Nathan Mitchell

Nathan Mitchell is the Vilas Distinguished Achievement Professor of Learning Sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Madison's School of Education. He serves as the Area Chair for Learning Sciences and Director of the MAGIC Lab. His research focuses on embodied cognition, mathematics education, and engineering learning, emphasizing how physical actions and environmental interactions influence intellectual processes. Mitchell holds a PhD in Cognitive Psychology from the University of Colorado and multiple degrees from Carnegie Mellon University, including BSE in Electrical Engineering, BS in Mathematics, and BA in History.

His work spans over 200 peer-reviewed publications and grants from NSF, IES, and the James S. McDonnell Foundation. He is a Fellow of the International Society of the Learning Sciences and a Founding Officer of AERA's Engineering and Computer Science Education division. Mitchell has led initiatives such as the Teachers as Learners (TaL) grant program and co-founded EMIC, an embodied mathematics education consortium. He has also served on National Academies committees and is an inductee of UW-Madison's Teaching Academy.

Mitchell's research emphasizes grounded and embodied learning principles, advocating for educational designs that integrate physical movement, gesture, and environmental interaction to enhance STEM learning. His recent work explores augmented reality, collaborative learning environments, and the role of gesture in mathematical proof construction. He has authored foundational texts like Foundations of Embodied Learning: A Paradigm for Education (2021), synthesizing theories and applications of embodied cognition.

• Awards: Facilitators’ Choice Award (2020), Vilas Distinguished Achievement Professorship (2018), Inductee into Teaching Academy (2014)
• Leadership Roles: Chair of TaL Grant Program (since 2017), Co-Chair of CSCL10 Conference (2013)
• Labs: Director of MAGIC Lab, exploring embodied education technologies