Betsy DiSalvo

Betsy DiSalvo is an Associate Professor in the School of Interactive Computing at the Georgia Institute of Technology. Her research focuses on computer science (CS) education and informal learning, with a particular emphasis on equity and accessibility in STEM fields. She leads NSF-funded projects such as the DataWorks initiative, which integrates CS education into job training for minority young adults, and the Glitch Game Testers program, engaging African American males in CS through gaming. Her work spans educational games like Beats Empire and Hemonauts, which teach data science and health literacy respectively, as well as collaborations with museums and art centers to foster computational creativity.

DiSalvo’s research also explores how minority parents engage with technology in their children’s education, leveraging participatory design and cultural insights. She has developed studio-based pedagogy approaches in computing education and studies the role of physical computing in fostering resilience among students. Her interdisciplinary projects bridge human-centered computing, learning sciences, and community-focused technology design.

Her advising and grant work includes leadership on NSF grants and partnerships with institutions like the Carnegie Science Museum. She actively contributes to initiatives like Georgia Computes! to strengthen the computing education pipeline. DiSalvo’s labs and collaborations, including the GVU Center, emphasize community-driven solutions and translational research.