CONSTRUKTS TEAM
The development of CONSTRUKTS (TM) has been a collaborative process across many disciplines from the arts to electrical engineering with professional contract designers and engineers and corporate partnerships with Nuevatek and Wolfram Research. Undergraduate and graduate students at Carnegie Mellon University, North Carolina State University, and Winston-Salem State University have participated in design and technology skills development opportunities alongside team professionals. The most important aspect of the CONSTRUKTS (TM) project has been collaborative learning and discovery. Sharing our insights and skills in an open, non-judgmental environment enabled the development of a system that is much larger than the skills and perspective of any one team member or discipline.
Pamela L. Jennings, Ph.D., MBA
Chief Executive Officer
Public Speaker: Disrupting Innovation Culture
Pamela L. Jennings, Ph.D. CEO of CONSTRUKTS, Inc. leads the development of an IoT and mixed-reality platform for learning. Having spent countless years teaching computational technologies to artists and engineers and participating in international communities of makers and hackers, she is deeply knowledgeable in developing products that are rooted in principles of human centered computing (HCC). Pamela is nationally recognized as a thought leader for integrative research and learning across the Arts and Technology with positions and projects for higher education and federal institutions. She worked as a HCC design researcher at IBM Almaden EdTech Research Center and SRI International. She served as a National Science Foundation Program Director and led the CreativeIT program and co-led several other programs in computer science and STEM education. Pamela has been involved in several National Academies of Sciences initiatives including a committee member for the “Integration of the Humanities and Arts with Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine in Higher Education: Branches from the Same Tree” consensus report. Pamela held the first joint professorial appointment between the Fine Arts and Human Computer Interaction Institute at Carnegie Mellon University. She has received multiple National Science Foundation grants in support of research leading toward the CONSTRUKTS EdTech platform.
Pamela L. Jennings received her PhD in Human Centered Systems Design in the Center for Advanced Inquiry in the Integrative Arts at the University of Plymouth School of Computing, Electronics, and Mathematics (UK); MBA at the University of Michigan Ross School of Business; MFA in Computer Art at the School of Visual Arts; MA in Studio Art in the International Center of Photography/New York University Program; and BA in Psychology with vocal studies at Oberlin College.
Chief Executive Officer
Public Speaker: Disrupting Innovation Culture
Pamela L. Jennings, Ph.D. CEO of CONSTRUKTS, Inc. leads the development of an IoT and mixed-reality platform for learning. Having spent countless years teaching computational technologies to artists and engineers and participating in international communities of makers and hackers, she is deeply knowledgeable in developing products that are rooted in principles of human centered computing (HCC). Pamela is nationally recognized as a thought leader for integrative research and learning across the Arts and Technology with positions and projects for higher education and federal institutions. She worked as a HCC design researcher at IBM Almaden EdTech Research Center and SRI International. She served as a National Science Foundation Program Director and led the CreativeIT program and co-led several other programs in computer science and STEM education. Pamela has been involved in several National Academies of Sciences initiatives including a committee member for the “Integration of the Humanities and Arts with Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine in Higher Education: Branches from the Same Tree” consensus report. Pamela held the first joint professorial appointment between the Fine Arts and Human Computer Interaction Institute at Carnegie Mellon University. She has received multiple National Science Foundation grants in support of research leading toward the CONSTRUKTS EdTech platform.
Pamela L. Jennings received her PhD in Human Centered Systems Design in the Center for Advanced Inquiry in the Integrative Arts at the University of Plymouth School of Computing, Electronics, and Mathematics (UK); MBA at the University of Michigan Ross School of Business; MFA in Computer Art at the School of Visual Arts; MA in Studio Art in the International Center of Photography/New York University Program; and BA in Psychology with vocal studies at Oberlin College.
Kathleen Offenholley, Ph.D.
Professor of Mathematics, Borough of Manhattan Community College
Project Role: Learning Research & Assessment for Grade 7 to Undergraduate Mathematics Curriculum
Kathleen Offenholley’s research interests include games in mathematics education, and conceptual understanding of algebra. She is a steering committee member of the CUNY Games Network, an interdisciplinary faculty group that promotes game-based learning and hosts a yearly conference on Game-Based Pedagogy in Higher Education. She was Principal Investigator for the NSF DUE Grant (Award# 1501499), “A Simulation-Based Curriculum to Accelerate Math Remediation and Improve Degree Completion for STEM Majors”, and is a co-PI on NSF ECR-EHR Grant (Award #1760491), Developing, Field-Testing, and Validating An Elementary Algebra Concept Inventory Database For Use In The College Context.
