Work Experience
SRI International
| July 1995 - present
Senior Cognitive and Computer Scientist,
Center for Technology in Learning
Direct the technology design, development, and user experience research for several projects, including:
- Tapped In, an online community to support teacher professional development (technology director).
- CLTNet, an online network to support NSF Centers for Learning and Teaching (technology director)
- Group Scribbles, collaborative whiteboard software (project leader, design and user testing)
- NanoSense, curriculum to introduce nanoscience to high school students and teachers (principle investigator, curriculum developer).
- ChemSense, software and activities to help high-school students visualize chemistry (project leader, lead developer)
- Calipers, simulation-based assessments to assess complex science learning (technology director, lead developer)
- PADI, a system for designing reusable assessments (technology director)
- OERL, a digital library of evaluation products (technology director)
- PALS, a digital library of standards-based performance assessments (technology director).
Languages and Protocols:
Java,
JSP
PHP,
SQL,
HTML,
XML,
Javascript
Tools:
Ant,
CVS,
IntelliJIDEA,
Eclipse,
JIRA,
MySQL,
Apache,
Tomcat,
Dreamweaver,
Photoshop
Platforms: MacOS X, Unix/Linux, Windows
Xerox Palo Alto Research Center (PARC)
| Feb 1995 - July 1995
Research Consultant, User Interface Research
Tested the effectiveness of information retrieval tools, including
Scatter
Gather, for browsing and searching
text collections, and studied their effects on the incidental learning of topic structure.
Co-designed and implemented user study, recorded and analyzed study data.
Technologies: Scatter/Gather, SPSS/SAS
Collaborators: Peter Pirolli and Marti Hearst
Apple Computer
| Feb 1995 - July 1995, Summer 1993, Summer 1989
Software Engineer, Advanced Technologies Group
Authoring Tools Group: Designed and implemented an agent programming editor for AgentSK8, an
agent-based "Sim City"-like programming environment based on AgentSheets.
Technologies: SK8, AgentSheets, MacOS
Collaborators: Jim Spohrer and Jamie Dinkelacker
Software Engineer, Advanced Technologies Group | Summer 1993
Intelligent Applications Group: Developed an "intelligent agent" to help users manage their email,
using machine learning techniques, CYC, and other AI methods.
Technologies: Lisp, CYC, MacOS
Collaborators: James Miller and Tom Bonura.
Software Engineer, Advanced Technologies Group | Summer 1989
Human Interface Group: Extended Apple research email system with an interface for creating
email filters.
Technologies: Lisp, HyperTalk, MacOS
Collaborators: John Thompson-Rohrlich and Joy Mountford
University of California at Berkeley
| Aug 1990 - May 1995
Research Assistant, Education in Math, Science, and Technology
Research in reasoning and explanatory coherence, cognitive science, cognitive modeling,
experimental methods, software design.
Technologies: Lisp, Hypertalk, SPSS/SAS, Unix, MacOS
Collaborator:
Michael Ranney
Research Assistant, Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences
| Aug 1990 - May 1993
Developed and tested a multimedia/hypermedia course on semiconductor manufacturing using Picasso,
a research graphical user interface environment.
Technologies: Picasso, Unix
Collaborator: Larry Rowe
Research Assistant, Education in Math, Science, and Technology
| Aug 1988 - May 1990
Studied programmers to identify effective Pascal and Lisp programming representations; developed
and tested hypermedia template model to teach Pascal.
Technologies: Lisp, Pascal, Hypertalk, MacOS
Collaborators:
Marcia Linn and
Michael Clancy
IBM
| Summer 1988
Knowledge Engineer, Knowledge Based Systems Division
Developed a tool to automate knowledge acquisition for a telecommunications switch
diagnostic expert system.
Technologies: Knowledge Engineering Environment (KEE) expert system
Collaborator: Brad Poole
Teaching Experience
University of California at Berkeley
| Aug 1991 - May 1994
Graduate Student Instructor, Cognitive Science Program
Introduction to Cognitive Science with Michael Ranney (fall 1991, fall 1992) and Peter Pirolli
(spring 1994). Issues in Cognitive Science with Stephen Palmer (fall 1993). Led discussions on
perception, knowledge representation, concepts and categories, memory, reasoning, language,
connectionism, development. Guest-lectured on logic and connectionism.
