What Really Helps Recovery from Stress: The Leafiness or Representational Style of Trees in a Virtual Nature?

Research article in Journal of Environmental Psychology (IF: 7.0)

What Really Helps Recovery from Stress: The Leafiness or Representational Style of Trees in a Virtual Nature?

Research article in Journal of Environmental Psychology (IF: 7.0)

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Li, Fu
李复

MLA, Ph.D. Candidate (ABD)

Research and Design for Health

Leveraging Extended Reality and Geospatial Technologies to Develop Nature-based Solutions for Promoting Human Health and Well-being

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Featuring

EchoSphere: An Out-of-the-Box Synchronous Extended Reality Research Platform

This self-developed research platform enables synchronized multi-user virtual environmental experiences with data collection

•Timeline-based experimental control
•Diverse content integration (360° videos, 3D model, AIGC)
•Real-time researcher-participant interaction
•Integrated multi-modal data collection for analysis
•Cost-effective deployment based on consumer-grade hardware

Contact Me

Research

My research intersects environmental psychology, digital innovation, and human well-being, employing cutting-edge technologies to investigate human-environment interactions across multiple scales.

Extended Reality Research Methods and Development

Developing advanced Extended Reality (XR) platform, advancing methodological frontiers in environmental psychology and behavior research

Environmental Health and Nature-based Solutions

Investigating how environmental elements or factors affect human health and well-being, from experimental studies to spatial analysis

Digital Therapeutics Solution and Clinical Application

Developing and evaluating technology-enabled health interventions, particularly focusing on nature-based XR solutions for clinical applications

Urban and Geo-Intelligence

Leveraging geospatial technologies and big data analytics to optimize urban environments for better living

Evidence-Based Environmental Design

Utilizing eye-tracking, physiological measurement, and other advanced technologies to inform evidence-based design practices

Cultural Difference in Environment

Examining the cultural differences and its influence on perception and experience based on phenomenological approaches

Selected Publications

2025
Li, F., Zhang, Z., Xu, L., & Yin, J. The effects of professional design training on urban public space perception: A virtual reality study with physiological and psychological measurements. Cities, 158, 105654. doi:10.1016/j.cities.2024.105654
2024
Li, F.*, Mostajeran, F., Steinicke, F., Browning, M.H.E.M. Extended Reality in Environmental Neuroscience Research. In: Kühn, S. (eds) Environmental Neuroscience. Springer, Cham. doi:10.1007/978-3-031-64699-7_17
2025
Li, H., Li, F., Browning, M. H. E. M., et al. Green spaces and social bonds: Investigating associations of parks and greenness with online social connectedness (via Facebook) across the United States. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 112, 128985. doi:10.1016/j.ufug.2025.128985
2025
Yuan, S., Browning, M. H. E. M., Li, F., Duchowski, A., Hallo, J., & Nicolette, M. Can visual attention help uncover the effects of visitor density on urban park experience? An eye-tracking and virtual reality study. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 106, 102631. doi:10.1016/j.jenvp.2025.102631
2023
Sun, Y., Li, F., He, T., et al. Physiological and affective responses to green space virtual reality among pregnant women. Environmental Research, 216, 114499. doi:10.1016/j.envres.2022.114499

Cited by

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Research Collaboration Network

Collaborating with researchers and labs worldwide to advance environmental psychology and XR research

ShenyangShenyang Jianzhu UniversityBloomingtonIndiana UniversityHong KongThe Hong Kong Polytechnic UniversityHong KongThe University of Hong KongGuangzhouSouth China University of TechnologyChicagoDePaul UniversityShanghaiTongji UniversityClemsonClemson UniversityBeijingPeking UniversityShenyangShenyang Jianzhu UniversityBloomingtonIndiana UniversityHong KongThe Hong Kong Polytechnic UniversityHong KongThe University of Hong KongGuangzhouSouth China University of TechnologyChicagoDePaul UniversityShanghaiTongji UniversityClemsonClemson UniversityBeijingPeking University

Clemson

Beijing

Shenyang

Bloomington

Hong Kong

Guangzhou

Chicago

Shanghai

Durham

Barcelona

Columbia

Salt Lake City

Seattle

Khulna

Colchester

Washington

Irvine

Madison

Utrecht

Chongqing

Cambridge

Boston

Albany

Burlington

Melbourne

Davis

Belfast

Nanjing

Plovdiv

Zurich

Amherst Center

Ya'an

Tallahassee

Edinburgh

State College

Lima

Columbus

Education and Employment

Clemson University

•Ph.D. Candidate in Park, Recreation, and Tourism Management
•Instructor of Record at Landscape Architecture Program, Richard A. McMahan School of Architecture (SoA)
•Immersive Technology Development Lead at Virtual Reality and Nature Lab

•Developing healthcare applications of Extended Reality (XR) research platforms, leading innovative projects such as EchoSphere

Virtual Reality and Nature Lab

Peking University

•Master of Landscape Architecture (MLA) at College of Architecture and Landscape Architecture
•Former Executive Director and Lab Manager at Digital Technology and GeoDesign Lab

•Directed multidisciplinary research projects in Environmental Perception, Smart City, and Urban Optimization

Digital Technology and GeoDesign Lab

Teaching

Bridging Environmental Education with Emerging Technologies

As an educator with extensive experience in Chinese and American universities, I blend traditional teaching with emerging technologies to create hands-on learning experiences. My courses bridge theory and practice through industry partnerships, consistently achieving strong learning outcomes.

As an educator with experience at universities in both China and the United States, I have developed teaching expertise across fields, including urban design, landscape architecture, land management, and park and recreation management.

I integrate traditional teaching methods with emerging technologies like VR and AI to create engaging learning environments through experiential learning. I bring diverse perspectives to the classroom, emphasizing hands-on projects and individualized guidance for students' growth.

My courses always connect theoretical foundations with real-world applications. Students could collaborate with industry partners, engage in community projects, and utilize emerging tools for environmental issues. This comprehensive approach has proven effective across different contexts, as demonstrated by teaching evaluations and students' achievements.

Teaching at a Glance

Classes Taught as Instructor

Academic Terms

Supervision of Capstone Projects

Testimonials

“He was always very willing to help me outside of studio hours. He always pushed me to go outside of my comfort zone, and I think my final was definitely a reflection of that. He was a wonderful capstone professor, and I think he brought a very unique insight to everyone's projects.”
Anonymous Course Evaluation Comment
LARC 4550 Capstone Project 25FA · Clemson University

Li, Fu李复