Keynote Speaker: Simon Peyton Jones, Senior Principal Researcher - Microsoft
Simon Peyton Jones, FRS, graduated from Trinity College Cambridge in 1980. After two years in industry, he spent seven years as a lecturer at University College London, and nine years as a professor at Glasgow University, before moving to Microsoft Research (Cambridge) in 1998.
Simon’s main research interest is in functional programming languages, their implementation, and their application. He was a key contributor to the design of the now-standard functional language Haskell, and is the lead designer of the widely-used Glasgow Haskell Compiler (GHC). He has written two textbooks about the implementation of functional languages. He is particularly motivated by direct application of principled theory to practical language design and implementation — that is one reason he loves functional programming so much.
He has been deeply involved in computing education at school since Computing at School was launched in 2007, and he still serves as CAS’s chair. He chaired the working group that wrote the Programmes of Study for computing in 2012, and was appointed chair of the National Centre for Computing Education in 2018.
Simon’s main research interest is in functional programming languages, their implementation, and their application. He was a key contributor to the design of the now-standard functional language Haskell, and is the lead designer of the widely-used Glasgow Haskell Compiler (GHC). He has written two textbooks about the implementation of functional languages. He is particularly motivated by direct application of principled theory to practical language design and implementation — that is one reason he loves functional programming so much.
He has been deeply involved in computing education at school since Computing at School was launched in 2007, and he still serves as CAS’s chair. He chaired the working group that wrote the Programmes of Study for computing in 2012, and was appointed chair of the National Centre for Computing Education in 2018.
Panel Speakers
Safinah Ali is a PhD Student in the Personal Robots Group at the MIT Media Lab. She is interested in co-creative child-robot interaction and creative AI education. She is also interested in using social robotic interactions for fostering learning behaviors in children. She received her Bachelor’s in Design from the Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati and Master’s in Human Computer Interaction from Carnegie Mellon University.
Chris Asman, born and raised in Columbus, Ohio, is a young entrepreneur with strong experience in Product Development and Operations Management. While attending The Ohio State University, he worked as a freelance product consultant, a project manager, and a chief operating officer of a valet venture. Chris' passion for software eventually led to the creation of Studium, a communal platform focused on enhancing the student experience while improving overall student success and retention. He currently manages a team of 6 individuals, overseeing all operations and business/product development at Studium.
Katie Buckley, Extension Educator and 4-H Youth Development for McLean County has 16 years of experience in education. With a Bachelor’s of Science in Special Education and a Master’s in Social Work from Illinois State University, she has worked with students with special needs as well as developed a STEM - science, technology, engineering and math - program across multiple grade levels.
Throughout her career in public education, Buckley has funded STEM programs by acquiring more than $50,000 in grants and donations. Most recently, Buckley was named the 2019 Ag in the Classroom Teacher of the Year.
Buckley is currently developing programming for youth throughout McLean County and working with all of the 4-H clubs throughout the county.
Throughout her career in public education, Buckley has funded STEM programs by acquiring more than $50,000 in grants and donations. Most recently, Buckley was named the 2019 Ag in the Classroom Teacher of the Year.
Buckley is currently developing programming for youth throughout McLean County and working with all of the 4-H clubs throughout the county.
Joseph Carroll-Miranda is an Auxiliary Professor at the Graduate Studies Department of the College of Education of the University of Puerto Rico Rio Piedras Campus. He is a strong advocate of both Computer Science and STEM education as issues of social justice. Currently he serves in the advisory board of Broadening Participation in Computing Alliance project Expanding Computing Educational Pathways bringing a critical lenses and commitment to ensure diversity, inclusion, social justice, ancestral knowledge systems and culturally responsive pedagogies in computing. Furthermore, his research interest includes youth culture, teknoculture, hacker culture, critical pedagogy and transforming traditional classrooms as spaces of creation and innovation. Currently he is working in an emergent field of research dedicated to decolonizing computing with a collaborative project titled Ancestral Computing for Sustainability.
