Lisa Torrey

Lisa Torrey is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mathematics, Computer Science, and Statistics at St. Lawrence University. She teaches courses in programming, algorithms, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and computational theory. She earned her Ph.D. in Computer Science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2009, where she researched relational transfer in reinforcement learning under Professor Jude Shavlik.

Her research focuses on:

• Developing intelligent agents using reinforcement learning
• Human-inspired techniques for task transfer and multi-agent collaboration
• Educational applications of AI in computer science classrooms
• Machine learning approaches to crowd simulation and game AI

She has recently shifted toward studying human learning dynamics in CS education.

Her publications (2010-2020) predominantly explore reinforcement learning adaptations, educational AI frameworks, and knowledge-transfer mechanisms. A clear evolution is visible from theoretical machine learning toward applied educational research.

She actively mentors students in AI/machine learning projects, with recent advisees including:

• Rodrick Mpofu (Explainable Image Classification)
• Lily Kendall (Sensitivity Analysis for Image Generation)
• Cooper Anderson (Audio Source Separation)
• Ellie Nichols (Avalanche Forecast Analysis)
• 15+ additional students across 2020-2025

No research labs or major grants are explicitly mentioned in available materials.