Mei Si

Mei Si is an Associate Professor in the Department of Cognitive Science at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) and serves as the Graduate Program Director for Critical Game Design. She specializes in artificial intelligence applications for virtual and mixed realities, including interactive narratives, embodied conversational agents, and serious games. Her work includes the award-winning Tactical Language Training System for military language/culture education, and VR-based therapies for children with ADHD. Si’s research bridges computer science, cognitive science, and education, focusing on immersive environments for learning and behavioral change.

Education: No formal education details explicitly stated in text.

Research Interests: Dr. Si’s research emphasizes interactive narrative systems, AI-driven conversational agents, and VR/AR applications in education and health. She explores how user interaction enhances learning efficacy, particularly through serious games and virtual interventions. Recent projects include mindfulness therapy apps, drug discovery games (CureQuest), and emotion-aware AI systems. She investigates human-AI interaction, including theory of mind modeling and ethical alignment frameworks.

Publications: Over 50 peer-reviewed articles since 2011. Recent trends include quantum reinforcement learning, LLM applications in education, VR gaming therapies, and cepstrum-based audio modeling. Her work spans interdisciplinary domains like health informatics, robotics, and cybersecurity.

Awards: Military-funded Tactical Language Training System recognized as award-winning, though specific awards not named. Her contributions to game-based medical education and interactive storytelling have garnered field-wide acclaim.

Grants & Advising: Lead developer of U.S. military-funded language training systems. Collaborates on NIH-funded HIV prevention games (e.g., SOLVE project). Supervises projects in quantum-ML, mindfulness apps, and cross-cultural education tools. Active in conference organizing (e.g., AIIDE, ICIDS).

Labs/Teams: Leads RPI teams developing immersive learning platforms and health-tech solutions. Co-develops CureQuest and SpeakEasy language training tools. Engages in multidisciplinary collaborations spanning engineering, psychology, and public health.