Yizhu Gao, an assistant professor in the Department of Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies Education, was recently selected as a 2026 Robert F. Tinker Fellow by the Concord Consortium.
Based in Massachusetts, the Concord Consortium is a nonprofit educational research development organization focused on innovating and inspiring equitable, large-scale improvements in STEM teaching and learning through technology.
Originally a residency program, the Robert F. Tinker Fellows program is designed to bring individuals to the Concord Consortium to spark new ideas, tinker with novel technologies, cultivate outside perspectives, and provide opportunities for reflection on their work.
“I am honored to be selected for the 2026 Robert Tinker Fellowship by the Concord Consortium,” said Gao. “This fellowship strengthens my efforts to enhance learning experiences where students investigate scientific phenomena, interpret data, and build evidence-based explanations.”
Through the fellowship, Gao will partner with the Concord Consortium community to develop AI-supported tools that make students’ thinking visible and provide timely feedback to help learners engage in science learning.
Gao’s research is focused on using psychometric and educational data science models to analyze complex cognitive processes like learning progression and problem solving. She also contributes to student learning by developing innovative assessment tasks and adaptive learning tools.