Kylie Peppler

Professor Kylie Peppler is a dual Professor of Informatics and Education at the University of California, Irvine, leading the Creativity Labs and the Connected Learning Lab. Her research focuses on leveraging hands-on creativity—such as e-textiles, robotics, and traditional fiber crafts—to enhance STEM education, particularly for marginalized populations. She emphasizes the role of materiality in fostering systems thinking and equity in learning environments.

Education: PhD in Education (UCLA), Postdoctoral training at UC Irvine, and prior roles at Indiana University. Her academic journey bridges psychology, art, and technology.

Research Interests: Maker culture, computational thinking, STEAM integration, workforce development, and the impact of arts in education. She explores how tools like e-textiles and looms democratize access to STEM while addressing gender disparities.

Key Projects: NSF-funded work on computational construction kits, Re-Crafting STEM initiatives, and Future of Work research using AR/VR for manufacturing training. Collaborations include Boeing, Inner-City Arts, and NYSCI.

Awards: NSF Early CAREER Award, Mira Tech Educator of the Year, and Indiana Governor's Award. Her work is supported by NSF, Wallace Foundation, and industry partners.

Grants & Labs: Over $10M in grants; directs labs advancing connected learning and equity through technology. Recent studies include virtual reality welding simulators and culturally sustaining arts practices.

Labs/Teams: Creativity Labs (designing maker tools), Connected Learning Lab (digital equity), and partnerships with museums and industry to scale inclusive learning.