Project team
Leadership
Principal Investigator
Dr. George Veletsianos is the project’s Principal Investigator. Veletsianos is Professor of Learning Technologies and Bonnie Westby Huebner Chair in Education and Technology at the University of Minnesota. His research investigates the messy realities of digital technology use in education, and focuses on the design of online learning environments, the investigation of education futures, and the use of emerging technology in teaching and learning. His career spans two decades, six books, 100+ peer‑reviewed publications, 100+ keynotes internationally, and over $5 million in funding from agencies such as the National Science Foundation and the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council. Formerly a Canada Research Chair, Commonwealth of Learning Chair, and Fulbright scholar, he has collaborated with various organizations in advancing their online and blended learning programs.
Co-Principal Investigator
Dr. Panayiota (Pani) Kendeou is a co-Principal Investigator. Kendeou is is a Distinguished McKnight University Professor and Guy Bond Chair in Reading in the Department of Educational Psychology at the CEHD of the University of Minnesota. Dr. Kendeou directs the Reading + Learning Lab and co-directs the CEHD Learning Informatics Lab. In her research program, Dr. Kendeou develops theoretical models that explain how students learn and uses those models to design and test innovative AI technologies that transform instruction and improve learning. Her work is disseminated broadly (150+ publications; 300+ presentations at national and international conferences; ~$14M USD in federal grants), received numerous awards, and is often featured in national and local media (e.g., KSTP, The Guardian, MPR News). She is a fellow of the American Psychological Association (APA), the American Educational Research Association (AERA), the Psychonomics Society, and the Society for Text and Discourse (ST&D).
Co-Principal Investigator
Emma Braaten is a co-Principal Investigator. Braaten is the Director of Digital Learning with the Friday Institute for Educational Innovation at NC State University, Emma Braaten leverages more than two decades of experience as a Chief Technology Officer in a school district, Digital Learning Specialist and Coach with NCDPI, School Librarian, and Classroom Teacher to inform research and practice in the K-12 setting. Her work currently focuses on addressing educational disparities to ensure that all students have access to high-quality education; advancing education through innovative approaches and practices, including the integration of emerging technologies and tools; and influencing broader educational policies and practices for systems-level impact.
Co-Principal Investigator
Dr. Krista Glazewski is a co-Principal Investigator. As executive director of the Friday Institute and associate dean for translational research in the College of Education, Dr. Glazewski provides executive leadership and management operations and strategic initiatives, including collaborations and partnerships. Dr. Glazewski provides executive leadership for the Friday Institute, guiding a team of more than 70 staff, affiliated faculty, and students in advancing its mission to innovate at the intersection of research, practice, and policy. The Institute develops evidence-based solutions to pressing challenges in K–12 education, builds educator and leader capacity, and translates research into scalable practices and technologies. Spanning multiple regions in the U.S., Dr. Glazewski’s work investigates how and under what conditions teachers might adopt and adapt new practices, with a focus on complex problem solving with collaborative inquiry supported by foundational and emergent technologies. Her work has resulted in numerous contributions, over 70 publications and $14 million in state, federal, and foundation funding. She is a former middle school teacher originally from New Mexico.
Senior Personnel
Dr. Ela Castellanos-Reyes is a Senior Personnel. She is an Assistant Professor in Learning, Design, and Technology at North Carolina State University. She received her PhD and Master’s degrees in Curriculum and Instruction with a concentration in Learning Design and Technology from Purdue University. She is an educational researcher within the fields of instructional design, online learning, and learning analytics. Dr. Castellanos-Reyes is interested in how peer-influence shapes learning communities in online learning environments. Her recent work examines the application of large language models and AI in distance education. Dr. Castellanos-Reyes’ methodological expertise includes network analysis and machine learning. Her work has been published in Computers in Human Behavior, the Journal of Computing in Higher Education, and The Internet and Higher Education. Her work has been supported by the National Academy of Education, the Spencer Foundation, the Natioanl Sciecne Foundation and the Philanthropic Educational Organization (P.E.O.).
Research assistants
Research assistant
Qin Xie is a PhD candidate in the program of Comparative and International Development Education at the University of Minnesota. Previously, she studied sociology and French at the University of Paris in France. Her research primarily explores Artificial Intelligence (AI) in higher education, AI literacy, AI ethics, and digital equity.
Research assistant
Clayton Whetung is a PhD student in the Psychological Foundations of Education program at the University of Minnesota. He previously studied Computer Science at Princeton University and has worked as both a software engineer and a middle school computer science teacher. His (planned) research explores the impact of AI, technology, and computing on student agency.