Meet Our Doctoral Students
Ben Atzmon
Ph.D. Student, Cognitive Science in Education
Research Discipline/Bio
Ben E. Atzmon received his bachelor of arts in psychology with combined studies of qualitative and quantitative research methods from Richmond, the American International University in London, and is currently pursuing his Ph.D. in cognitive science in education at Teachers College, Columbia University. He is interested in how STEM college students’ problem solving choices and motivations are impacted by failure experiences in the STEM classroom environment.
Educational Background
Bachelors of Arts, Psychology with Combined Studies, Richmond the American International University in London, 2016
Last Updated: Oct 21, 2024
Ishaq Chowdhury (He/Him/His)
Ph.D. Student, Cognitive Science in Education
Dissertation Advisor: John B Black
Research Discipline/Bio
Ishaq Chowdhury is currently a PhD candidate studying how educational technology can be better implemented to facilitate learning. He is exploring ways for digital tools to be more effective in supporting classroom environments. His immediate focus is investigating how different types of feedback in formative assessments can influence student performance and understanding of learned material. Currently, Ishaq is conducting studies comparing different levels of interactive feedback to examine how they play a role in cognitive load, student engagement, and student reception towards feedback.
Educational Background
Master of Arts, Cognitive Science in Education, Teachers College, 2024
Bachelor of Arts, Cognitive Psychology, CUNY - Hunter College, 2021
Honors/Awards
Psi Chi Honor Society, Teachers College, 2024
Ben & Grace Wood Scholarship, Teachers College, 2021-2024
Publications/Exhibitions
Chowdhury, I., Chodorow, M. Detecting subject-verb number agreement errors: Effects of distance and interference from number mismatched distractors. Annual University of Maryland Virtual National Conference for McNair Scholars. Oral Presentation on March, 2021.
Last Updated: Oct 1, 2024
Yoojin Hahn
Ph.D. Student, Cognitive Science in Education
I am a PhD student in the Cognitive Science in Education program. My research broadly explores mathematical learning and performance across different age groups. Currently, I am investigating how children and adults understand graphs and how specific aspects of the learning environment influence their learning.
Research Discipline/Bio
Dissertation Advisor: Robert S Siegler
I am a PhD student in the Cognitive Science in Education program. My research broadly explores mathematical learning and performance across different age groups. Currently, I am investigating how children and adults understand graphs and how specific aspects of the learning environment influence their learning.
Educational Background
Bachelor of Arts, Psychology (Honors Program), Columbia College, Columbia University, 2019
Honors/Awards
Doctoral Fellow, Department of Human Development, Teachers College, 2019-2024
Phi Beta Kappa Society, Columbia College, Columbia University, 2019
Last Updated: Nov 4, 2024
Jullia Lim
Ph.D. Student, Cognitive Science in Education
As an interdisciplinary researcher, Jullia approaches complex problems from multiple perspectives, informed by her diverse professional experiences, including running an edtech startup, serving as a PM for an education app, and teaching in the classroom.
Her research interests focus on the interaction between individuals and technology. She has designed immersive experiences, such as an augmented reality (AR) social skills game for autistic individuals and a virtual reality (VR) speech therapy app for stuttering patients. Through her work, Jullia aims to leverage technology to create more equitable and inclusive learning environments, ensuring that tech tools meet the diverse needs of all learners.
Research Discipline/Bio
Jullia is a PhD candidate in Cognitive Science in Education, currently researching the effects of AI-generated videos with pedagogical agents (virtual instructors) on cognition and learning. She is particularly interested in the dynamics of human-AI interaction within educational contexts.
As an interdisciplinary researcher, Jullia approaches complex problems from multiple perspectives, informed by her diverse professional experiences, including running an edtech startup, serving as a PM for an education app, and teaching in the classroom.
Her research interests focus on the interaction between individuals and technology. She has designed immersive experiences, such as an augmented reality (AR) social skills game for autistic individuals and a virtual reality (VR) speech therapy app for stuttering patients. Through her work, Jullia aims to leverage technology to create more equitable and inclusive learning environments, ensuring that tech tools meet the diverse needs of all learners.
Educational Background
Master of Philosophy, Cognitive Science in Education, Teachers College, Columbia University, 2024
Master of Arts, Instructional Technology and Media, Teachers College, Columbia University, 2018
Bachelor of Education, Secondary Education, University of British Columbia (UBC)
Bachelor of Arts, Visual Arts and Minor in Asian Area Studies, University of British Columbia (UBC)
Honors/Awards
CHI 2024 Student Research Competition (Graduate) First Place Winner, CHI, 2024
Vice President’s Grant for Student Research in Diversity, TC, 2024
Dean’s Grant for Student Research, TC, 2024
Provost's Grant for Conference Presentation, TC, 2024
International Travel Grant, TC, 2024
Ben D. Wood Fellowship, TC, 2020-23
Verizon 5G EdTech Challenge Winner, 2019
TED Resident, 2018
Microsoft Imagine Cup, US National Finalist, 2018
Adobe Design Achievement Awards Semifinalist, Social Impact, 2018
Publications/Exhibitions
Lim, J. (2024, May 11-16). The Potential of Learning With AI-Generated Pedagogical Agents in Instructional Videos. Extended Abstracts of the CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (CHI EA ’24).