Aaron Cortes serves as the Director of the STEM initiatives at the Center for College Access and Success of Northeastern Illinois University. In this capacity, he directs the TRIO Upward Bound, TRIO Upward Bound Math and Science and 21st Century Community of Learning Centers. Mr. Cortes also supports the development and implementation of STEM/STEAM programming for students, teachers, educators and administrators across the University programs such as GEAR UP, Center Space (Maker Space), Computer Science Department, and Department of Education.
Mr. Cortes is an advocate of promoting STEM/STEAM education, international access and college readiness for low income and first generation college bound/college-enrolled students. Due to his engagement, he has been a two-term president of the Illinois TRIO association, the current Immediate Past President of the midwest Educational Opportunity Association and a board member of the Council for Opportunity on Education.
In addition, Mr. Cortes also engages in collaborative work with the Chicago Council for Global Affairs Emerging Leaders program, Northwestern's Center for Excellence in Computer Science Education Fellowship, and , U.S. Department of Agriculture Kika De la Garza Fellowship.
Mr. Cortes is an advocate of promoting STEM/STEAM education, international access and college readiness for low income and first generation college bound/college-enrolled students. Due to his engagement, he has been a two-term president of the Illinois TRIO association, the current Immediate Past President of the midwest Educational Opportunity Association and a board member of the Council for Opportunity on Education.
In addition, Mr. Cortes also engages in collaborative work with the Chicago Council for Global Affairs Emerging Leaders program, Northwestern's Center for Excellence in Computer Science Education Fellowship, and , U.S. Department of Agriculture Kika De la Garza Fellowship.
Joshua Elder is the Director of Grants Management at Siegel Family Endowment, which explores the impact of technology on society across learning, infrastructure, and workforce. Prior to SFE, Joshua was Director of Strategic Initiatives at CSforALL, one of SFE's partner organizations, where he led efforts to help build the capacity of school districts and other education agencies to provide computer science education to all students. Prior to that, Joshua spent 10+ years in domestic and international education with a focus on science education, instructional leadership, and pedagogy. Joshua is a co-founder of a network of low-cost private schools operating in South Africa and Kenya. Joshua has a Master's in Public Affairs from Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs, an M.Ed. from Virginia Commonwealth University, and a BS from Longwood University.
Joe Fatheree is an award winning author, educator, and filmmaker. He has received numerous educational awards, including Illinois Teacher of the Year and the NEA's National Award for Teaching Excellence. In 2016, he was named one of the Top 10 Teachers in the World by the Varkey Foundation. He has served as the Director of Strategic Projects for the National Network of State Teachers of the Year in Washington, D.C. and is the Instructor of Creativity and Innovation at Effingham High School.
He served on the advisory board for the Institute for Ethical AI in Education in the United Kingdom and co-chaired the Computer Science Standards subcommittee for AI in Ed for the Illinois State Board of Education. He is currently a doctoral student at the University of Illinois with a focus on the impact AI has on human cognition.
He served on the advisory board for the Institute for Ethical AI in Education in the United Kingdom and co-chaired the Computer Science Standards subcommittee for AI in Ed for the Illinois State Board of Education. He is currently a doctoral student at the University of Illinois with a focus on the impact AI has on human cognition.
Prof. Diana Franklin is an Associate Professor in the Computer Science Department at the University of Chicago. She is also the Director of Computer Science Education at UChicago STEM Education. She leads four research projects in the area of computer science education. Her lab, CANON (Computing for ANyONe), has a mission to perform the research that will bring high-quality computing education to all students, with particular emphasis on diverse cultural backgrounds and experiential backgrounds.
Roxana Girju is professor of Linguistics, Computer Science affiliate, and part-time faculty member in the Organizational Intelligence and Computational Social Science and the Social and Emotional Dimensions of Well-Being Groups at the Beckman Institute of Advanced Science and Technology. Dr. Girju earned a B.Sc. in Computer Science from "Politehnica" University of Bucharest (1995) and a Ph.D. degree in Computer Science from the University of Texas at Dallas (2002). She is the Co-founder and former director of the successcul CS+Linguistics joint undergraduate program. Located at the intersection of language – technology – society, Dr. Girju’s research interests are in designing, building, and testing AI systems that use language in order to facilitate successful human–human and human–computer communication. She is an advocate for the integration of STEM and Humanities, Social Sciences, and the Arts for the next generation human language technologies.
