Paulo BliksteinView profile
Professor
Paulo Blikstein is a Professor in the Department of Mathematics, Science and Technology at Teachers College, Columbia University, where he leads the Transformative Learning Technologies Lab (TLTL) . He previously held faculty positions at Stanford University and maintains strong interdisciplinary ties across computer science, education, and human-computer interaction. His research spans constructionist learning, learning analytics, data science education, and maker-based pedagogy. Research Interests: Core focus on constructionism , inspired by Seymour Papert, emphasizing learning through creating. Development of tangible and embodied interfaces for STEM learning. Innovation in multimodal learning analytics to assess student behavior in open-ended tasks. Advancing equitable and inclusive models for AI and computing education. Design and scaling of biology cloud labs and no-code data science tools for youth. Recent Research Trends: His latest work (2022–2025) shows a strong focus on integrating computational modeling with real-world data in middle school science, developing no-code platforms for community data science, and analyzing sustainability challenges in classroom technology adoption. He emphasizes teacher-driven curriculum design and systemic implementation of maker education globally. Scientific Awards: Best Pictorial Award Honorable Mention (ACM) Honorable Mention Short Paper Advising and Grants: He actively mentors graduate students, postdocs, and visiting scholars in the TLTL. His lab partners with schools, museums (e.g., New York Hall of Science), and policy makers to translate research into practice. Projects are funded by competitive grants, including awards from Columbia University’s School of Engineering and national competitions like the Learning Engineering Tools Competition. Labs and Teams: He directs the Transformative Learning Technologies Lab (TLTL) , a multidisciplinary research group focused on designing, researching, and scaling innovative STEM education technologies. The lab collaborates with institutions in Brazil, Switzerland, and China, and works closely with educators to ensure real-world impact.








