Associate Professor of the Practice;
Director of Data Science Education & iTREDS Program
Contact:
236 Flanner Hall
574.631.2882 | schawla@nd.edu
Primary Interests
Artificial intelligence in education, data science education, responsible AI, experiential learning, STEM career development, healthcare career pathways, K–12 education, educational technology, workforce development, and human-centered AI.
Leadership
- Director, iTREDS (Interdisciplinary Training and Research in Ethical Data Science) Program
- Director, Summer Leadership Program
- Principal Investigator, #GOALS Evaluation Study (Ascension Foundation for Health Equity)
- Co-Principal Investigator, NSF ExLENT – Data Crossings: Bridging to AI and Data Science Careers through Experiential Learning and Training
Biography
Sugana Chawla is an Associate Professor of the Practice and Director of Data Science Education and the iTREDS (Interdisciplinary Training and Research in Ethical Data Science) Program at the Lucy Family Institute for Data & Society at the University of Notre Dame. She leads interdisciplinary educational initiatives spanning K–12, undergraduate, and post-college learners, integrating artificial intelligence, data science, experiential learning, and responsible innovation to prepare the next generation of STEM leaders.
Her research focuses on AI in education, responsible artificial intelligence, data science education, experiential learning, career development, and STEM workforce pathways. She is particularly interested in designing AI-supported learning experiences that expand equitable access to STEM education, strengthen career exploration in health care, and prepare learners for emerging workforce opportunities.
As Program Director of iTREDS, the Lucy Family Institute’s flagship undergraduate education program, Sugana leads curriculum development, interdisciplinary programming, industry partnerships, undergraduate research experiences, and experiential learning opportunities that prepare students to address real-world societal challenges using data science and AI.
Sugana also directs LEAD-AI — Leadership, Ethics, Adaptability & Design in AI, a summer leadership program developed in partnership with the University of Notre Dame Admissions Office. As part of the Notre Dame Leadership Seminars, LEAD-AI provides high school students with an immersive introduction to artificial intelligence, data science, and the societal impact of emerging technologies through hands-on learning, faculty mentorship, and experiential projects.
She serves as Principal Investigator of the #GOALS (Go Out and Love Science) evaluation study, a multi-year initiative funded by the Ascension Foundation for Health Equity. Working with a multidisciplinary team at the Lucy Family Institute, she leads research examining how immersive healthcare career experiences influence middle school students’ healthcare career interest, STEM engagement, and career self-efficacy. Her team also developed a custom Roblox-based healthcare career exploration platform that combines gamified learning with embedded research to enhance student engagement and improve the evaluation of healthcare career exploration experiences.
Sugana also serves as Co-Principal Investigator on the National Science Foundation ExLENT project, Data Crossings: Bridging to AI and Data Science Careers through Experiential Learning and Training, which develops scalable experiential learning models that broaden participation in artificial intelligence and data science among undergraduate students and adult learners.
Her scholarship has been presented at leading international conferences, including the Conference on Artificial Intelligence in Education (AIED), ACM Conference on Computer-Supported Cooperative Work and Social Computing (CSCW), the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE), and the International Conference on Educational and Instructional Technology (ICEIT). Her work bridges artificial intelligence, learning sciences, educational technology, human-computer interaction, and healthcare education to create practical, scalable solutions that improve learning outcomes and broaden participation in STEM.
Beyond research, Sugana works closely with K–12 schools, higher education institutions, healthcare organizations, nonprofit organizations, and industry partners to translate research into practice. Her work focuses on supporting educators and helping students explore meaningful STEM and healthcare career pathways, develop confidence, and build the skills needed to navigate an evolving workforce. Through strong community partnerships and the responsible use of artificial intelligence, she is committed to creating inclusive educational ecosystems that empower learners, strengthen communities, and expand opportunities for future generations.
Publications
View Google Scholar page for complete list of publications.
- Chawla, S., Chen, S., Mullagaliyev, A., & Metoyer, R. (2026). Exploring the Design of AI Tools to Support Middle School Teachers’ Involvement in Students’ Career Interest Development. Companion Publication of the 2026 ACM Conference on Computer-Supported Cooperative Work and Social Computing (CSCW Companion 2026). Accepted.
- Chawla, S., Chen, S., Qian, J., Svarovsky, G., Cheng, Y. A., Johnson, R., Chawla, N. V., & Metoyer, R. (2026). AI4CAREER: Responsible AI for STEM Career Development at Scale in K-16 Education. In E. G. Blanchard, G. Chen, M. Chi, & S. Isotani (Eds.), Artificial Intelligence in Education. AIED 2026. Communications in Computer and Information Science, Vol. 3033 (pp. 3-8). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-032-29794-5_1
- Molnar, I., Li, P., Chen, S., Chawla, S., Lang, J., Metoyer, R., Hua, T., & Chawla, N. V. (2026). TeachingCoach: A Fine-Tuned Scaffolding Chatbot for Instructional Guidance to Instructors. arXiv:2603.18189. https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2603.18189.
- Kuskova, V., Chawla, S., Kress, R. B., Garrett-Ray, S., & Johnson, R. P. (2026). Inspiring Future STEM Professionals: Evaluating the Impact of the #GOALS Live Experience on Middle School Students’ Career Interest. 2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Charlotte, NC. Evaluation paper.
- Kuskova, V., Zaytsev, D., Johnson, R. P., Chawla, N. V., & Chawla, S. (2026). From Curiosity to Capability: Expanding Pathways into Data and AI through ExLENT. 2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Charlotte, NC. NSF Grantees Poster Session I.
- Kuskova, V., Chawla, S., Kress, R. B., Garrett-Ray, S., & Jassem, K. R. (2026). GOALS for Science: Validating a Gamified Approach to Data Collection on Roblox. 20th International Conference on Educational and Instructional Technology (ICEIT 2026), Tokyo, Japan. Forthcoming. (Abstract Only)
- Kuskova, V., Chawla, S., Kress, R. B., Garrett-Ray, S., & Jassem, K. R. (2025). Fostering STEM Engagement: Evaluating the Impact of the #GOALS Program on Middle-School Students' Interest and Motivation in Science and Technology. 2025 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition, Montreal, Canada. https://doi.org/10.18260/1-2–56594
Workshops & Posters
- AI4CAREER: Responsible AI for Career Development at Scale in K-16 Education. 27th International Conference on Artificial Intelligence in Education (AIED 2026), Seoul, Republic of Korea. Co-organizer.
- 20th International Conference on Educational and Instructional Technology (ICEIT 2026), Tokyo, Japan. Presenter.
- American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) Annual Conference & Exposition (2026), Charlotte, NC. Presenter.
- American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) Annual Conference & Exposition (2025), Montreal, Canada. Presenter.
- RISE AI Annual Conference (2025), University of Notre Dame. Organizing Committee member and workshop facilitator for Education & Workforce of the Future. Facilitator.
- American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) Annual Conference & Exposition (2024), Portland, OR. Presenter.