ILSSA Committee

@islsilssa.bsky.social

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The International Learning Sciences Student Association specializes in struggling in solidarity together as students and postdocs in the international society of learning sciences! 🐦 @ISLS_ILSSA 🦋 @islsilssa.bsky.social 🌐 https://bit.ly/ILSSA

Five ISLS 2026 conference stickers displayed on a light gray background. Top left: a circular sticker with a purple-to-green gradient background featuring a geometric constellation pattern and the text 'TEAM QUANT' in bold pixel-style font. Top right: a circular sticker with a tropical beach scene — palm trees, blue sky, and sand dunes — with the text 'I went to ISLS & all I got was this STICKER.' Center: a hexagonal sticker with an orange-to-blue gradient featuring two hands shaking and the word 'HIRING' in bold orange text. Bottom left: a circular sticker in dark red and white resembling a no-entry sign with the text '[ CITATION NEEDED ]' in white. Bottom right: a circular sticker with a purple-to-orange gradient featuring film strip imagery, handwritten text in the background, a microphone icon, and the text 'TEAM QUAL' in bold black font.
A map of the Irvine, California area showing conference-related locations for ISLS 2026. Hotel options marked with blue bed icons include: Embassy Suites by Hilton Irvine, Hilton Garden Inn Irvine, Hampton Inn and Suites Irvine, Irvine Courtyard by Marriott John Wayne Airport, and Hyatt Regency Irvine. A cocktail glass icon marks Hangar 24. Conference venue locations marked with orange pins in the lower portion of the map include: Anteater Learning Pavilion (ALP), Barclay Theatre, and UCI Division of Continuing Education, all situated near University Drive in the University Town area. John Wayne Airport is visible on the left side of the map. The map also shows major roads including the 405 freeway and Jamboree Road. Bus service phone number 714.835.8676 and bus schedule link https://2026.isls.org/transportation-schedule/ are displayed at the bottom.
Promotional flyer titled "I'M VIRTUAL! …now what do I do?" with a dark background and colorful event listings. A banner reads "ALL CONCURRENT SESSIONS WILL BE VIRTUALLY VIEWABLE VIA ZOOM!" Below, a schedule lists virtual events by date: Tuesday June 9 — ISLS Virtual Social at 7am PDT; Wednesday June 17 — Poster Session (16:15–17:45pm PDT, Full Hybrid) and KnWP: Marisa Morán Jahn (18:00–19:00 PDT, hosted by Enrique Suarez virtually); Thursday June 18 — Keynote Watch Party: Alyssa Friend Wise (18:00–19:00 PDT, hosted by Jun Oshima); Friday June 19 — Keynote Watch Party: Ananda Marin (6:00–7:00 PDT, hosted by Henry Suárez). A teal banner at the bottom reads "SINGLE-EVENT TICKETS AVAILABLE! $20/person per session | Closes June 9th" with a registration link.
Infographic from the ISLS Hybrid Engagement Subcommittee titled, “How are you going to engage across in-person, virtual, and hybrid modalities at this year’s ISLS Annual Meeting?” A central diamond asks, “Looking for ways to enrich ISLS community?” and branches to five options. Top: “Yes, and I’m attending in person,” with suggestions to volunteer as a Hybrid Ambassador, sign in to Zoom to engage online attendees, watch a keynote from a hotel, and attend both in-person and virtual poster sessions. Left upper: “Yes, and I’m presenting remotely,” pointing to “Easy, one-step virtual accommodations for presenters.” Left middle: “Yes, but I’m not presenting,” with notes about virtual viewing supported by in-room Hybrid Ambassadors and in-person attendees engaging online attendees. Right: “Yes, but I’m sad not to have in-person gatherings,” with ideas to self-organize local pod socials, poster galleries, quick-talks, and co-streaming, plus a QR code to share organizing plans. Bottom right: “Yes, I’d like to hang out in flexible hybrid ways!” with options for a virtual social, virtual poster session, and virtual keynote watch parties. Bottom left: “Yes, how can I help organize?” with instructions to sign up as a coordinator using the QR code or watch for an April email to volunteer. The design includes colored boxes and arrows on a gray background, plus ISLS and Hybrid Engagement logos in the upper left.
