Resume

I am an Assistant Professor in Learning Technologies and Distance Education at UniDistance, Switzerland, leading the Center for Holistic Learning Experiences (CHLX). My interdisciplinary research bridges Human-Computer Interaction and Learning Sciences, and focuses on the design of inclusive technological solutions to improve mathematics education. Specifically, I am interested in how embodied, multi-modal, and concrete learning experiences can address both cognitive and emotional challenges faced by learners.

Experience

• (2026) Assistant Professor for Learning Technologies and Distance Education, Center for Holistic Learning Experiences (CHLX), Faculty of Mathematics and Computer Science, UniDistance, Switzerland
• (2024-2025) Senior researcher, Future Embodied Learning Technologies (FELT), ETH Zurich & Singapore-ETH Centre, Switzerland & Singapore
• (2021-2025) Product advisor, LearnPF, Singapore (online)
• (2023-2024) Group Leader, EduTech, Rectorate ETH Zurich, Switzerland
• (2017-2019) Software engineer, Game Technology Center, ETH Zurich, Switzerland
• (2015-2017) Human-Computer Interaction researcher, POTIOC, Inria Bordeaux Sud-Ouest, France

Education

• (2023) Doctorate of Science, Computer Science and Learning Sciences, ETH Zurich, Switzerland, 🏅 ETH Medal for outstanding dissertation
• (2015) Master of Science, Computer Science, EPFL, Switzerland
• (2015) Engineering degree, Computer Science and Mathematics, École polytechnique (l'X), France, 🏆 Recognition for outstanding investment

Supervision

= High-school project or equivalent, = Bachelor thesis or equivalent, = Master thesis, = Doctoral thesis

• Felix Herz - Saarland University (Collaboration with Prof. Tomohiro Nagashima) - Bachelor Thesis - Ongoing - Exploring multi-dimensional “concreteness” in math to better support student learning using digital technology
• Xiaoxuan Li - ETH Zurich & EPFL - Doctoral Thesis - Ongoing - Embodied and Multimodal Language Learning: Exploring Cognitive Engagement and Learning Dynamics
• Laura Bock - ETH Zurich & EPFL - Doctoral Thesis - Ongoing - Curiosity-enhanced embodied Productive Failure: Leveraging curiosity and sensorimotor resources to support students in solving challenging mathematical problems
• Maria-Ioanna Magkouta - ETH Zurich & EPFL - Doctoral Thesis - Ongoing - Semantic Avatars with Morphological Changes in Virtual Reality for Embodied Learning of Mathematics
• Fan Wang - ETH Zurich & EPFL - Doctoral Thesis - Ongoing - Embodied Approach to Making Difficulties Desirable to Students
• 🏆 Helena Klein - ZHdK - Master Thesis - June 2024 - Learning beyond sight: Making scientific visualizations more accessible to people with vision impairments - Nominated for the ZHdK Förderpreis Design (link) (video)
• Tianyi Liu - ETH Zurich (Collaboration with Prof. Mrinmaya Sachan and Prof. Gerd Kortemeyer) - Master Thesis - May 2024 - AI-Assisted Grading of Mathematical Answers Using GPT-4
• Romain Puech - École polytechnique (l'X) - Bachelor Thesis - March 2024 - StratLayer: A Modular System to Control the Dialog Strategy of Large Language Models Tutors
• Ruhi Pungaliya - Zurich International School - Internship - July 2023 - Evaluation of an innovative math learning application based on Productive Failure
• Martina Kessler - ETH Zurich - Master Thesis - February 2023 - Playful Experiences with Embodied Interaction in Augmented Reality
• Robin Hänni - ETH Zurich - Bachelor Thesis - December 2022 - Virtual Reality Cytology Lab for Risk Awareness
• Dominic Weibel - ETH Zurich - Master Thesis - September 2022 - Co-Designing a Computer Science Learning Game for Girls with Girls
• Bibin Muttappillil - ETH Zurich - Bachelor Thesis - March 2022 - Design and Evaluation of Embodied Interaction in Virtual Reality for Learning Derivatives
• Bodo Brägger - ETH Zurich - Master Thesis - February 2022 - Gender Equality in Computer Science: Video Games as Preparation for Future Learning
• Rudolf Varga - ETH Zurich - Master Thesis - September 2021 - Learning Graph Theory with Embodied Interaction in Virtual Reality
• Luigi Sansonetti - ETH Zurich - Master Thesis - May 2021 - Mathematics Input for Educational Applications in Virtual Reality
• Virginia Ramp - ETH Zurich - Master Thesis - October 2020 - Embodied Analysis in Virtual Reality
• Lea Reichardt - ETHZ Zurich - Bachelor Thesis - December 2019 - VR Game Prototype for Hand Tracking and Projection
• Jennifer Labun - AKAD COLLEGE - Matura Project - April 2018 - Entwicklung eines Games in der Erweiterten Realität
• Charles Coeurderoy and Violaine Sudret - ENSEIRB-MATMECA - Engineering Project - November 2015 - Application mobile intégrant un GPS narratif

