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Rosa Capó’s career journey has been a remarkable blend of passion for both art and science, shaped by her childhood fascination with math, science, and geometry. Growing up in Puerto Rico, she was encouraged by her pragmatic and loving parents to pursue a career in engineering. Along the way, she was introduced to architectural lighting design by a family friend, a professional architect. This sparked a deep interest in combining the technical and artistic aspects of lighting, leading her to pursue a Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering. Rosa graduated magna cum laude from the University of Mayaguez in Puerto Rico in 2007. 

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That same year, Rosa’s academic success earned her a full scholarship to the Lighting Research Center (LRC) at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York, where she pursued a Master of Science in Lighting. At the LRC, she immersed herself in a unique curriculum that combined courses in lighting design, human factors, lighting technology, and entrepreneurship, alongside two years of research and the completion of a master’s thesis. This experience laid the foundation for her future contributions to the lighting design field.

 

In 2009, Rosa graduated from the LRC and was awarded a certificate from the Janet Lenox Moyer Landscape Lighting Institute. Despite the difficult job market following the 2008 Great Recession, the lighting research industry was booming, especially with the rise of LED technology. Encouraged by her thesis advisor, Russ Leslie, Rosa decided to stay at the LRC to join the photometry team and contribute to various research projects. Although initially torn by the idea of delaying her lighting design career, Rosa sought advice from mentor Howard Brandston, who assured her that this opportunity would deepen her understanding of light.

 

Rosa worked at the LRC for three years, gaining hands-on experience with cutting-edge lighting research. She learned to operate and calibrate advanced equipment such as integrating spheres and goniophotometers. Rosa also participated in important projects such as the LRC’s LED Institute and Photometry Institute, testing and reviewing lighting products for the Lighting Africa Initiative and DesignLights Consortium , and contributing to research on optimizing light and energy in applications ranging from roundabouts to residential LED retrofits.

 

In 2012, as the economy improved, Rosa transitioned to a full-time lighting designer role at George Sexton Associates (GSA). There, she worked on a variety of projects, including museum lighting, high-end residential design, multi-residential buildings, public libraries, and corporate lobbies. One of her favorite projects was the Pierre Residence, where she worked closely with George Sexton, David Cyr, and architect Thomas McMahon to illuminate the clients' private art collection. Other notable projects included the Franklin Center lobby in Chicago, the AAIPR building in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, and the Flying Point Residence, where she designed custom integrated lighting for the handrails in collaboration with architects Peter Bohlin and Gabriel Hodge. Her time at GSA provided Rosa with invaluable experience and a strong foundation in architectural lighting design.

 

In 2016, Rosa ventured into independent consulting by founding Capó Lighting Design. During this time, she freelanced for PHT Lighting and Illumination Works, and worked with Envision Architects and Forkspoon Studio on the lighting design for designs for Union College in Schenectady and the Aimé Leon Dore flagship store Nolita, NY respectively. However, in 2017, after Hurricane María devastated Puerto Rico, Rosa decided to join Cosentini Associates as Senior Lighting Designer. At Cosentini, she worked closely with engineers on multi-disciplinary teams, coordinating lighting design with electrical and mechanical engineers on large-scale projects such as multi-residential buildings, corporate lobbies, outdoor spaces, public libraries, and the back-of-house spaces for Sphere in Las Vegas.

 

Rosa’s career took another pivotal turn in 2019 when she joined ICRAVE as Senior Lighting Designer. In 2021, she was promoted to Project Manager as ICRAVE transitioned into Journey Lighting. Working at ICRAVE allowed Rosa to collaborate closely with interior designers and architects from the project’s conception, an experience that broadened her exposure to corporate spaces, restaurants, and entertainment projects. The fast-paced environment at ICRAVE, which allowed for quicker project turnarounds, helped Rosa become a more seasoned and confident designer. One of her most significant achievements during this time was working on the Sphere project in Las Vegas, her largest project to date.

 

Towards the end of her time at Journey Lighting, Rosa became a mother and sought a better work-life balance. In 2025, she founded Troland Studio, a lighting design firm that seeks to continue her work as an architectural lighting designer while exploring new industries where her expertise could make a significant impact. She named the studio "Troland" after a unit of visual stimuli that measures both the luminance of a light source and the area of the eye’s pupil, representing her deep understanding of how lighting impacts human imagination and perception. Rosa believes that lighting is fundamental to the design of any environment and that it flourishes when thoughtfully integrated from the start. She is excited about the future of lighting design, confident that the industry will continue to evolve and create better-lit spaces and experiences.

 

When she’s not working, Rosa enjoys spending time with her family, raising her son, hosting dinner parties, snowboarding, and traveling. She also enjoys gardening and visiting her friends and family in Puerto Rico and Columbus, Ohio, continuing to stay connected with her roots while pursuing her career in lighting design.