Five ISLS 2026 sticker designs: the ILSSA circular logo in green and purple, a green hexagon 'Hire Me' sticker with a megaphone, a purple landscape sticker reading 'ISLS 2026 Thanks the Tongva & Acjachemen Land That Hosts Us,' a rectangular ISLS logo sticker in white and green, and a dark green botanical sticker reading 'This Human Will Provide a Safe Space — No Questions Asked.
7 sticker designs showing: ISLS 2026, the ILSSA logo, "I hope this email finds you well", "degree loading", "that is beyond the scope of this paper", "little miss learning scientist" , "let this radicalize you rather than lead you to despair - mariame kaba"
"Flyer for 'Finding Flight in the Whirlwind' online panel on April 16, featuring photos of panelists Drs. Mikateko Mathebula, Sugat Dabholkar, Rochelle GutiĂŠrrez, Carol Lee, and Areej Mawasi, with event details and registration link on a teal gradient background."
This virtual panel brings together postdocs from around the world to speak candidly about the structural and personal complexities of postdoctoral life. From navigating the “in-between” space of being neither student nor faculty to managing precarity, shifting expectations, institutional politics, mental health, and the job market, there is a hidden curriculum that incoming postdocs are expected to learn on the fly. If you’re considering a postdoc — or are currently in one — this conversation is for you.
This virtual panel brings together postdocs from around the world to speak candidly about the structural and personal complexities of postdoctoral life. From navigating the “in-between” space of being neither student nor faculty to managing precarity, shifting expectations, institutional politics, mental health, and the job market, there is a hidden curriculum that incoming postdocs are expected to learn on the fly. If you’re considering a postdoc — or are currently in one — this conversation is for you. March 20th, 2026 7am PST / 10pm EST / 3pm GMT / 8:30pm IST / 11pm KST Register Now! https://bit.ly/postdoc-panel-registration
welcome back to scholarly scribbles. a virtual, co-writing space open to all of ILSSA in the weeks leading up to the ISLS submission deadline. Fridays september 19th, september 26th, and october 3rd at 7-9 UTC, 14-16 UTC, and 16-18 UTC until the October 5th ISLS paper deadline! Join via the ILSSA Discord in the scholarly-scribbles-meet voice channel.
Morgan Vickery (she/her) is a recent Learning Sciences PhD graduate and visiting research scientist at Indiana University. Her research expands on sociocritical theories of the body to design ‘body-inclusive’ embodied learning environments that are responsive to young adolescents’ experiences of disability, trauma, queerness, and body-image. She is passionate about advocating for ethical, consensual, and youth-centered approaches to multimodal learning and is dedicated to designing spaces that enable multi-marginalized youth at the interactional, technological, and activity level. This is Morgan’s second year as co-chair and hopes to expand ILSSAs capacity to meet its members ‘where they are’ and advocate for societal action on behalf of soon-to-be and recent graduates.
Breneil Malcolm (pronouns: they/them) is a gender fluid critical intersectional scholar and PhD candidate in Learning, Design, and Technology with Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at Penn State University. They focus on diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) among underrepresented groups in learning and higher education. More specifically, they research identity, human sexuality, intersectionality, and agency using critical, feminist, queer and trans*, and intersectional methodologies, with an emphasis on transgender, nonbinary, and gender nonconforming (TNBGNC) people. Breneil has taught courses at both undergraduate and graduate levels and across the humanities, behavioral sciences, and social sciences, including learning strategy, professional communication, positive psychology, and psychopathology for five years. Breneil’s range of experiences positions them as a scholar with a unique perspective, integrating their intersectional lived experiences of power, privilege, and oppression to fuel their work in social justice.
Faustine is a 3rd year PhD student at CIREL, a Learning Sciences Lab in France. Her work is centered on Collaborative Problem Solving simulation, focusing on the optimal experience (Group Flow), by observation of group dynamics (audio, video, physiology). Her research is based on a design approach, creating optimal learning environments for collaborative skills, including collaborative chatbots and scripts, learning analytics, in simulation environments.
