Lara Letaw

Lara Letaw serves as an Instructor in the Electrical Engineering and Computer Science department within Oregon State University's College of Engineering, specializing in online education delivery through OSU Ecampus. She develops and teaches undergraduate and graduate-level computer science courses for distance learners, focusing on curriculum innovation for virtual environments.

Her educational background includes:

• M.S. in Computer Science (Software Innovation) from Oregon State University, 2018

Dr. Letaw's research centers on inclusive design and software engineering, with pioneering work in identifying and resolving inclusivity bugs in technology. Her scholarship addresses gender inclusivity as a core software quality requirement, develops meta-methods like InclusiveMag, and explores how to embed social justice principles into technical coursework. She investigates how information processing styles affect learning outcomes and creates frameworks for accessible online education.

Analysis of her 15 most recent publications (2011-2024) reveals a decisive pivot toward inclusive design and education research after 2019, with nearly 80% of her work focusing on inclusivity in computing education and software development. Her research trajectory shows increasing specialization in online learning environments, gender-inclusive design frameworks, and practical interventions for diversity in computer science programs.

Her significant recognitions include:

• OSU College of Engineering Online Teaching Award (2021)
• OSU Ecampus Research Fellow (2020-21)
• OSU Ecampus Open Educational Resources (OER) Affordable Learning Grant (2020-21) for authoring a free software engineering textbook

While not explicitly listed as a thesis advisor, Dr. Letaw mentors numerous online computer science students through course instruction and has secured research funding through institutional fellowships. Her OER grant directly supported the creation of accessible educational materials, demonstrating commitment to reducing financial barriers in computing education.

Her collaborative research appears through co-authored publications on inclusive design, though no dedicated lab or research team is mentioned in available materials. Current work focuses on scaling inclusivity interventions across computer science curricula and developing practical tools for educators.