Invited talks

• Talk @ Embodied Underground — Readings Fall 2024, Berkeley School of Education (link)
• Talk "Embodied Learning Technologies for Mathematics - An Interdisciplinary Exploration of the Design Space" @ Future of Education for Virtual and Augmented Reality (FEVAR), Arizona State University (ASU), April 2024. (link)
• Talk "Embodied Interaction in Virtual Reality for Learning Mathematics" @ Future Learning Initiative Colloquium (Advisory Board meeting), November 2023. (link)
• Talk "Teaching with AI" @ "AI for Education" workshop, AI+X summit 2023. (link)
• Talk for "Creative collaborations and innovation through Embodied Methodologies" @ IdeaSquare, CERN 2023. (link)
• 🏆 Selected Young Scholar, talk "Learning math with embodiment in VR" @ Jacobs Foundation Conference 2023. (link)
• Talk "Grounding Abstract Mathematics with Embodied Interaction" @ Saarland University, Germany, 2022.
• Panelist "Children & computing: increasing gender diversity" @ Interaction Design and Children (IDC) 2022. (link)
• Talk "Grasping Mathematics with Embodied Interaction in Virtual Reality: The Case of Derivatives" @ Future Learning Initiative Colloquium, 2022. (link)
• Panelist "IDC for Gender Balance: How can we engage more girls in informatics?" @ Interaction Design and Children (IDC) 2021. (link)
• Talk "Grasping Mathematics in Virtual Reality" @ Future Learning Initiative Colloquium, 2021. (link)
• Talk "Grounding abstract mathematics through interactive multi-representations" @ Future Learning Initiative Colloquium, 2020. (link)
• Talk "Reconnecting Mind & Body" @ Ludicious "Game Design and Learning Research - How to promote understanding" - July 2020 (link)

Service

• AC @ LBW CHI 2025 (link)
• PC Member @ International Symposium on Learning, Design and Technology (LDT), 23rd annual ACM Interaction Design and Children (IDC) Conference, 2024 (link)
• Member @ Communications Committee, Special Interest Group on Computer–Human Interaction (SIGCHI) 2023 (ongoing).
• Web chair @ CHI Play 2021. (link)
• Student Volunteer @ CHI Play - November 2020. (link)

Outreach and Volunteering

• Talk @ European Girls' Olympiad in Informatics (EGOI) 2021. (link)
• Talks @ Le Coding Club des Filles (EPFL) - May 2019, November 2020, June 2021. (link)
• Talk @ Girls Can Code - March 2021. (link)
• Talks @ Schnupperstudium (ETH) - September 2017, February 2018, September 2019, February 2020, September 2020, February 2022, September 2022. (link)
• Coach @ Django Girls Bordeaux and Django Girls Lausanne - November 2015, April 2016, June 2016, March 2017, November 2018. (link)

🏆 Grants, Awards and Recognitions

• Selected for the Global Young Scientist Summit (GYSS) in Singapore - 2026. (link)
• Jacobs Foundation "Young Scholar" grant, 120'000 CHF for the project "Achieving Adaptive Mathematics Knowledge through Embodied Causal Learning" together with Liz Lapidow - 2023. (project)
• ETH medal for "Outstanding dissertation" - 2023. (link)
• Outstanding Investment award from École polytechnique - 2013.

Press and Media

• Speaker in Leah's ProducTea podcast - Misconceptions and How to Crush Them like a Scientist, 2025. (link)
• Revolution im Klassenzimmer - Bildund, Tages Anzeiger, March 2023.
• EPFL-ETH Joint Doctoral Program in the Learning Sciences - Meet Julia Chatain, Center for Learning Sciences LEARN - EPFL, 2022. (link)
• "There's nothing intimidating about computer science", Simona Bochsler, 2022. (link)
• Le Coding Club des Filles, 2019. (2019) (2021)
• Interview for ETH Zürich, 2019. (link)
• Interview for We Shape Tech, 2019. (link)
• The Future of Digital - Augmented Reality, Talk and Panel with We Shape Tech, 2018. (link)