By Jeremy Craig, Communications Manager for the Office of the Provost
A Georgia State University faculty member in computer science at Perimeter College, and a doctoral candidate from Georgia State’s College of Education and Human Development have received the inaugural 2024 Kapor Foundation Research Fellowship.
The foundation named for its inaugural cohort Deepa Muralidhar, an instructor of computer science at Perimeter College, and Erin Anderson, a doctoral candidate of the College of Education and Human Development and director of GSU’s Interactive Teaching and Learning Lab.
The Kapor Foundation Research Fellowship supports academics and journalists in examining the state of the tech ecosystem, identifying disparities in access, opportunities, and experiences across the tech sector.
The inaugural cohort was chosen for the potential impact of their research project on tech and the tech ecosystem. Ultimately, the foundation’s support is aimed at fostering a deeper understanding of barriers to inequities in the tech sector, and to find and push for actionable solutions.
In particular, the foundation’s support goes to help researchers investigate several critical subject areas, including computer science education equity, inclusive tech pathways, tech accountability, entrepreneurship and venture capital, and responsible artificial intelligence.
Deepa Muralidhar
Deepa Muralidhar teaches foundational courses for computer science majors and has made accessibility to education in computer science a priority.
A former high school teacher, she was once a co-PI on a National Science Foundation grant supporting an effort that trains middle school math teachers to introduce computational thinking in Math classrooms.
Her academic and research interests lie in artificial intelligence, especially about biases AI systems can exhibit due to the datasets used to train AI and machine language systems. She seeks ways to mitigate bias and bring together explainability and usability to increase AI transparency.
Additionally, Muralidhar is a participant in Georgia State’s Pathway to Attaining the Doctoral Degree at Perimeter College program, or PADD-PC. The program provides Perimeter College faculty with a reduced teaching load and summer support – enabling them to complete their doctoral degrees without leaving their faculty roles. By supporting Perimeter faculty in this way, they are able to earn terminal degrees – usually doctorates – widening opportunities for advancement in faculty rank, and more.
Erin Anderson
Erin Anderson’s work at GSU’s Interactive Teaching and Learning Lab includes the use of mixed-reality simulation (MRS) learning experiences in developing future teachers’ pedagogical skills.
She specializes in making these trainings inclusive, providing access for deaf and blind teachers, and works to ensure that future teachers leave their MRS training program prepared to identify and combat inequities.
Bringing skepticism to her work to temper uncritical development of technology, her research seeks to guide the next evolution in educational reform – the automation of teacher certification.
Originally published Thursday, Oct. 24, on the Provost’s Office news feed here.