Instructional Design + Learning Science
I experienced a variety of educational settings from rural China, to humanitarian aid and development in Tanzania, to higher education lecturing in Australia and the USA. Throughout these travels, I noticed that I was afforded unique opportunities because of my access to quality education. I knew I wanted to study ways to use technology to increase quality education for everyone.
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I am fascinated with how we can better use emerging technology to create large-scale improvements to education. I've had the opportunity to use my instructional design and learning science knowledge to examine how learning analytics, machine learning, and artificial intelligence could be used to measure and develop 21st Century Skills and make a positive impact.
→ Instructional Design
The practice of designing, developing, and delivering digital and physical instructional products and experiences, in a consistent and reliable fashion toward an efficient, effective, appealing, engaging, and inspiring acquisition of knowledge.
→ Learning Science
Combines research, data, and practices to help educators teach better and students learn more.
Current Research
CAN TECHNOLOGY MEASURE HUMAN SKILLS AND MINDSETS?
Massachusetts Department of Secondary & Elementary Education
DO VIRTUAL INTERNSHIPS OPEN UP ACCESS TO EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING FOR EVERYONE?
National Science Foundation
CAN SUMMER JOBS CHANGE THE CAREER TRAJECTORY OF A YOUNG PERSON'S LIFE?
City of Boston
PROJECTS
Over the last decade, I've had the incredible opportunity to travel the world and work with some truly amazing people. Whether it was in collaboration with other organizations or projects I founded, they are all in light of one goal: understanding human potential. Here’s a few!
01. kigamboni community center
02. timbre cafe
03. club kidprenuer
04. i am a girl
05. can we measure human learning using technology?
In 2012 I traveled to Tanzania to use my digital storytelling skills to help the Kigamboni Community Center founders tell their amazing stories. I took my friend Mark Tipple with me to capture the spirit of KCC. It was an incredible adventure.
I founded Timbre Cafe with a group of friends in 2011. Our plan was to launch a cafe that could provide work skill training for young people who had experienced homelessness. It was an ambitious undertaking and we learned a lot about ourselves, the nature of helping people, and how to make great coffee!
Creel Price is one of the most innovative people I have ever met. After selling his company in 2009 he founded the Club Kidpreneur Foundation and in 2010, he asked me to help host the first Club Kidpreneur Camp in Bondi Beach. It was a fantastic opportunity to instill in young kids the love for innovation and entrepreneurship.
Research shows by the age of 6 girls already consider boys more likely to show brilliance and are more suited to really smart activities than their own gender. As a woman, a doctor, and a scientist, I understand that struggle is real and wanted to do something to help other women embrace and celebrate their womanhood AND their brains. I started the I AM A GIRL campaign to give my friends from around the world an opportunity to share their stories and inspire the next generation of badass intellectual women!
In July 2020 I successfully defended my doctoral thesis. It was quite the adventure! This video shares the story of how it all happened!