Lim, J. (in final revision). The Potential of AI-Generated Instructional Videos with Pedagogical Agents. Online Learning Journal.
Chang, Y.K., Lim, J. & Burkland, J., (in final revision). How can AR-enhanced books support early readers? Exploring informal literacy development through AR design principles, International Journal of Child-Computer Interaction.
Last Updated: Nov 4, 2024
Xinyu Pan
Ph.D. Student, Cognitive Science in Education
Dissertation Advisor: John B Black
Notable projects:
- evaluated the longitudinal effects of a randomized control-trial early childhood skills intervention as part of two multi-year grants funded by the Institute for Educational Sciences and the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
- designed curriculum that promotes storytelling as a means for mathematics learning and engagement as part of a three-year project funded by the National Science Foundation
Research Discipline/Bio
Xinyu Pan is a Ph.D. Candidate in Cognitive Science in Education. She is trained in both quantitative and qualitative research methods. Inspired by her previous experience as a high school teacher and Program Director at NYC Department of Education, her primary research interests are teacher beliefs’ influence on instructional behaviors and the longitudinal effect of school-based skills interventions. Outside of her Ph.D. studies, she is a Research Associate at Bank Street College of Education and an Instructional Coach for NYC Public Schools.
Notable projects:
- evaluated the longitudinal effects of a randomized control-trial early childhood skills intervention as part of two multi-year grants funded by the Institute for Educational Sciences and the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
- designed curriculum that promotes storytelling as a means for mathematics learning and engagement as part of a three-year project funded by the National Science Foundation
Educational Background
M.Phil, Cognitive Science in Education, Teachers College, Columbia University, 2023
M.S.Ed, Adolescent Special Education, Hunter College - The City University of New York, 2014
B.A., Art History and International Studies, Boston College, 2012
Honors/Awards
Department Minority Scholar, Teachers College, Columbia University, 2020 - 2022
Psi Chi, Teachers College, Columbia University 2020
Kappa Delta Pi, Hunter College 2014
Phi Beta Kappa, Boston College 2012
Order of Cross and Crown, Boston College 2012
Golden Key, Boston College, 2012
Publications/Exhibitions
Pan, X. S., Li, C., Watts, T. W., (2022). Associations between preschool cognitive and behavioral skills and college enrollment: Evidence from the Chicago School Readiness Project. Developmental Psychology, doi.org/10.1037/dev0001431. Advance online publication.
Watts, T. W., Li, C., Pan, X. S., Gandhi, J., McCoy, D. C., Raver, C. C., (2022). Impacts of the Chicago School Readiness Project on Measures of Achievement, Cognitive Functioning, and Behavioral Regulation in Late Adolescence. Revise and Resubmit at Developmental Psychology
Watts, T. W., Das, S., Li, C., Pan, X. S., Gandhi, J., McCoy, D. C., Li-Grining, C., Roy, A. L., Jones, S. M., & Raver, C. C. (2022). Chicago School Readiness Project: Adolescent Follow-Up, United States, 2004-2019. Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research [distributor], [Submitted for distribution].
Pan, X. S., Losurdo, C., (2023). Student Facing Lesson Plans: the answer to "what are we doing?". Presentation at the Annual Conference of International Society for Technology in Education, Denver, CO.
Pan, X. S., Botvin, C., (2022). Reconceptualizing the Factor Structure of School Readiness: a Bifactor Model. Poster presentation at the Annual Meeting of Consortium of Early Childhood Intervention Impact, Laguna Beach, CA.
Pan, X. S., Watts, T. W., (2022)., Association Between Preschool Cognitive and Behavior Skills and College Enrollment. Poster presentation at the Annual Conference of American Educational Research Association, Virtual.
Pan, X. S., Watts, T. W., (2021). Association Between Early Cognitive and Behavior Skills and College Enrollment. Poster presentation at the Annual Conference of Society for Research on Educational Effectiveness, Virtual.
Pan, X., (2018). Building School Capacity to Prepare Students for a SkillFULL Life. Presentation at Personalized Learning Summit 2018: Shaping the Future Together, San Francisco, CA.
Last Updated: Nov 4, 2024