Research

My work sits at the intersection of cognitive science, educational technology, and artificial intelligence — asking how intelligent systems can be designed to improve human learning.

Pedagogical Agents & Virtual Humans

Pedagogical agents are on-screen characters embedded in learning environments to guide and motivate learners. My work investigates how agent design choices — persona, voice, gender, appearance, and expressed emotion — shape trust, perception, and learning outcomes. I use meta-analysis and controlled experiments to identify which design variables actually move the needle and which are myths.

Key Papers

Multimedia Learning & Cognitive Science

How should text, images, and audio be arranged in digital learning materials? I run theoretically-grounded meta-analyses synthesizing decades of experimental research to produce actionable insights for instructional design.

Key Papers

Artificial Intelligence, Sensing & Learning Analytics

Emerging AI tools open new ways to measure and respond to learner states in real time. My current work explores generative AI from multiple perspectives, and in the past I have explored wearable biosensors (EDA, heart rate, skin temperature) and machine learning models to infer cognitive load during problem-solving.

Key Papers

Systematic Review Methods

How can AI influence the systematic review process? I explore if and how we can use AI to facilitate reproducible systematic reviews.

Key Papers