Ute Besenecker is a design researcher and educator focusing on the impact of lighting on human perception, behavior and wellbeing in spatial environments. Her special interest is facilitating interdisciplinary research collaborations across architecture, lighting design, art, engineering, and the sciences to connect research, education, and practice. 

Ute's background spans academic research and education as well as professional practice in lighting design, policy development, product management, and architecture. Recently she has served as Head of the Architectural Lighting Design Division at KTH (Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden). Her current academic activities include teaching in Master and Doctoral programs at RPI and KTH, and leading grant-funded research projects related to interior lighting design (LiSE- Lighting in School Environments) and exterior lighting design (NorDark- Mediating the needs of people and nature in after-dark environments). 

Ute is a part of the editorial team for LEUKOS, the journal of the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES), and member of the IES, the International Association of Lighting Designers (IALD), the International Commission on Illumination (CIE), and founding member of the Light Collaboration Network for Research and Education (LCN).