Suzanne Loker
Collaborates with Industry

Dr. Suzanne Loker brings over 30 years of teaching and research experience to her role as lead faculty member of Cornell's Apparel Industry Outreach program. She has consistently collaborated with industry in educational, research, and committee endeavors that have guided her outreach efforts. Her membership on the American Apparel and Footwear Association's (AAFA) Sewn Products Research Council committee, past associate editor for business and industry of the Clothing and Textiles Research Journal, continuing ad hoc industry collaborations, and research using body scan technology and experimental and survey methods informs the development of educational materials and programs for industry audiences.

Dr. Loker's research program directly addresses the application of technology in the apparel industry. Through body scan technology, research web sites that evaluate consumer interest in design involvement in mass customized apparel, and survey research, she has focused on projects that directly address the competitiveness of the U.S. apparel industry. With funding from the National Textile Center, Loker and research partner Dr. Susan Ashdown have established a cutting edge research program that applies body scan data analysis within specific company target markets to improve existing sizing systems. They have become well known for their innovative use of 3-D body measurements that expands the scope of data analysis from traditional circumference data to include volume, surface area, and slice area data. In addition, they have explored a variety of uses for 3-D body scan visualizations. Articles in Science, American Demographics, AATCC journal as well as a Canadian Discovery Channel TV piece and their www.explore.cornell.edu web site have highlighted their research. Other projects have confirmed the interest of consumers in involvement in the design and sizing selection process through survey and experimental research as well as documenting the technology use and mass customization trend of U.S. apparel manufacturers. These projects inform the outreach work of Cornell's Apparel Industry Outreach program.