Mariana SilvaView profile
Academic
Mariana Silva is a Teaching Associate Professor at the Siebel School of Computing and Data Science , University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and CEO of PrairieLearn Inc. She holds a Ph.D. in Theoretical and Applied Mechanics from UIUC (2009). Her research focuses on leveraging educational technologies, such as Large Language Models (LLMs), to enhance computer-based assessments and scalable teaching practices. Silva has taught over 11 courses to 9,000+ students, emphasizing innovations in STEM education. She has pioneered adaptive testing tools and randomized question generators to improve equity and accessibility in large-scale courses. Education : Ph.D., Theoretical and Applied Mechanics, UIUC (2009) M.S., Mechanical Engineering, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (2003) B.S., Mechanical Engineering, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (2001) Research Interests : Silva’s work centers on technology-driven education , including automated grading using LLMs, design of adaptive assessment systems, and fostering collaborative learning. She has developed tools like PrairieLearn to streamline teaching workflows while maintaining educational rigor. Awards & Recognition : Scott H. Fisher Computer Science Teaching Award (2022) Rose Award for Teaching Excellence (2022) Multiple “List of Teachers Ranked as Excellent” (2009–2017) Engineering Council Outstanding Advising Award (2014–2019) Labs & Teams : Co-founder of PrairieLearn Inc., which provides open-source platforms for STEM education. She collaborates with interdisciplinary teams to advance educational technologies and testing infrastructure.










