Colleen M. Lewis

Colleen M. Lewis is an Associate Professor of Computer Science at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign’s Siebel School of Computing and Data Science, part of the Grainger College of Engineering. She also holds a position as Teaching Faculty at the Race and Equity Center, USC Rossier School of Education. Lewis earned a B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. in Science and Mathematics Education from UC Berkeley.

Her research focuses on removing barriers in CS education, optimizing learning processes, and broadening participation in computing. She curates CSTeachingTips.org, an NSF-sponsored resource for effective CS teaching practices. Lewis has received prestigious awards, including the NSF CAREER Award, NCWIT Undergraduate Mentoring Award, and AnitaB.org Emerging Leader Award.

Recent work includes studies on microaggressions in CS classrooms, AI’s impact on plagiarism, and interventions to improve student retention. She teaches courses like Introductory Computing for Non-Tech Students and Inclusive Terminology in CS. Lewis actively contributes to national initiatives, such as leading a $5M NSF-funded AI research institute for STEM learning and co-PIing a $500K NSF grant analyzing CS education policy.

Her efforts emphasize equity and inclusivity, with a focus on departmental policies, K-12 teacher support, and DEI committee practices. Lewis collaborates on projects like the Teaching Practices Game to train TAs in inclusive teaching strategies.

Labs/Teams: CSTeachingTips.org, Siebel School’s CS Education Research Group, and the USC Race and Equity Center collaboration.