Olga Gutierrez is a Education Program Manager in the Environment, Public Policy, and Social Initiatives at Apple. She is a key advocate for transforming education to serve the needs of students in the 21st Century by leveraging the power of technology to improve teaching and learning outcomes. Most recently she was instrumental in the development of the Everyone Can Code in Chicago initiative, a public-private partnership between the City of Chicago and Apple to establish a college and career pipeline in coding and technology for the students of the City of Chicago. She came to Apple from the City Colleges of Chicago where she advised on financial, legal, academic and other policy issues as the Policy Advisor to the Board of Trustees, who oversaw a half a billion dollar budget for 120,000 students on seven campuses and seven satellite locations. She also served as the Executive Director of Legislative and Government Affairs.
Olga previously worked for the Chicago Public Schools, where she managed local government affairs, and for the City of Chicago, Mayor's Office of Intergovernmental Affairs. There she oversaw nine city council committees on behalf of former Mayor Daley and his legislative team.
After earning a law degree at Chicago-Kent College of Law, she served as a law clerk to the Honorable Maria Valdez of the Northern District Court of Illinois. Born in Colombia, raised in Chicago, Olga is also a graduate of the University of Illinois. She is a frequent traveler, an avid reader, loves to dance, and is a certified scuba diver.
Olga previously worked for the Chicago Public Schools, where she managed local government affairs, and for the City of Chicago, Mayor's Office of Intergovernmental Affairs. There she oversaw nine city council committees on behalf of former Mayor Daley and his legislative team.
After earning a law degree at Chicago-Kent College of Law, she served as a law clerk to the Honorable Maria Valdez of the Northern District Court of Illinois. Born in Colombia, raised in Chicago, Olga is also a graduate of the University of Illinois. She is a frequent traveler, an avid reader, loves to dance, and is a certified scuba diver.
Michael Horn is an Associate Professor of Computer Scienceand Learning Sciences at Northwestern University where hedirects the Tangible Interaction Design and Learning (TIDAL)Lab. Michael serves as the Program Coordinator for theLearning Sciences PhD Program at Northwestern and is co-Founder of the new Joint PhD Program in Computer Scienceand Learning Sciences. He is also co-editor-in-chief of theInternational Journal of Child-Computer Interaction and anassociate editor for the Journal of the Learning Sciences.Michael's research explores the use of interactive technology inthe design of innovative learning experiences. He takes acautious but optimistic stance towards technology in a processthat tightly couples research and design. His work has beenexhibited at museums around the world including the CaliforniaAcademy of Sciences (San Francisco), the Museum of Science (Boston), the Field Museum (Chicago), and theComputer History Museum (Silicon Valley). Michael's research on tangible programming has contributed tothe commercial products: Osmo Coding (https://www.playosmo.com/en/coding/) and Kibo Robotics(http://kinderlabrobotics.com/kibo/). More recently Michael's team at Northwestern has created TunePad(https://tunepad.live), a platform for communities of learners to create and share music using python coding.Michael earned his Ph.D. in Computer Science at Tufts University working in the Human-Computer InteractionLab and the Developmental Technologies research group. He received his undergraduate degree in ComputerScience from Brown University and has worked as a software engineer for several companies includingClassroom Connect and iRobot Corporation.
Keith Jacobs provides state-wide leadership in Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math, or STEM programming. As the STEM specialist, Keith works with educators in the field to implement, improve, and expand programming opportunities for youth interested in STEM. In addition, Keith works with local and national partners to deliver cutting edge technologies, and one-of-a-kind experiences unique to 4-H. With over 200,000 STEM related projects each year, Keith is constantly searching for new ways to deliver STEM content that is memorable and impactful. Keith earned his B.S. in Psychology Pre-Med with a minor in Neuroscience from Morehouse College in Atlanta, Ga. and his Masters of Public Health Program at University of Illinois, Springfield.
Dr. Allyson Kennedy is a Program Director in the National Science Foundation’s Directorate for Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE). Through the CISE CSforAll: Researcher-Practitioner Partnership and Broadening Participation in Computing programs, Allyson evaluates and supports initiatives to make computer science education inclusive for all students.
