AIRELab

Dr. Fatima T. Zahra

Founder & Principal Investigator

Dr. Fatima T. Zahra (Dr. Z) is an Assistant Professor at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. She holds a Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Studies in Human Development from the University of Pennsylvania. Beyond her quest to tackle inequalities, Dr. Zahra cherishes time with her multicultural family and finds balance in boxing, meditation, music, and poetry.

Research: Culturally responsive evaluation; future of learning and labor markets; sustainable development; AI in education and evaluation

Dr. Rushad Faridi

Postdoctoral Researcher

Dr. Rushad Faridi is an economist and data scientist with a Ph.D. in Economics from Virginia Tech. He has over two decades of experience teaching economics, statistics, and data analytics at universities in Bangladesh and the United States, including Wake Forest University and the University of Dhaka. His work bridges quantitative research and policy evaluation, with extensive experience analyzing large survey and administrative datasets for organizations such as the World Bank, UNICEF, and JICA.

Research: Survey data analysis; development economics; data science in policy; machine learning for social impact

Hanhui Bao

Ph.D. Student

A Ph.D. student in Learning Design & Technology at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and alumna of Johns Hopkins University.

Research: STEM education; equity in learning environments

Srinath Narayanan

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Srinath is an aspiring AI innovator dedicated to building technologies that meaningfully improve people's lives. From developing autonomous and sensor-driven systems to creating educational platforms for underserved students, he focuses on using data, machine learning, and thoughtful design to solve real societal challenges. His experience in AGI research, software development, and community leadership reflects his commitment to making AI both accessible and ethical. Aside from school and work, Srinath enjoys playing tennis and pickleball.

Research: Artificial General Intelligence; RAG models; AI in education

Leah Funderburg

Undergraduate Research Assistant

Leah is an undergraduate student at the University of Tennessee studying data science with a minor in computer science. Her interests include applying predictive data analysis and machine learning to real-world societal issues. Focus areas involve AI integration in education and the labour market and its impact on young adults' early career pathways. In her free time, she enjoys traveling and reading.

Research: Machine learning; AI in education and labor markets

Rachel Wong

Research Assistant

Research Assistant at AIRELab, University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

Varun Kilaru

High School Research Assistant

A rising senior at Ravenwood High School contributing to AIRELab's research efforts.

Research interests: Economics and artificial intelligence

Dr. Jiangen He

Research Affiliate

Dr. Jiangen He (he/him) is an Assistant Professor in the School of Information Sciences at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. He earned his Ph.D. in Information Studies from Drexel University, a Master's degree in Information Science from Wuhan University, and dual Bachelor's degrees in Business Administration and Computer Science from Nanjing Tech University. His research spans science of science, human-AI interaction, and visual analytics, with a keen interest in how AI impacts knowledge learning and creation. He enjoys yoga, hiking, and weightlifting.

Research: Science of science; human-AI interaction; visual analytics; AI impacts on knowledge creation

Dr. Hope Chidziwisano

Research Affiliate

Hope Chidziwisano is an Assistant Professor in the School of Information Sciences at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. His research focuses on designing sensing and AI technologies for resource-constrained areas, leveraging human-centered approaches to develop and deploy novel technologies. Before joining UTK, he was a postdoctoral fellow at Carnegie Mellon's Human-Computer Interaction Institute. He completed his Ph.D. in Information and Media at Michigan State University and holds an undergraduate degree in Computer Science and Physics from the University of Malawi.

Research: Sensing and AI for resource-constrained areas; human-centered design; HCI

Dr. David M. Bowers

Affiliate

Dr. David M. Bowers (they/them) is a Research Assistant Professor of Teacher Education at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. They hold Masters Degrees in STEM Education and Mathematical Sciences from The Ohio State University and a Ph.D. in Mathematics Education from Michigan State University. Outside of academia, Dr. Bowers loves engaging deeply with art of all kinds and cherishes time spent with their partner and children.

Research: Sociopolitical and ethical analysis of education; critique of power, domination, and ideology; methodologies informed by direct action

Dr. Crystal Dilworth

Affiliate

An Instructor at Caltech's Center for Technology and Management Education, Dr. Dilworth holds a Ph.D. in Molecular Neuroscience from Caltech. Her work spans human development, behavioral science, STEM leadership, and public engagement.

Impact areas: Human development; behavioral science; STEM leadership; public engagement

Dr. Frances Harper

Affiliate

Frances K. Harper, PhD, is an Associate Professor of STEM Education at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Her research focuses on conditions across both formal and informal education that promote educational equity in STEM, particularly in PreK-9 mathematics and early (PreK-2) computing education. As a critical community-engaged scholar, she partners with teachers, students, families, and community members to advance equity-driven STEM education.

Research: Equity-driven STEM education; school-family-community partnerships; children's learning and identity development in STEM