, (2014).

    • Paper

  • Ellis, N.D. (Author & Presenter), Kile, M. (Author & Presenter), Architecture Culture Spirituality Forum (ACSF), Embracing Organic Architecture through the Practice of Mindfulness- A Pedagogical Framework, Architecture Culture Spirituality Forum (ACSF), Bear Run, PA, United States of America. (2022 - 2022).
  • Ellis, N.D. (Presenter), Kile, M.S. (Presenter), ACSF_Continuity in Architecture, Continuity in Architecture: Enlightenment through an Immersive Studio Experience for Design Students at Fallingwater, Architecture Culture Spirituality Forum, Scottsdale, Arizona, (2019).
  • Ellis, N.D., Dissertation Defense, A descriptive study of workplace attributes: Environmental Preference Index examined through organizational system preference typologies, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, (2015).

Contracts, Grants, Sponsored Research

    Grant - Research

  • Kwon, K. (Principal), Ellis, N.D. (Co-Principal), Kile, M. (Co-Principal), "Early Childhood Teachers’ Physical and Psychological Well-being: Predictors and Consequences," sponsored by University of Oklahoma, Other, $15000 Funded. (2018 - 2019).
  • Kwon, K. (Principal), Ellis, N.D. (Co-Principal), Kile, M. (Co-Principal), "Infant Toddler Teachers’ Physical and Psychological Well-being: Predictors and Consequences," sponsored by University of Oklahoma, Other, $8500 Funded. (2018 - 2019).

Service

University Service

  • Co-Chair, IDEC Scholarship Committee and Abstract Co-Chair. (May 2023 - May 2025).
  • Committee Member, University Undergraduate Curriculum Committee. (August 2022 - May 2025).
  • Co-Chair, University Undergraduate Curriculum Committee. (August 2023 - June 2024).
  • Committee Member, Interior Design Curriculum Revision. (December 2022 - May 2022).
  • Committee Member, Design Department Design Week. (September 2022 - October 2022).
  • Other (Review of student portfolio submittals for admission to ID program), 2022 Interior Design Freshman Portfolio review. (May 2022 - May 2022).
  • Committee Member, Interior Design Faculty Search. (January 2022 - May 2022).

Public Service

  • Other (Co-Coordinator Scholarship Collaborative), Interior Design Educators Council. Denton, TX. (May 2023 - Present).

Professional Service

  • Reviewer, Conference Paper, Interior Design Educators Council. (September 2023 - Present).
  • Interaction with Industry, NCIDQ Ambassador. (January 2019 - Present).
  • Board of Advisors, United States Green Building Council, Oklahoma Advisory Board. OK. (January 2019 - Present).
  • Other (Ambassador for NCIDQ), National Council of Interior Design Qualification. Alexandria, VA. (July 2017 - Present).
  • Committee Chair, United States Green Building Council, Oklahoma Advisory Board. OK. (January 2016 - Present).
  • Chairperson, IIDA: Student Shift Conference Committee. Dallas, TX. (August 2021 - February 2023).
  • Board of Advisors, USGBC. Denton, TX. (January 2016 - December 2021).
  • Task Force Member, Interior Design Educators Council. (November 2019 - 2019).
  • Other, Jones Design Studio. Norman,, OK. (January 2019 - 2019).
  • Officer, Vice President, The University of Oklahoma. Norman, Oklahoma. (July 2019 - 2019).
  • Reviewer, Conference Paper, EDRA. Norman, OK. (December 20, 2017 - December 31, 2017).
  • Reviewer, Book, Sage Publications. (December 2016 - January 2017).
  • Reviewer, Conference Paper, EDRA. Norman, OK. (November 2016 - December 2016).
  • Reviewer, Conference Paper, EDRA. Norman, OK. (November 11, 2015 - November 15, 2015).
  • Other (Session proctor), Metrocon 2015. Dallas, TX. (August 13, 2015 - August 14, 2015).
  • Other (Multiple Choice Writer), National Council for Interior Design Qualifications (NICDQ). (2014).