While receiving her Ph.D. in Integrative Life Sciences at Virginia Commonwealth University, Allyson fostered a passion for educational equity through teaching, community outreach, and science communication. These experiences heavily influenced her appreciation of culturally relevant, hands-on learning strategies to improve student outcomes. She continuously works to expand student access to STEM through inclusive approaches to computer science and computational thinking.
While receiving her Ph.D. in Integrative Life Sciences at Virginia Commonwealth University, Allyson fostered a passion for educational equity through teaching, community outreach, and science communication. These experiences heavily influenced her appreciation of culturally relevant, hands-on learning strategies to improve student outcomes. She continuously works to expand student access to STEM through inclusive approaches to computer science and computational thinking.
Jennifer Leban, NBCT, is a 2020 IL State Teacher of the Year Finalist and Teach Plus IL Fellow. Jen is a Google Trainer and Innovator (#LAX18) who lives in the Chicago suburbs with her husband and son. Jen has taught grades K-8 in fine arts, technology, and library/makerspace classes. She is a finalist for the 2020 Presidential Award for Excellence in Math and Science Teaching (PAEMST) for her work in K-6 computer science education. Jen presents at education conferences throughout the United States, such as ISTE, AMLE, IDEAcon, and CPS Googlepalooza. She is a member of the leadership team for the Chicagoland Google Educators Group (GEG). Jen currently works as an instructional technology coach.
Jennifer is an education ambassador for WeVideo, Flipgrid, Wakelet, Seesaw, and Classroom Q. Jen is also the illustrator of Coding to Kindness by Valerie Sousa, published through EduMatch books. Outside of the classroom, Jennifer is a retired roller derby skater who coaches her local junior derby league. Jennifer earned her BA in Arts Education with honors from Elmhurst College and completed her MA in Educational Leadership through St. Xavier University.
Jennifer is an education ambassador for WeVideo, Flipgrid, Wakelet, Seesaw, and Classroom Q. Jen is also the illustrator of Coding to Kindness by Valerie Sousa, published through EduMatch books. Outside of the classroom, Jennifer is a retired roller derby skater who coaches her local junior derby league. Jennifer earned her BA in Arts Education with honors from Elmhurst College and completed her MA in Educational Leadership through St. Xavier University.
Irene Lee is a research scientist in MIT’s Scheller Teacher Education Program and Distinguished Scholar at EDC. She is the founder and program director of Project GUTS: Growing Up Thinking Scientifically. Currently, Irene leads three NSF STEM+C projects focused on understanding how students’ engagement in using, decoding, and modifying computer models impacts their scientific understanding of the phenomenon being modeled, and two ITEST projects focused on developing AI Literacy of K-12 teachers and students. Irene served as the Chair of the Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA) Computational Thinking Task Force and was a member of the CSTA K-12 Computer Science Standards and the K12 CS Framework writing teams. She is currently an advisor to the AI4K12initiative and numerous K-12 computational thinking focused research projects.
David Osborne serves as the Principal Consultant and Methods of Administration Coordinator for the Career and Technical Education and Innovation Department at the Illinois State Board of Education. In this role, David has worked to align secondary CTE courses and programming to industry standards, labor market trends, and postsecondary opportunities. Included in this effort is the increased inclusion of computer and technology content into Illinois’s approved CTE programs. Additionally, David has worked to support access to rigorous CTE instruction, meaningful work-based learning opportunities, and the attainment of postsecondary credits and credentials embedded into secondary pathways. He specializes in the promotion and nurturing of equitable access of all career pathways for all students.
Jen Palmer is a Curriculum Development Specialist at the University of Chicago where she works with Diana Franklin. For over a decade, she has worked to support high-quality science, engineering, and computer science instruction in K-8 classrooms across Chicago. Her work has ranged from curriculum and tool development to the design and facilitation of professional development opportunities and classroom coaching for teachers. She is the lead curriculum developer for Scratch Encore and part of the EPiQC Education and Outreach team. She is particularly interested in issues related to equity in STEM instruction.
