Jean Salac

Jean Salac is an Assistant Professor of Computer Science at Carleton College, having joined the institution in 2024. She previously served as a postdoctoral researcher and Computing Innovations Fellow at the University of Washington's Center for Learning, Computing, & Imagination. She holds a B.S. from the University of Virginia and an M.S. and Ph.D. from the University of Chicago, all in Computer Science.

Her research focuses on:

• Developing critical and effective technology learning experiences for youth
• Computing education research with emphasis on marginalized communities
• Human-centered computing and algorithmic fairness
• Ethical sensemaking and philosophy integration in computing
• Digital youth culture and funds of knowledge in education

Her publications consistently explore equity-focused computing education, with recent work emphasizing critical pedagogy for marginalized adolescents, ethical frameworks for technology education, and culturally responsive teaching strategies. This research has garnered multiple Best Paper awards at premier conferences.

Awards and Honors:

• Harper Fellow
• EECS Rising Star
• NSF Graduate Research Fellow
• Best Paper Award at ICER (2023, 2020)
• Best Paper Honorable Mention at ICER (2024)

She teaches courses including Software Design, Human-Computer Interaction, Data Structures, and directs student research projects. She maintains an active advising practice with specific guidelines for recommendation letters, requiring four weeks' notice and emphasizing strong mentor relationships.

She is affiliated with the Center for Learning, Computing, & Imagination and maintains research collaborations across computing education and HCI communities.