Ashita Bawankule is a PhD student at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. She graduated with her bachelor's degree in computer engineering from Purdue University and received her master’s in education from UIUC. She is an international student from India and loves to read and bake. Her research interests include maker education, informal STEAM education, computational identity and empowerment, and family engagement. She works as a research assistant for the NSF funded Connected Spaces project, where she works on developing empowerment and identity driven computing curriculum for maker camps with middle and high school students. She has worked as the graduate research assistant for the UIUC’s Grainger College of Engineering’s Outreach and Engagement department, where she conducted community engaged outreach and research.
I am Blessed Mhungu, a Ph.D. student in Curriculum, Instruction, and Science of Learning at the University at Buffalo, with a Master of Education in Educational Technology from the University of Cape Town. As an incoming ILSSA board member for 2025-2026, I bring expertise in educational technology integration, instructional design innovation, and cross-cultural learning sciences research. My research centers on leveraging technology to transform teaching methodologies and create inclusive learning environments. I explore the design of digital platforms that enhance student engagement while promoting collaborative, student-centered pedagogies. My work bridges theoretical learning sciences with practical applications, particularly exploring how AI tools can be ethically integrated into educational contexts to empower learners rather than replace human-centered instruction. Having studied across African and North American educational systems, I possess unique insights into diverse learning contexts and challenges. I am committed to advancing equitable learning systems throughout Africa and the Middle East, where I aim to develop culturally responsive educational technologies that address regional needs while maintaining global standards. I am passionate about fostering ethical reasoning among educators and students, ensuring they develop critical thinking skills to navigate our increasingly digital landscape responsibly. Through ILSSA, I seek to amplify underrepresented voices in learning sciences, facilitate knowledge exchange between developed and developing educational contexts, and promote research that drives meaningful change in underserved communities. My goal is creating sustainable, technology-enhanced learning ecosystems that honor local cultures while preparing learners for global citizenship and professional success.
Jinho Kim is a fourth year Ph.D. candidate in the Learning Sciences program at Georgia State University (GSU). She holds a B.A. in Education, a B.S.E. in Computer Science, and an M.A. in Education, which informs her current research interests. Her work focuses on the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in education, particularly in supporting adult learners and providing formative feedback. As part of the NSF-funded AI Institute, AI-ALOE, she has contributed to projects aimed at enhancing concept learning in online environments. She is also collaborating with the GSU College of Nursing to investigate how AI-powered simulations can improve nursing education. These interdisciplinary experiences have strengthened her appreciation for research that bridges education, computer science, and healthcare. An active member of the International Society of the Learning Sciences (ISLS), she has participated in multiple conferences and contributed to the community by serving as a virtual host for the pre-conference social and as a Hybrid Ambassador during the annual meeting. In addition to her involvement with ISLS, she currently serves as Secretary of the Learning Sciences - Graduate Student Association at GSU.
Mary DiCioccio is a doctoral candidate at the University at Buffalo in the Curriculum, Instruction, & the Science of Learning program. She is currently working on her dissertation, where she is studying how interdisciplinary math and music instruction at a summer jazz camp can be used to enhance music performance. Follow her on Instagram @math.musician or check out her website MaryDiCioccio.com to follow her academic and musical work!
Flyer in green, white, and purple ILSSA and ISLS color scheme sharing information about a talk in the Exploring Learning Sciences in the Asia-Pacific series. The flyer includes the title of the first talk, "Designing Computer-Supported Collaborative Argumentation in Authentic Classrooms" by Prof Chen Wenli, along with a headshot image. The event is May 3rd at 5:30pm IST. The registration link (in text of post) and QR code are included. The link to join will be sent after registration.
Flyer in green, white, and purple ILSSA and ISLS color scheme sharing information about a talk in the Exploring Learning Sciences in the Asia-Pacific series. The flyer includes the title of the first talk, "Making Based Learning for Middle School and Undergraduate Engineering Students" by Prof Aditi Kothiyal, along with a headshot image. The event is April 20th at 5:30pm IST. The registration link (in text of post) and QR code are included. The link to join will be sent after registration.
Flyer in green, white, and purple ILSSA and ISLS color scheme sharing information about a talk in the Exploring Learning Sciences in the Asia-Pacific series. The flyer includes the title of the first talk, "Nurturing STEM Interest Among Filipino Learners Using Minecraft: A Case Study in Learning Sciences and Data Analytics" by Prof Maria Mercedes T. Rodrigo, along with a headshot image. The event is March 18th at 5:30pm IST and registration is open through March 16. The registration link (in text of post) and QR code are included. The link to join will be sent after registration.
