I am a 5th year Human Centered Computing PhD Candidate in the School of Interactive Computing at Georgia Tech Specializing in the Learning Sciences & Technology. My work focuses on empowering students to design and create with technology in ways they find personally meaningful. Working in the Culture and Technology Lab (CAT Lab),under the advisement of Dr. Betsy DiSalvo, I explore physical computing education combining engineering, electronics, computer science, and design. My work takes a critical look at both the educational technology for teaching in this domain and the design of the learning environment to scaffold students to be self-reflective as they contribute to the design of their educational experience. My research vision is to understand how to create equitable and inclusive learning environments that can empower learners from all backgrounds and communities participate in computing.
I received my undergraduate degree in Electrical Computer Engineering from Cornell University in 2010. After graduation, I worked at Intel for three years in their Platform Validation Engineering group designing test cases, running experiments, and developing software to validate server processors. Through tutoring at the Boys & Girls Club in Boston, I discovered my passion for education. To gain an understanding of how to capitalize on technology to create more equitable learning environments, I entered the Human Centered Computing doctoral program at Georgia Tech. Here, I combined my engineering background with a specialization in the Learning Sciences and Technology in order to explore creating equitable computing education environments.
PhD in Human-Centered Computing with a Specialization in Learning Sciences and Technology, Expected 2018
Georgia Institute of Technology
BS in Electrical Computer Engineering, 2010
Cornell University
Tue, Jun 6, 2017, Invited Talk at BIG Incubator for High Potential Black and Latinx Women Founders
Thu, Feb 16, 2017, Invited Talk at University of Colorado Boulder in the Laboratory for Playful Computation
This project explores how we can design glass-box scaffolding in physical computing tools that can fade as the learner becomes more expert.
BitBlox was a project creating and studying a modular solderless breadboard that is easier for students to learn
The MoveLab was an interdisciplinary dance and computing workshop that integrated participatory design methods to help students create personally meaningful experiences
Teaching and mentorship is a large part of what I’ve done throughout my time at Georgia Tech and what I intend to continue doing once I graduate.
ksdesportes_AT_gatech_DOT_edu