Matthew D. Beckman

Matthew D. Beckman, PhD, is an Associate Research Professor in the Department of Statistics at Pennsylvania State University. He leads the Statistics & Data Science Education Research Lab and previously served as Director of Undergraduate Programs in the Statistics Department. His research focuses on statistics and data science education, particularly assessment development and the use of NLP tools for feedback in large classes. He is Principal Investigator (PI) on NSF-funded projects like CLASSIFIES and collaborates on socially responsible AI in education. Beckman has held leadership roles in organizations such as CAUSE, serving as Executive Director since 2024. He currently holds the 2025 NZSA Visiting Lecturer title, involving a national speaking tour in New Zealand.

• Education: PhD in Statistics Education (University of Minnesota, 201?), MS in Statistics (University of Minnesota)
• Grants: NSF IUSE Project, Penn State Center for Socially Responsible AI
• Awards: 2025 NZSA Visiting Lecturer
• Teaching: Courses include introductory statistics, R programming, and graduate seminars on education research
• Sabbatical: 2024-2025 at University of Auckland, focusing on collaboration, active learning practices, and NLP data collection

His work emphasizes improving educational tools and accessibility, leveraging technology like NLP and AI to enhance feedback systems in STEM education.