Text in a light box over a purple background reads: "NYU's Faculty First Look program is designed to help diversify academia by appealing to all interested persons including individuals committed to inclusion, belonging, and equity. NYU’s Steinhardt School of Culture Education & Human Development invites individuals completing their PhD, EdD, or other relevant terminal degree to apply to participate in Faculty First-Look (FFL). Faculty First- Look provides a glimpse into what it takes to prepare for future faculty careers, particularly in disciplines and fields represented within the Steinhardt School. All interested persons including individuals that are underrepresented in this field are particularly encouraged to apply. Apply here. For any questions, please contact the ODEB team at steinhardt.equity@nyu.edu"
The image reads "ISLS Submissions Loading..." and includes the ISLS Annual Meeting logo for Buffalo 2024, with a blue and green splashing waterfall, and a counter with the dates November 8th through November 16, with space for a heart for each date. So far, November 8th through 16th have hearts over them.
The image reads "ISLS Submissions Loading..." and includes the ISLS Annual Meeting logo for Buffalo 2024, with a blue and green splashing waterfall, and a counter with the dates November 8th through November 16, with space for a heart for each date. So far, November 8th through 15th have hearts over them.
The image reads "ISLS Submissions Loading..." and includes the ISLS Annual Meeting logo for Buffalo 2024, with a blue and green splashing waterfall, and a counter with the dates November 8th through November 16, with space for a heart for each date. So far, November 8th through 14th have hearts over them.
The image reads "ISLS Submissions Loading..." and includes the ISLS Annual Meeting logo for Buffalo 2024, with a blue and green splashing waterfall, and a counter with the dates November 8th through November 16, with space for a heart for each date. So far, November 8th through 13 have hearts over them.
The image reads "ISLS Submissions Loading..." and includes the ISLS Annual Meeting logo for Buffalo 2024, with a blue and green splashing waterfall, and a counter with the dates November 8th through November 16, with space for a heart for each date. So far, November 8, 9, and 10 have hearts over them.
The image introduces Lora Cawelti as Secretary with a blue paint stroke and a headshot in a circle with a brief bio: "Lora Cawelti is a fifth year doctoral candidate at the University of California, Irvine. She is interested in understanding unique arts learning pathways and designing for arts learning that is rooted in inclusive, culturally sustaining pedagogies. Her background as a performing artist, teaching artist, and nonprofit arts administrator informs her research agenda where she prioritizes community engaged research, equity and inclusion, and seeks to bridge the gap between policy and practice in arts education. In her work with Creativity Labs, Lora explores trans-disciplinary arts and science practices in a range of learning contexts. She holds a B.A. in Music and English from the University of Hawaii, and M.A. degrees in Education from Pepperdine University and UCI. "
The image reads "ISLS Submissions Loading..." and includes the ISLS Annual Meeting logo for Buffalo 2024, with a blue and green splashing waterfall, and a counter with the dates November 8th through November 16, with space for a heart for each date. So far, November 8 and 9 have hearts over them.
The image introduces Finn Goehrig as an Annual Meeting Rep with an orang paint stroke and a headshot in a circle with a brief bio: "Finn Goehrig is a second year PhD student in the CISL program. Since 2013, he has worked as an instructor for the Gifted Math Program at UB where he now teaches two courses, the first of which is a college level survey of higher mathematics for incoming students, a curriculum of his own design, and the second of which is an advanced geometry course in the third year of the program. Finn is also a coach for competitive math teams, training and organizing teams of students in grades 7-12 primarily as a part of the UB Competes Program, but is also a founding member of the newly re-founded Upstate New York Math Team which serves students from across the state. His primary focus in recent years has been the development of curriculum at the intersection of mathematics and computer science. Finn is also a cook, baker, and an avid hiker, reader, and chess player."