Dr. Janelle Scharon is the STEM Dean of Instruction at Gary Comer College Prep High School in Chicago. She coaches science teachers and leads science program initiatives to support student preparation and exposure to STEM fields. Janelle has a Ph.D. in Science Education from the Illinois Institute of Technology. She has previously taught computer science and science and coached robotics. As a school leader, she represents educators across Illinois on the Advance Illinois Educator Council, IL Congressional District 2 Educator Council, and several Illinois School Board of Education Committees focused on teacher shortage, recruitment and licensure, and student diverse learner access and advancement in STEM. She is currently serving on the Illinois Science Teaching Association Board of Regional Directors representing Chicago.
Anupama Shekhar, Director, Equitable Computer Science, Microsoft Philanthropies, leads the Equitable Computer Science team at Microsoft Philanthropies, working towards building equitable, inclusive computer science education programs. This includes the TEALS program and partnerships with organizations focused on Computer Science. Prior to her experience at Microsoft, she served as Program Head for Vocational Training at Pratham Education Foundation. At Pratham, she led the vocational training arm, reaching over 70,000 young adults annually, in areas including Digital Literacy, Hospitality and Construction. She has also previously worked at Microsoft in Enterprise Sales and at Citibank in Product Management. Anupama graduated from Wharton with an MBA and has an undergraduate degree in Marketing and Information Systems Management from Singapore Management University. During her MBA, she worked with the Tanzanian government as an education consultant and also worked in Education Strategy Consulting.
Bryan Twarek or “BT” (@btwarek) is the Director of Education for CSTA, where he develops programs to improve the teaching and learning of K-12 computer science. He manages the student and teacher standards, creates professional learning opportunities, develops local chapter leadership, oversees awards and fellowships, and directs research projects. Prior to joining CSTA, BT was the Computer Science Supervisor for SFUSD, he worked to expand equitable access to creative, rigorous, and relevant computer science instruction to all San Francisco public school students. He has significant experience with standards development, acting as a team lead for the K-12 CS Framework, the CSTA K-12 CS Standards, the CSTA Standards for CS Teachers, and California’s K-12 CS standards.
Abril Vela is a proud alumna of Chicago Public Schools and a product of the #CSforAll movement. While a CPS student, Abril founded the organization Chicago Girls in Computing to support young women in their pursuit of computing education and careers. Abril attended the University of Michigan where she received a Bachelor of Science in Information Science. She has spent the past decade working as a social entrepreneur and community organizer focused on connecting educators and business owners interested in promoting equity and inclusion in tech. Abril most recently served as the Special Projects Coordinator for the Office of Computer Science at CPS. Currently, Abril is a Co-Founder and Principal of CS for Success.
Mark Vondracek has been teaching physics at Evanston Township High School since the 1998-99 school year. Having earned a doctorate in high-energy particle physics before going into high school teaching, he has worked with Northwestern University groups on a variety of curriculum projects and grants, had hundreds of students who have done independent research, and many more participating in dozens of different contests, activities, programs, as well as national and international partnerships. This has led to state, national and global recognition, such as the ISBE Award of Excellence and being named one of the top 50 teachers in the world in the Global Teacher Prize in 2015. He advocates for including modern topics such as quantum mechanical principles in K-12 education so students are at least aware of new technologies and career paths that will play a role in students’ lives, and looks forward to the day when national and global education shifts from the traditional ‘Newtonian’ pedagogy most education systems are presently following to a modernized ‘Quantum Mechanical’ pedagogy that leads to truly inclusive and holistic education so every individual student finds and develops their gifts to share with humanity.
David Weintrop is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Teaching & Learning, Policy & Leadership in the College of Education with a joint appointment in the College of Information Studies at the University of Maryland. His research focuses on the design, implementation, and evaluation of accessible and engaging computational learning environments. He is also interested in the use of technological tools in supporting exploration and expression across diverse contexts including STEM classrooms and informal spaces. His work lies at the intersection of human-computer interaction, design, and the Learning Sciences. David has a Ph.D. in the Learning Sciences from Northwestern University and a B.S. in Computer Science from the University of Michigan. He spent one year as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Chicago studying computer science learning in elementary classrooms prior to joining the faculty at the University of Maryland. Before starting his academic career, he spent five years working as a software developer at a pair of start-ups in Chicago. You can learn more about David and his research on his website.