Graduate Student Instructor, Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences
| Aug 1987 - May 1992
Self-Paced Programming (Computer Science 3s, 7s, 8s, 9a-d) with Michael Clancy (6 semesters). Tutored FORTRAN,
Pascal, C, and Lisp; graded programs and exams.
Introduction to Pascal Programming (Computer Science 8) with Oliver Grillmeyer (fall 1987, spring 1988). Led
weekly discussions and labs, graded exams.
Graduate Student Mentor, Summer Research Opportunities Program
| Summer 1992
Mentored a psychology undergraduate conducting an extended, more temporal analysis of the experiment
reported by Schank and Ranney (1992).
University of Nebraska at Lincoln
| Jan 1985 - May 1987
Computer Consultant, Computing Resource Center
Helped students and faculty with hardware, software, and programming problems
on Unix and VAX systems.
Mathematics Assistant, SOS Program
| Jan 1987 - May 1987
Lecturer for a college algebra course for disadvantaged students (SOS program).
Mathematics Assistant, Mathematics Department
| Jan 1984 - May 1987
Tutored undergraduates in algebra, calculus, and statistics.
Grants
As Principal Investigator (PI) or Co-PI:
- Lens on Science: Development and Validation of a Computer-Administered, Adaptive, IRT-Based Science Assessment for Preschool Children [abstract]. PI, SRI subcontract to the University of Miami. IES #R305A090502, $300,000 subcontract, August 2010 - July 2012.
- Supporting Disciplined Improvisation During Face-to-Face Discussion [groupscribbles.sri.com]. PI. NSF #0713711, $449,485, September 2007 - December 2010.
- NanoSense: The Basic Sense Behind Nanoscience [nanosense.org]. PI. NSF #0426319, $923,863, September 2004 - August 2008.
- ChemSense II: Investigating Learning and the Impact of Sustained Integration of Representational Tools. [chemsense.org]. PI. NSF #0125726, $1,158,750, January 2002 - December 2004.
- Centers for Learning and Teaching Network (CLTNet) [cltnet.org]. Co-PI. NSF #0314484, $2,713,253, April 2003 - March 2009.
- ChemSense: Promoting Representational Competence to Facilitate Understanding and Epistemological Thinking in Chemistry [chemsense.org]. PI. NSF #9814653, $1,212,228, January 1999 - March 2002.
- Adapting high-end visualizations to a student-centered learning environment. PI. NSF EOT-PACI subgrant, $80K, January 2000 - December 2003.
- An Infrastructure for Research on Online Teacher Communities of Practice [tappedin.org]. PI. NSF #0106926, $249,983, July 2001 - December 2002.
- Tapped In: A Testbed for New Models of On-line Teacher Professional Development [tappedin.org]. Co-PI. NSF #9725528, $1,036,361, December 1997 - November 2000.
- Interoperable Components for Shared Active Representations. Co-PI. $10K, NSF CILT subgrant, August 1998 - December 1998.
Professional Activities
Review Panel Member, National Science Foundation (2011, 2005)
Member, Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) and
Bay Area Special Interest Group on Computer-Human Interaction (BayCHI).
Reviewer for various journals and conferences, including:
- Journal of the Learning Sciences (JLS)
- Special Interest Group on Computer-Human Interaction (CHI)
- Computer Support for Collaborative Learning (CSCL)
- Computer Support for Cooperative Work (CSCW)
- American Educational Research Association (AERA)
- User Interface Software and Technology (UIST)
- Journal of Computer Mediated Communication (JCMC)
- International Journal of Human-Computer Studies (IJHCS)
- International Conference on Computers in Education (ICCE)
- Journal of Cognitive Science (JCS)
Guest Speaker for various UC Berkeley,
Stanford, and Mills College
courses, including:
- Getting Your Doctorate and Getting a Good Job (UCB, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2009)
- Learning, Design, and Technology Design Methods (Stanford University, 2001)
- Introduction to Cognitive Science (UCB, 1994-2003)
- Science and Math Education First Year Seminar (UCB, 1994-95, 2003)
- Teaching Techniques for Graduate Student Instructors (UCB, 1993-94)
- Contemporary Computing (Mills College, 2001)
Mentor for Stanford University course Contextual and Organizational Issues in HCI (2000-2002).
Workshop Leader, Expanding Your Horizons (EYH) in Science and Math (1996-1999).
Local Co-Chair, 1992 Directions and Implications of Advanced Computing Conference, Berkeley, CA.
Co-Chair, Computer Professionals for Social Responsibility (CPSR), Berkeley Chapter (1990-1991).