The image introduces Grace Xing as an Annual Meeting Rep with a purple paint stroke and a headshot in a circle with a brief bio: "Grace Xing is a third-year PhD student in the Department of Learning and Instruction at University at Buffalo. She hopes to design an evidence-based curriculum for children from disadvantaged families in developing countries to support their development. Her research interests include child development, computational thinking, young children's perception& interactions with robots & AI, and opportunities to integrate technology with curriculum. Grace enjoys combining insights from fieldwork and diverse datasets. She holds a Masters in Child Developmental and Educational Psychology in Psychology Development from Capital Normal University. She spent several years exploring the relationship between parental corporal punishment and child development outcomes. Grace loves hiking, eating delicious food from around the world, exploring new places and reading."
Flyer for Friday Scholarly Scribbles hosted by the International Learning Sciences Student Association of the International Society of Learning Sciences. This ILSSA-hosted space on Discord is designed to build a community around writing our dissertation draft or ISLS submissions (or any writing!). The poster includes illustrations of 3 people writing. Open to all ISLS students (and postdocs), November 10 (Friday) all day. To join us, go to the link to sign up (http://bit.ly/ilssadiscordsignupform)
The image reads "ISLS Submissions Loading..." and includes the ISLS Annual Meeting logo for Buffalo 2024, with a blue and green spalshing waterfall, and a counter with the dates November 8th through November 16, with space for a heart for each date. So far, November 8 is the only heart.
The image introduces Xintian Tu as the Membership and Outreach chair for the year with a yellow paint stroke over a white background and a headshot in a circle shape, where Xintian is smiling outdoors with greenery. A short bio is in the white space: "Xintian Tu is a Ph.D Candidate in Learning Sciences at Indiana University. She is interested in play, designing technology-enhanced learning environments, and activities in maker spaces. Her dissertation focused on supporting young children's science modeling practice through embodied learning in mixed-reality environments. She also worked toward supporting female youth in STEM education and designed a maker workshop for low-income families. Her research has been previously presented at CSCL/ISLS. Xintian has been a member of the ISLS community since 2017 and has been actively involved in the community."
The image is a flyer invitation to Friday Scholarly Scribbles hosted by ILSSA. The flyer includes an illustration of a writer at work with notes, coffee, a stack of books, a pencil, and ideas sparkling around them. The text of the flyer says: "Working on your dissertation? Writing your ISLS submission? The International Learning Sciences Student Association of the International Society of the Learning Sciences invites you to Friday Scholarly Scribbles. Friday 3 and 10 November, all day on the ILSSA Discord Server. Open to all ISLS students and postdocs. Scan the QR code or go to the link to sign up: http://bit.ly/ilssadiscordsignupform."
The image introduces Ali Blake as the Communications chair for the year with a teal paint stroke over a white background and a headshot in a circle shape, where Ali is smiling in the woods with leaves changing color. A short bio is in the white space: "I'm a doctoral candidate at Boston College and I study relationality in and as learning, especially in settings that explicitly understand themselves as political and in communal making practices. As a dissertation project, I'm designing, facilitating, and studying an intergenerational queer and trans communal clothing making program rooted in multidimensional movements for self-determination. I'm especially interested in how folks cultivate relations in that setting, the histories those practices drawn from and participate in, and toward what futures."
The image introduces Early Sol Gadong as the Treasurer for the year with an orange paint stroke over a white background and a headshot in a circle shape, where Early is at a podium surrounded by plants. A short bio is in the white space: "Early Sol Gadong is a second year PhD Mathematics Education candidate at the University of the Philippines Open University. She has been an educator for almost twenty years, teaching mostly high school students and in-service teachers. She is also a published children’s book writer and is passionate about giving all Filipino children access to books that represent them and their stories. Her current research interests focus on designing decolonized learning environments to develop more engaged learners and practitioners who advocate for social justice. She loves to run and rides bicycles for fun."
The image introduces Sebastian Simon as the Europe/UK Regional Rep for the year with a blue paint stroke over a white background and a headshot in a circle shape, where Sebastian is smiling toward the camera with a large building in the background. A short bio is in the white space: "Sebastian (he/his) is a 3rd year phd student at LIUM, a computer science lab in Laval, France. He holds a Master's degree in Computer Science. His work is centered around mobile Computer Supported Collaborative Learning (mCSCL). In a design based research approach, he develops and studies the impact of digital tools on collaborative learning, collaboration and learning of collaboration in situated and informal learning contexts."
