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Irene Lee
Research Scientist, New Mexico State University and Distinguished Scholar, Education Development Center
Las Cruces, NM, USA / Asian American
👩 she/her/hers
🎓B.A. in Pure Mathematics – University of Chicago
🎓M.Ed. in Technology in Education – Harvard Graduate School of Education
😁 Irene enjoys making things by hand as much as she enjoys making things with code.
Irene pioneers the integration of computational and AI literacy in K–12 education, empowering teachers and students to think critically about the role of technology in society.
ABOUT HER WORK
Irene Lee, leads innovative initiatives at the intersection of education, computational thinking, and artificial intelligence. Irene Lee is a Research Scientist at New Mexico State University and a Distinguished Scholar at Education Development Center. She leads research on AI Literacy and the integration of computational thinking in K12 education. She also leads Project GUTS and Everyday AI LLC.
Irene earned a Bachelor of Arts in Pure Mathematics from the University of Chicago and a Master of Education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Her professional journey includes designing educational and video games for Electronic Arts and Theatrix Interactive, as well as working as a science specialist in informal education settings.
A recognized leader in the field, Irene chaired the Computational Thinking Task Force and served on the K–12 Computer Science Standards writing team for the Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA). She has also held leadership roles as past president of the Supercomputing Challenge and the Swarm Development Group.
Her work has garnered support from organizations such as the National Science Foundation and Google reflecting her commitment to enhancing STEM education and fostering computational literacy among students and educators alike.
WATCH & DISCUSS
Watch: Exploring Complex Systems Through Games and Computer Models
OTHER RESOURCES
Everyday AI – teacher professional development network
Project GUTS: Growing Up Thinking Scientifically — an integrated science and computer science program for middle school students serving schools and districts internationally.
ARTICLES
Integrating Ethics and Career Futures with Technical Learning to Promote AI Literacy for Middle School Students: An Exploratory Study
Published in the International Journal of Artificial Intelligence in Education, this study explores how integrating ethics and career perspectives into AI education can enhance middle school students' understanding of AI. SpringerLink
Developing Middle School Students’ AI Literacy
Presented at the ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education, this paper discusses the "DAILy" curriculum designed to teach AI concepts to middle school students, emphasizing ethical considerations and career implications. ResearchGate
Computational Thinking for Youth in Practice
This article examines how middle school students engage in computational thinking through the Project GUTS program, highlighting the use of modeling and simulation to understand complex systems. STELAR
EXTENSION ACTIVITIES
ADVICE TO YOUNGER SELF