Don Yanek is an instructional coach for the Office of Computer Science at Chicago Public Schools, a veteran high school teacher, a founder and former President of the Chicago Chapter of the Computer Science Teachers Association, and co-PI on the National Science Foundation [NSF] Computing Education grants, Accelerate ECS For All and the Chicago Alliance For Equity in Computer Science (CAFÉCS). The goal of the Accelerate ECS For All research grant is to develop a coaching and peer mentoring protocol for Computer Science teachers. He is a former co-PI on the NSF CE21 Taste of Computing Grant to facilitate professional development for teachers in Chicago and Illinois. Don is a national Exploring Computer Science teacher professional development facilitator, a pilot for the AP CS Principles course, an APCSA teacher, and an advisor for the Teacher Education in Computer Science [TECS] program at Illinois State University, the Illinois CS Task Force, and Computer Science for Oregon. He’s a National Center for Women & Information Technology Aspirations in Computing Educator Award winner and plays drums in the indie/rock band The Purcells.
Susan Young lives in Effingham, I’ll and currently teaches at Effingham Jr High School. She has been in education for 12 years and has spent the last five years working to strengthen the computer science program in her district.
Moderators
Dr. Matthew Berland, is an Associate Professor of Design, Creative, and Informal Education in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at UW–Madison and Affiliate Faculty in Information Studies, Computer Sciences, Educational Psychology, and Science/Technology Studies. He uses design-based research to create and
analyze tools and learning environments that support students’ creative agency and computational literacies. Berland holds a Ph.D. from Northwestern University, and he is the founder and director of both the Complex Play Lab and the UW Game Design Program.
analyze tools and learning environments that support students’ creative agency and computational literacies. Berland holds a Ph.D. from Northwestern University, and he is the founder and director of both the Complex Play Lab and the UW Game Design Program.
Caroline Sanchez Crozier, CEO, and owner of CSC Consulting Group (Burr Ridge) launched the company 33 years ago. CSC’s Initial partner was Apple to support CPS educators with technology. Today, CSC is an experienced IT Service provider working with schools, nonprofits, and small businesses to manage their technology infrastructure with CISCO engineers. CPS continues as a major client. The long successful history in tech makes Caroline a 1% of women in STEM in the US, a Latina Entrepreneur who is often referred to as a “unicorn” for her out-of-the-box approach to her business and advocacy. A sought-after and well-respected source of knowledge and integrity, Caroline has dedicated significant time as an education advocate and board member, on a state and national level, with the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), the oldest and largest civil rights national organization for Latinos. In 2019, she founded Latinx Digital Latinx Leaders Now, a non-profit organization for digital equity, which is the new civil rights, especially during Covid-19’s. Ms. Crozier is actively engaged in addressing the systemic inequities that have been exacerbated by the current pandemic. Caroline’s other board activities include CS4IL, and currently leads ISBE’s CS Strategic Plan, Equity and Advocacy Workgroup.
Lisa Davis is the Director of Youth Employment and One Summer Chicago with the Chicago Department of Family & Support Services. Originally from Brooklyn, New York, she moved to Chicago in 2006. Lisa has been a driving force in youth development for over 30 years. Her professional experiences have put her youth development programming on the national and international maps. From providing organizational thinking and programmatic support to 23 major cities in the U.S. through the Cities for Financial Empowerment to hosting youth development and workforce development round tables with other municipalities from other countries such as Brazil, Portugal, Japan and England.
Lisa was once labeled a Dream Catcher by one of her young participants. She embraces that title every time she creates a new program. Her dream is to make their dreams come true. Until this day, Lisa maintains a team of young people because she believes in them and the importance of youth voice.
Lisa believes in building and supporting a socially and civically conscious citizenry for young people, families and communities that have been disproportionately marginalized. She is a proud resident of the Southside of Chicago. Lisa holds a Bachelor of Science Degree from Ohio University.
Lisa was once labeled a Dream Catcher by one of her young participants. She embraces that title every time she creates a new program. Her dream is to make their dreams come true. Until this day, Lisa maintains a team of young people because she believes in them and the importance of youth voice.
