Ying Xu
Faculty, Principal Investigator
Ying Xu is an Assistant Professor at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. Dr. Xu is the leading expert in the field to understand the impacts of artificial intelligence on children’s learning and development. Xu completed her Ph.D. training in language, literacy, and technology at the University of California, Irvine, and was an assistant professor of learning sciences and technology at the University of Michigan from 2022 until she moved to Harvard in 2024. To check out Xu’s scholarly publications, please follow her Google Scholar.
Trisha Thomas
Postdoc Researcher
Trisha Thomas (she/her) is a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow. Her research at the university primarily focuses on how children interact with artificial conversational agents to promote learning outcomes, how automatic speech recognition systems process acoustic variation in the speech of multilingual children, and examining neural responses in children during conversations with AI versus human partners. Trisha’s research aims to expand our understanding of human communication, cognition, and technology’s role in shaping the way we interact, process, and learn. She is especially interested in the nuanced ways human and AI interaction influence cognitive processes and the role of bilingualism in child-AI interactions. Prior to her role at Marsal Family School of Education, she completed her doctoral degree in Cognitive Neuroscience at the Basque Center on Cognition, Brain, and Language (BCBL) in Donostia-San Sebastián, Basque Country, where her research focused on how interlocutor identity affects cognitive mechanisms, attention, and memory. During this time she primarily used electroencephalographic data to elucidate processing mechanisms in non-native speech processing.
Lauren Girouard-Hallam
Postdoc Researcher
Lauren Nicole Girouard-Hallam, PhD (she/her) is a National Science Foundation Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the University of Michigan and Harvard University. Lauren is jointly advised by Dr. Ying Xu (primary) and Dr. Susan Gelman. Her research investigates how children understand, evaluate, and interact with digital technologies, including internet search engines, smart speakers, and AI chatbots. She is especially interested in how children’s trust in digital informants develops, and how these technologies shape children’s knowledge acquisition, epistemic judgments, and digital literacy. Dr. Girouard-Hallam earned her PhD and MS in Experimental Psychology from the University of Louisville under the mentorship of Dr. Judith Danovitch. In addition to her research, Dr. Girouard-Hallam is passionate about pedagogy, with experience teaching courses in statistics, cognitive development, and child-AI interaction. She is also actively engaged in science communication and public outreach, serving as Outreach Coordinator for the Cognitive Science Society and as part of the leadership team for the Communicating Science Conference (ComSciCon).
Srushti Jayaramu
Lab Manager
Srushti Jayaramu (she/her/hers) holds a Master’s in Education in Learning Design, Innovation, and Technology from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. She currently works as a Research Coordinator in Professor Ying Xu’s Learning Media Lab at HGSE, contributing to various projects on the use of AI in educational and social contexts. She has a background in industrial and UIUX design, and is interested in exploring how tools and technologies such as AI, can be effectively and thoughtfully used to make K-12 learning, primarily STEM subjects, more accessible and fun for each student. Outside of the lab, she enjoys reading, hiking, dancing, and crafting.
Zexuan (Echo) Pan
PhD student
Zexuan (Echo) Pan is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in the Combined Program in Education and Psychology (CPEP). Her research interests focus on the transfer of learning, alongside the cognitive and psychological impact of artificial intelligence (AI). Her ongoing project investigates how AI-powered interactive videos affect children’s ability to transfer computational thinking skills across various problem-solving contexts. Beyond her academic pursuits, Echo has a profound passion for detective fiction, sketch comedy, and soccer games.
Xuechen (Sally) Liu
PhD student
Xuechen is a Ph.D. student in Educational Studies with a concentration in Learning Technologies at the University of Michigan. She is interested in how children engage with AI-powered technologies and is dedicated to collaborating with stakeholders in K-12 education to design safe and educational technologies for children. In the Learning Media lab, her work is currently focusing on leveraging large language models to teach children mathematical language through storytelling. She also leads students in data coding and analysis. Xuechen holds an MA in Educational Studies with a concentration in Design and Technologies for Learning Across Culture and Contexts from the University of Michigan, and a BA in Secondary Education with a concentration with Chinese and TESOL from Michigan State University. Outside of school, she enjoys all kinds of outdoor activities such as hiking and kayaking.
Sunhyo Oh
PhD student
Sunhyo is a Ph.D. student in Education and Psychology at the University of Michigan. Her research lies at the intersection of the learning sciences and human-computer interaction, with a focus on the design and evaluation of conversational AI to support children’s cognitive and social development. Her current work examines how children understand AI and use these technologies for information-seeking and STEM learning. Sunhyo’s ultimate goal is to empower young learners to engage with AI critically and effectively, while contributing to the development of educational systems that are transparent and trustworthy. She holds an MS in Information Science from Seoul National University and a BA in Education and Applied Statistics from Yonsei University. Outside academia, she enjoys discovering local cafes and cuddling with her black cat, Kong.