Tamara Sumner

Tamara Sumner is the Director of the Institute of Cognitive Science and a Professor in Computer and Cognitive Science at the University of Colorado. She leads an interdisciplinary R&D lab that studies how computational tools – combining cognitive science, machine intelligence, and interactive media – can improve teaching practice, learning outcomes and learner engagement in STEM. The influence of these tools on educators and learners’ cognition and practices are investigated through a combination of laboratory studies and field studies, conducted in both formal classroom settings and out-of-school programs. We partner with diverse urban school districts, as well as out-of-school programs serving low socioeconomic status youth. Sumner has extensive research publications in human-computer interaction, educational technology, digital libraries, and intelligent systems. Her teaching focuses on cognitive science research methods and user-centered design. Sumner received her Ph.D. and M.S. in Computer Science from the University of Colorado Boulder, and her B.A. in Computer Science and B.S. in Earth Science from the University of California, Santa Cruz.