Jennifer Wong-Ma

Jennifer Wong-Ma is an Associate Teaching Professor at the University of California, Irvine (UCI), affiliated with the Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences and the Computer Science Department. She joined UCI in 2018, previously serving as teaching faculty at Stony Brook University. Her roles include Vice Chair of Undergraduate Studies and advisor for organizations like Women in Information and Computer Sciences (WICS). She holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science from UCLA, with prior research focused on wireless systems and hardware IP protection.

Education:

• Ph.D., Computer Science, University of California, Los Angeles, 2006

Research & Teaching Interests:

• Development of learning and teaching tools for CS education
• Alternative assessment strategies and pedagogical innovation
• CS education equity and retention initiatives
• Integration of theater techniques in classroom engagement

Key Contributions:

• Co-founded the Coffee Meets Teaching program to foster faculty collaboration
• Member of UCI’s inaugural Faculty Academy for Teaching Excellence (FATE)
• Advocate for women in technology through WIT@UCI and WICS mentorship

Awards:

• CS Department Award for Undergraduate Education (2012)
• CS Department Award for Major Contributions to Undergraduate Education (2016)
• Honored at 2023 ICS Awards Celebration

Her work emphasizes community-building in education, bridging academia and industry, and leveraging technology to enhance student success. Current projects include optimizing grading infrastructure and predictive modeling for academic retention.