s.m.schuller@tue.nl

Sophie Schuller (MBA, MSc) is a Researcher of Neurophysiology within the Built Environment, residing in the Netherlands. 

Sophie is currently studying towards her PhD at the Technical University of Eindhoven, where she is exploring the influence of office design characteristics on neurophysiological stress and cognition, considering the mediating role of sensory modalities. 

Her research endeavors to examine multi-modal sensory integration within the domain of office design. This examination is aimed at understanding its influence—be it pathogenic or salutogenic—on allostatic load (which pertains to physical stress reactivity), homeostasis, and cognitive functions. Specifically, Sophie is interested in how sensory experience, physiology and psychological associationism construe to influence stress, (restoration) and cognition through ideologies and objectives associated with nature and beauty.  

Her research focuses on the intersection between architecture, work and workplace strategy,  sensory perception, cognitive neuroscience and stress physiology, considering topics such as embodiment theory, allostasis, environmental psychophysiology, perception and restoration. 

Sophie has 18 years’ experience working within private practice as an Advisor and Researcher, recently having led Applied Research for Cushman & Wakefield (a global real estate organization). Sophie has also held positions at Ernst and Young and Unilever, focusing on how urban systems across the built environment influence society and public health. 

Sophie holds an MSc in Neuroscience from King’s College London, an MBA from London Business School and her CFA. Sophie is a frequent speaker at global real estate, construction, design and built environmental conferences on the topic of health, urbanism and design. In addition, Sophie has authored and contributed to numerous papers, articles and books on these topics, recently finishing a book collaboration with The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), ‘Reworking the Workplace’.