People

Dr. Claudia Urrea is the Senior Associate Director for pK-12 at the MIT Open Learning. During the last ten years, she has worked in different initiatives such as the Institute-wide Task Force on the Future of MIT Education, the MIT Online Education Policy Initiative, and the MIT Jameel World Education Lab (J-WEL).Dr. Claudia Urrea is the Senior Associate Director for pK-12 at the MIT Open Learning. During the last ten years, she has worked in different initiatives such as the Institute-wide Task Force on the Future of MIT Education, the MIT Online Education Policy Initiative, and the MIT Jameel World Education Lab (J-WEL). In addition, Dr. Urrea founded the MIT STEAM camp, which brings MIT’s learning approach to middle school students and teachers in international locations, and co-founded Full STEAM Ahead, a virtual archive and program that combines hands-on exploration, project design, and skill building in STEAM subjects. She is currently leading the creation of a STEAM laboratory school in Belize in collaboration with the Ministry of Education. For the past 25 years, Dr. Urrea has helped multiple governments and non-govern¬ment agencies to empower and support schools and communities of learners to evolve from traditional teaching methods into progressive learning environments.

Eric Klopfer is the faculty director of the new MIT pK-12 Initiative, is professor and director of the Scheller Teacher Education Program and The Education Arcade at MIT. He is also co-PI of MIT's RAISE initiative in AI education. His research focuses on technology and pedagogy for building understanding of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) and systems. He has special interests in games, simulations and computing as pathways to STEM learning. He is the co-author of the books, "Adventures in Modeling", "The More We Know, and “Resonant Games”, as well as author of "Augmented Learning.” His lab has produced software (from casual mobile games to MMOs to AR/VR) and platforms (including StarLogo Nova and Taleblazer) used by millions of people, as well as online courses that have reached hundreds of thousands. Klopfer is also the co-founder and past president of the non-profit Learning Games Network.

Dr. Cynthia Breazeal '00, the co-director of the new pK-12 Initiative, is the MIT dean for digital learning, and in this role, she leverages her experience in emerging digital technologies and business, research, and strategic initiatives to lead Open Learning’s business and research & engagement units. She is a professor of media arts and sciences at MIT, where she founded and directs the Personal Robots group at the Media Lab. She is also the director of the MIT-wide Initiative on Responsible AI for Social Empowerment and Education (raise.mit.edu). MIT RAISE is a research and outreach effort that advances access and inclusivity in AI education to people of all ages and backgrounds with a focus on K12 and the workforce. She co-founded the consumer social robotics company, Jibo, Inc., where she served as chief scientist and chief experience officer.

Pawan Sinha is a professor of vision and computational neuroscience in the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences at MIT. He received his undergraduate degree in computer science from the Indian Institute of Technology, New Delhi and his Masters and doctoral degrees in Artificial Intelligence from the Department of Computer Science at MIT. He has also had extended research stays at the University of California, Berkeley, Xerox Palo Alto Research Center, the Sarnoff Research Center in Princeton, and the Max-Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics in Tübingen, Germany. Pawan’s research interests span neuroscience, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and public health. Using a combination of experimental and computational modeling techniques, research in his laboratory focuses on understanding the processes and principles of perceptual development.

Peter M. Senge is the founding chair of SoL (Society of Organizational Learning), a global network of organizations, researchers, and consultants dedicated to the “interdependent development of people and their institutions”, Senior Lecturer, Sloan School of Management MIT, and cofounder of the Academy for Systemic Change, which seeks to accelerate the growth of the field of systemic change worldwide. His work centers on promoting shared understanding of complex issues and shared leadership for healthier human systems. This involves major cross-sector projects focused on global food systems, climate change, regenerative economies, and the future of education.