UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Wenting (Ellen) Zou joins the College of Education faculty as assistant professor of education (educational psychology) in the Department of Educational Psychology, Counseling, and Special Education. She is co-hired by Penn State’s Institute for Computational and Data Sciences (ICDS).

“I enjoy the vibrant research community, the interdisciplinary collaboration opportunities and working with the creative, talented and diverse student body at Penn State,” said Zou, who most recently has been a postdoctoral research associate at Cornell University.

Zou earned her doctorate at the University of Texas at Austin in curriculum and instruction. Her research lies at the intersection of learning sciences, learning analytics and instructional design with artificial intelligence (AI). She is specialized in using advanced computational methods to understand the cognitive, social and affective processes in different online learning contexts by analyzing large-scale education data. She also designs AI-supported personalized learning environments to address diverse learning needs.

Prior to joining Penn State, Zou also worked as an e-learning specialist for the World Bank and Asian Development Bank, providing consultancy services on technology integration in learning and teaching for the enhancement of education equity, quality and efficiency in Global South.

“The College of Education provides wonderful opportunities to work alongside a group of prolific and renowned scholars who are invested in impactful intervention research, and a group of students that represents a diverse set of experiences,” she said. “I am excited to bring my expertise to amplify the excellent research of current faculty members, maximize students' learning experience and help them grow personally and professionally.”

Zou has taught courses in instructional design with advanced technologies, learning and gamification, and learning analytics. Her experience working with students with diverse backgrounds provides a valuable collection of instructional techniques which adheres to the principle of student-centered teaching that maximizes students’ autonomy and creativity.