Lisa believes in building and supporting a socially and civically conscious citizenry for young people, families and communities that have been disproportionately marginalized. She is a proud resident of the Southside of Chicago. Lisa holds a Bachelor of Science Degree from Ohio University.
Charity Freeman, Associate Director of Teacher Training at Discovery Partners Institute, manages and oversees the implementation of teacher training programs within DPI’s Community Education Unit, focusing on building capacity in computer and data science/analytics at the high school and community college levels. This includes supporting the implementation of the CS endorsement for in-service teachers, as well as leading and coordinating teacher-focused professional development learning opportunities at DPI.
Dr. Matthew Hudson, Professor in Crop Sciences, uses supercomputing and DNA sequencing to solve problems in plant, animal, and human genetics. His current research focuses on how crops are bred and on ways to treat and prevent plant, animal, and human diseases. He is particularly interested in the genetics of crop traits and the genetic and molecular interactions of soybeans with pathogens, pests, and other organisms.
Jessica Li is a seasoned human resource development professional with more than 25 years of working experience in both business corporations and academic institutions. She is fluent in English and Chinese and capable of working effectively in multicultural and diverse environments. Her professional skills include creating coaching and mentoring programs, overseeing talent management and retention strategies, establishing corporate universities, and developing leaders. She is an accomplished practitioner and researcher with strong people and leadership skills. Jessica is currently interim Associate Dean for Research and Director of the Bureau of Educational Research as well as an associate professor of Human Resource Development and the Director of the Human Resource Development Program. She is also the editor-in-chief of the Journal Human Resource Development International, regional editor for the Journal of Chinese Human Resource Management, and the theme lead for education and workforce development, Discovery Partners Institute, University of Illinois System.
Eric Lugo currently serves as Director, External Relations for Discovery Partners Institute, leading efforts to build partnerships with key systems, corporate, community and civic organizations in scaling efforts to support and develop technology talent across the city, region, and state. Prior to DPI, Eric served as Executive Vice Chancellor and Chief of Staff at City Colleges of Chicago. In this capacity, he oversaw advancement, community and legislative affairs, economic and workforce innovation, institutional branding and strategic marketing, and special initiatives. Eric played a leadership role in securing over $30 million in new private and public resources for innovative initiatives, including expanding scholarship distribution by 300%, launching a 5-year strategic plan with Chicago Public Schools; scaling work-based learning and apprentice opportunities with the Chicago Apprenticeship Network; building new credentialing programs to meet industry demand with leading technology companies; launching the Fresh Start Debt Forgiveness program; and providing critical emergency supports for students in crisis.
Dr. Jorge Sanz works in IBM Research as Chief Innovation Officer for Banking in Enterprise AI, Systems and Solutions at IBM Research. He has over 30 years of applied and industry research working with global corporations and education while living in North and South America, Europe, and Asia. He is specialized in Banking and Financial Markets, also with dedication to Telecommunications, Advanced Manufacturing and Government agencies.
Jorge’s background brings together hands-on technology expertise in systems, AI and processes. He works on new business models and operational transformation through digitalization, legal and regulatory constraints from multiple jurisdictions, and finance applications in different units at banks, financial markets firms and CFO LoBs across industries. Jorge is an active innovation member in multiple R&D communities and a frequent speaker and organizer of events in international industry fora. Jorge assists CxOs and banks board members with executive education, addressing innovative technologies new business opportunities and constraints brought by cross-jurisdictional regulations.
Jorge is a Fellow of the IEEE Society for his contributions to digital innovation.
Jorge’s background brings together hands-on technology expertise in systems, AI and processes. He works on new business models and operational transformation through digitalization, legal and regulatory constraints from multiple jurisdictions, and finance applications in different units at banks, financial markets firms and CFO LoBs across industries. Jorge is an active innovation member in multiple R&D communities and a frequent speaker and organizer of events in international industry fora. Jorge assists CxOs and banks board members with executive education, addressing innovative technologies new business opportunities and constraints brought by cross-jurisdictional regulations.
Jorge is a Fellow of the IEEE Society for his contributions to digital innovation.
