Mon-Lin (Monica) Ko

  • Associate Research Professor
  • INSTITUTE OF COGNITIVE SCIENCE
  • D'MELLO LAB
  • NSF NATIONAL AI INSTITUTE FOR STUDENT-AI TEAMING (ISAT)

Mon-Lin Monica Ko is a Learning Scientist and an Associate Research Professor at ICS. Her work focuses on promoting and studying classroom interactions that support students' engagement in disciplinary practices. Ko’s diverse portfolio of research activities include work on projects that range from $650K to $20 million, funded by the Institute of Education Sciences, National Science Foundation, U.S. Department of Education, Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, Chan-Zuckerberg Initiative, and the James S. McDonell Foundation.

Currently, Ko leads Strand 3 on the NSF iSAT project and investigates how inclusive co-design processes can empower teachers and students to better understand how AI learning technologies can be used for good in their schools and com­munities. She also leads the NIH and NSF-funded EMPOWER project. EMPOWER aims to prepare secondary science teachers to adapt and enact curriculum materials to address and respond to issues of local health and environmental issues, so that students will be engaged, interested, and empowered to enact change in their local community.

Across projects, Ko facilitates collaborative research activities on interdisciplinary teams that involve experts in the fields of learning sciences, cognitive science, computer science, science education, educational assessment, and disciplinary literacy. She also has extensive experience in designing and facilitating professional learning for teachers. Monica's work is informed by her prior experience as a high school biology teacher.

In her free time, she loves enjoying time outdoors with family and friends.