The image introduces Susana BenĂ­tez Codas as the Central and South America Regional Rep for the year with a purple paint stroke over a white background and a headshot in a circle shape, where Susana is smiling toward the camera with plants in the background. A short bio is in the white space: "I'm a Paraguayan woman of 65 years old. I'm System Analyst and Educational Ms. I was a school teacher and university professor for most of 25 years. For 24 years I served in the National Spiritual Assembly of the bahĂĄ'Ă­ of Paraguay and 18 years of them in the position of National Secretary. Now I'm retired and free of all this responsibilities. Since 2012 I'm working in a bahĂĄ'Ă­ community project focused to improve the moral capacities of vulnerable young people and women in AsunciĂłn, Paraguay. I have 4 kids."
Image spreading the word for Friday Scholarly Scribbles, brought to you by the International Learning Sciences Student Association of the International Society of the Learning Sciences. The image includes 4 people in various writing configurations and processes, along with information about the event. Are you working on a draft of your dissertation proposal? Do you need a place and time to write your ISLS submission? Join our ILSSA-hosted community space! Open to ISLS students (All students and postdocs of ISLS are welcome to join!). ILSSA reps online (All day on Friday wherever in the world you may be!). The space is available on our Discord Server on October 20, 27, and November 3 (Fridays!). There is a QR code and a URL to join the server at: http://bit.ly/ilssadiscordsignupform.
The image introduces Nisumba Soodhani K as the Asia-Pacific Regional Rep for the year with a golden paint stroke over a white background and a headshot in a circle shape, where Nisumba is smiling toward the camera. A short bio is in the white space: "Nisumba Soodhani is an early-stage research scholar from India with an electrical engineering background. Currently pursuing a PhD in Educational Technology at Indian institute of Technology Bombay, she is passionate about addressing gender disparity in makerspaces. In the academic arena, she's at the crossroads of Learning Sciences and Learning Analytics, trying to bring together the best of both worlds. Beyond the books, she's a volleyball player and a fitness enthusiast."
The image introduces Canan Ece TĂźrkmen as a returning ILSSA co-chair for 2022 - 2024 with a light green blue stroke over a white background and a headshot in a circle shape, where Canan is smiling in black and white. A short bio is in the white space: "Canan Ece TĂźrkmen (she/her) is a fifth year PhD candidate at Bogazici University. For her doctoral dissertation, she is collaborating with Rural Schools Transformation Network in developing distributed learning communities for teachers working in rural schools, focusing on sustainable teacher professional development. She is working towards establishing research-practice partnerships between civil society and academia, and framing these efforts as a design-based implementation research. As a co-chair, she aims to grow ILSSA further, and continue cultivating student agency within ISLS."
The image introduces Lisa Siciliano as an ILSSA co-chair for 2023 - 2025 with a blue paint stroke over a white background and a headshot in a circle shape. The image is of Lisa smiling in front of a painted background. A short bio is in the white space: "Lisa M. Siciliano (she/her) is a PhD candidate at the Learning Sciences Research Institute at the University of Illinois Chicago. She studies how students, teachers, theatre makers, and audience members learn by participating in theatre and drama experiences. A life-long theatre artist and teacher, Lisa holds a Bachelor’s degree in Theatre Studies from Yale University and a Master’s degree in Elementary Education from Northwestern University. Lisa previously served at ILSSA's treasurer and is honored to now be its co-chair. Research interests include: ensemble learning processes, devising as collaborative inquiry, power relations among youth and facilitators, teaching artist learning, and supporting youth artistic agency."
The green-backgrounded poster reads "The International Learning Sciences Student Association of the International Society of the Learning Sciences brings you Friday Scholarly Scribbles. Graphics of three people in the process of writing and connecting include speech bubbles saying "ILSSA Reps online 6pm-12am central & 6pm-12am Philippines", "Working on another draft of your dissertation proposal?", and "Need a place and time to write your ISLS submissions?". The event is an ILSSA-hosted community space on Discord. Who: students and post-docs of ISLS; what: community writing sessions; where: Discord; when: October 20, 27, November 3. Get your invite at bit.ly/ilssadiscordsignupform.