Professor of Mathematics, Borough of Manhattan Community College
Project Role: Learning Research & Assessment for Grade 7 to Undergraduate Mathematics Curriculum
Kathleen Offenholley’s research interests include games in mathematics education, and conceptual understanding of algebra. She is a steering committee member of the CUNY Games Network, an interdisciplinary faculty group that promotes game-based learning and hosts a yearly conference on Game-Based Pedagogy in Higher Education. She was Principal Investigator for the NSF DUE Grant (Award# 1501499), “A Simulation-Based Curriculum to Accelerate Math Remediation and Improve Degree Completion for STEM Majors”, and is a co-PI on NSF ECR-EHR Grant (Award #1760491), Developing, Field-Testing, and Validating An Elementary Algebra Concept Inventory Database For Use In The College Context.
Arnav Jhala, Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Computer Science, North Carolina State University
Project Role: Computational Thinking and Learning System Design
Arnav Jhala is an Associate Professor of Computer Science and directs the Chancellor’s Faculty Excellence Cluster in Visual Narrative. Jhala also co-directs the Digital Games Research Initiative. His most relevant prior NSF support is through a CHS: Medium: Collaborative Research: Responsive Generation of Intrinsically Motivating Scenarios (IIS-1409992, 09/01/2014-08/31/2017) on reasoning about narrative and gameplay to increase intrinsic motivation in interactive environments for education, specifically about climate science policies. This work led to a number of intellectual contributions, including a generative algorithm for reasoning about the design and sequencing of meaningful game mechanics with a communicative purpose and has been published at venues such as the Annual Cognitive Science Conference (CogSci), Foundations of Digital Games(FDG), IEEE Transactions on Games, Arts Journal, and AAAI Interactive Digital Entertainment (AIIDE) conference.
Associate Professor, Computer Science, North Carolina State University
Project Role: Computational Thinking and Learning System Design
Arnav Jhala is an Associate Professor of Computer Science and directs the Chancellor’s Faculty Excellence Cluster in Visual Narrative. Jhala also co-directs the Digital Games Research Initiative. His most relevant prior NSF support is through a CHS: Medium: Collaborative Research: Responsive Generation of Intrinsically Motivating Scenarios (IIS-1409992, 09/01/2014-08/31/2017) on reasoning about narrative and gameplay to increase intrinsic motivation in interactive environments for education, specifically about climate science policies. This work led to a number of intellectual contributions, including a generative algorithm for reasoning about the design and sequencing of meaningful game mechanics with a communicative purpose and has been published at venues such as the Annual Cognitive Science Conference (CogSci), Foundations of Digital Games(FDG), IEEE Transactions on Games, Arts Journal, and AAAI Interactive Digital Entertainment (AIIDE) conference.
Alan Bengtson
Industrial Designer
Project Role: Product Design
Alan Bengtson is aniInnovation-centric industrial design expert with broad experience in consumer, commercial and industrial markets including children’s products, housewares, power tools, medical equipment and a multitude of additional industries. High intellectual property creation record with more than 70 utility and design patents received. Recipient of multiple design and industry awards including Consumer Reports #1 ratings. Skilled at developing break-through, user-centric solutions that enhance brand portfolios through design thinking, visual brand language, product strategy and brand differentiation. Strength in delivering product solutions from concept through to production while maintaining design intent. Alan has worked with international development teams from Asia, Europe, Scandinavia, South America and U.S.
Industrial Designer
Project Role: Product Design
Alan Bengtson is aniInnovation-centric industrial design expert with broad experience in consumer, commercial and industrial markets including children’s products, housewares, power tools, medical equipment and a multitude of additional industries. High intellectual property creation record with more than 70 utility and design patents received. Recipient of multiple design and industry awards including Consumer Reports #1 ratings. Skilled at developing break-through, user-centric solutions that enhance brand portfolios through design thinking, visual brand language, product strategy and brand differentiation. Strength in delivering product solutions from concept through to production while maintaining design intent. Alan has worked with international development teams from Asia, Europe, Scandinavia, South America and U.S.
