DILab Seeks Research Assistants

The Design Intelligence Lab is looking for a few OMSCS students to work with us as research assistants starting in Fall 2024. DILab conducts research at the intersection of AI, Cognitive Science, and Learning Technology. At present, much of our work focuses on AI for learning and education (https://aialoe.org/).

The ongoing research projects include conversational courseware (for example, Jill Watson for interactive books), interactive videos (Ivy), AI social actors (SAMI), and personalization of learning in systems thinking (VERA). The research projects also include self-explanation, machine teaching, and theory of mind. In addition, we are working on a large project called Architecture for Learning (A4L). 

We have a long history of working with OMSCS students and have several in our lab at present. We love working with OMSCS students because typically they are very smart, very skilled, very motivated and very professional. We would like to work with OMSCS students who can commit to at least 10 hours of work a week for at least a year: it takes that kind of effort to make a contribution. This means that the candidate should be in the OMSCS program through the end of Summer 2025 or beyond. 

The responsibilities typically involve development of AI research software. We would prefer students who have taken at least one course in software engineering and at least one in AI as part of their OMSCS work.

The work can be done remotely. Unfortunately, there is no pay for these positions. However, you may register for credit or even do a three-semester long research project with me.

If you are interested, please contact my executive assistant Moriah Ugi (mugi3@gatech.edu) with a CV.

DILab Papers Accepted to L@S and EDM

Some Design and Intelligence Lab members have recently enjoyed success at having papers accepted to workshops associated with EDM (Educational Data Mining) 2024 and L@S (Learning@Scale) 2024, both chaired by DILab’s David Joyner and hosted by Georgia Tech’s Global Learning Center.

Combining Cognitive and Generative AI for Self-Explanation in Interactive AI Agents

Paper at EDM Workshop on Human-Centric eXplainable AI in Education (HEXED) – Shalini Sushri, Rahul Dass, Rhea Basappa, Hong Lu & Ashok Goel

How Do Students Interact with an LLM-Powered Virtual Teaching Assistant in Different Educational Settings?

Paper at EDM Workshop on Leveraging Large Language Models for Next-Generation Educational Technologies – Pratyusha Maiti & Ashok Goel

Does Jill Watson Enhance Teacher Presence?

Poster Paper at L@S – Robert Lindgren, Sandeep Kakar, Pratiusha Maiti, Karan Taneja & Ashok Goel

Engaging Learnersourcing with an AI Social Agent in Online Learning

Paper at L@S Workshop on Learnersourcing: Student Generated Content at ACM L@S 2024 – Jisu Kim & Ashok Goel

Ashok Goel in Interactive Computing’s June Newsletter

The Design Intelligence Lab’s Ashok Goel was featured in Georgia Tech School of Interactive Computing’s June Newsletter: ‘Friends’ Inspires AI Tool.

While discussing the advantages of AI personalization in education with EducationWeek, Goel makes the point that AI feedback “might be right for, say, a neurotypical child and maybe not right for a neuroatypical child”.

Jayson Brown

Jayson Brown is a Research Scientist at AI-ALOE. He has extensive experience engineering software products in the education and non-profit sectors. Jayson is passionate about helping students and teachers by advancing the education sector through innovative technology solutions. He enjoys exploring the latest developments in artificial intelligence and machine learning. In his free time, Jayson enjoys video gaming. He holds an MS in Computer Science and a BS in Computer Science.

Rudra Singh

Rudra Singh is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Computer Science, specializing in Machine Learning, and has a particular interest in Natural Language Processing systems. Rudra works as a Data Scientist at a fintech company in India and is also involved with the VERA team at DILAB. In his leisure time, he enjoys playing badminton. LinkedIn profile: Rudra Pratap Singh | LinkedIn

Anthony Fu

Anthony Fu, a master’s student in Computer Science at Georgia Tech, is a member of the SAMI team. His research interests lie in the intersection of HCI, AI, and educational technologies. He is interested in the gamification of education and in the design of multimedia applications that support students throughout the learning process for more personalized experiences that surpass the traditional textbook and classroom setting. 

Outside of his academic pursuits, Anthony works as a middle school teacher. He also enjoys making music and learning languages.

Firat Taxpulat

Firat Taxpulat is a graduate student at Georgia Tech under the M.S. in Computer Science program with a Specialization in Computational Perception and Robotics. Before attending Georgia Tech, Firat graduated from UCLA with a B.S. in Applied Mathematics with a Specialization in Computing. Firat is a research assistant for the Design Intelligence Lab at Georgia Tech as a member of the Jill Watson team under the supervision of Dr. Ashok Goel. His research interests involve applying scalable educational systems using artificial intelligence tools to promote learning of historically underrepresented Central Asian languages.

Firat is a Senior Software Engineer at Lockheed Martin working on air vehicle software under Advanced Development Programs / Skunk Works. Prior to Lockheed Martin, Firat worked on flight instrumentation software at Edwards Air Force Base. With his interests in aeronautics and robotics, Firat co-founded a NASA RASC-AL Competition Team at Georgia Tech and is a member of the Vertically Integrated Project (VIP) Aquabots: Maritime Robotics research group at Georgia Tech under the supervision of Dr. Michael West.

Outside of work and school, Firat is actively engaged in his community of Palmdale, CA as the Lead Computer Vision Mentor for FIRST Robotics Competition Team 5012: Gryffingear at The Palmdale Aerospace Academy and as the Competition Day Volunteer Coordinator for the Aerospace Robotics Competition. In his free time, Firat enjoys running, reading, NBA, and feeding his neighborhood’s stray cats.

For more on Firat, visit www.linkedin.com/in/firat-taxpulat