Bita Akram

Dr. Bita Akram serves as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science at North Carolina State University, where her research bridges artificial intelligence, human-centered design, and adaptive learning technologies to transform computer science education accessibility and quality.

Education Background

• B.S. in Computer Engineering from Sharif University of Technology (2013)
• M.S. in Computer Science from University of Calgary (2015)
• Ph.D. in Computer Science from North Carolina State University (2019)

Research Focus

Her expertise spans Advanced Learning Technologies for personalized education, Artificial Intelligence in intelligent tutoring systems, Data Sciences for learning analytics, Human-Computer Interaction in educational interfaces, and Knowledge Management for curriculum design. Current work emphasizes AI-driven solutions to democratize CS education through adaptive systems and scalable interventions.

Publication Trends

Recent publications (2018-2025) reveal a dual focus: leveraging AI for educational innovation (e.g., ChatGPT detection, adaptive feedback) and addressing equity gaps through persistence interventions. Her SIGCSE and IEEE publications consistently target scalable solutions for introductory programming challenges, with growing emphasis on gender-inclusive retention strategies.

Research Funding

Dr. Akram leads three NSF-funded projects: a $1.7M initiative developing the INSIGHT AI classroom assistant (2023-2027), a $175K study on women's CS retention via self-assessment interventions (2020-2023), and a $20K grant scaling the Early Research Scholars Program for underrepresented students (2020-2023). These projects demonstrate her commitment to evidence-based, scalable educational transformation.

Academic Community

As an active member of the Assistant Professors cohort within NC State's Computer Science department, she contributes to research groups focused on educational technology innovation and broadening participation in computing through grant-funded collaborations.