Welcome to the DevTech Research Group!

  • Students building
    Based on over two decades of research, KIBO is a developmentally appropriate, no-screen coding platform for young children.

The Developmental Technologies (DevTech) Research Group was started by Prof. Marina Umaschi Bers in 2001 at the Eliot-Pearson Department of Child Development at Tufts University. In 2022, Prof. Bers and DevTech moved to a new home at the Lynch School of Education and Human Development at Boston College. DevTech promotes young children’s learning about computational thinking, coding, making and engineering in a playful, developmentally appropriate way. We focus on the design and use of creative technologies for leading more fulfilling lives and for making the world a better place. DevTech is recognized nationally and internationally as a pioneering interdisciplinary research lab with high impact. It accomplishes this through: 

Meet Our Team

Headshot of Learning experience designer Jessica Blake-West
ScratchJr Learning Experience Designer
Jessica Blake-West, Ph.D. Student
Headshot of Research Associate Emily Nadler
Research Associate
Emily Nadler, BS
Headshot of Project Coordinator Clara McEleny
Project Coordinator
Clara McEleney
Headshot of Postdoctoral Researcher Ghaida Alrawashdeh
Postdoctoral Researcher
Ghaida Alrawashdeh, Ph.D.
Headshot of Doctoral Student Research Assistant Tess Levinson
Doctoral Student Research Assistant
Tess Levinson, Ph.D. Candidate
Francisca Carocca's Headshot
Masters Student Research Assistant
Francisca Carocca, M.Ed
Headshot of Doctoral Student Research Assistant Madeline Nievera
Doctoral Student Research Assistant
Madeline Nievera, Ph.D. Student
Headshot of Undergraduate Research Assistant Yasmeene Louis
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Yazmeene Louis
Abigail Bergman's Headshot
Masters Student Research Assistant
Abigail Bergman, M.A.
Athanasia Chandras' Headshot
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Athanasia Chandras
Selin Munzur's Headshot
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Selin Munzur
Headshot of Undergraduate Research Assistant Casey Houlahan
Undergraduate Research Assistant
Casey Houlahan

Visiting Scholars

Jordi Freixenet Bosch's Headshot
Jordi Freixenet Bosch
University of Girona
Mariona Niell Colom's Headshot
Mariona Niell Colom
University of Girona &
Vedruna Girona School
Kati Sormunen's Headshot
Kati Sormunen
University of Helsinki

High School Summer 2023 Interns

Three high school interns smiling in the DevTech workshop.
High School Volunteers for Summer 2023 Coding Playgrounds Summer Series
DevTech Alumni
Aaron Tietz
Akshita Rao
Ariel Lerner
Adam Brooks
Adriana Flores
Alan Cepeda
Albert Tseng
Alex Bean
Alex Pugnali
Alexa Hasse
Alexandra Bogus
Alexandria Trombley
Alisha Bouzar
Aliza Bromberg Gaber
Alyssa Ettinger
Amanda Puerto
Amanda Strawhacker, Ph.D.
Amanda Sullivan, Ph.D.
Amy Fischer
Anastasia Goulopoulos
Andrea Andrade
Anika Kawsar
Anna Kasagawa
Anne Drescher
Annie Du
Apittha Unahalekhaka, Ph.D.
Ashima Mathur
Avery Cohen
Barbara Ferrari
Becca Bogstad
Brendan Brennan
Camille Andersen
Caroline Abut
Caroline Woodruff
Catherine Cowell
Cedrick Boursiquot
Cheryl Pedersen
Chase Conley
Christie Diaz
Christina Koo
Claire Caine
Claudia Mihm
Clement Chau, Ph.D.
Cydnee Lane
Dan Dan Yang, Ph.D.
Daniela Mesalles
Daniella DiPaola
Danielle Kong
Danielle Pike
David Kiger
Devon McKeon
Diana Deluca
Dylan Portelance
Edward Futterman
Elizabeth Kazakoff-Meyers, Ph.D.
Ellen Gage
Emil Polakiewicz
Emily Hu
Emily Lin
Emily Naito
Emily Relkin, Ph.D.
Emma Hershey
Ethan Peritz
Eva Timoney
Hadrian Engel
Hamid Palo
Hannah Gogel
Hannah Riehl
Hasan Khan
Hazel Leonard
Hera Kan
Hyejin Im
Isha Patnaik
Jack Margolin
Jaclyn Tsiang
Jan Yang, Ph.D.
Jason Kahn
Jennifer Newman
Jete Thames
Ji-Sun Ham
Jill Plevinsky
Jolie Straus
Jordan Crouser, Ph.D.
Josephine Weidner
Joshua Seewald
Julia Klimberg
Kaavya Chaparala
Kaitlyn Leidl
Katherine Shield
Kathryn Cantrell
Kathryn Tweel
Katie Juelich
Kaylyn Adams
Keiko Satoh
Kenneth Lee
Kevin Dunn
Kianie Ramirez
Laura Beals
Laura Hacker
Laura de Ruiter, Ph.D.
Lauren Pollak
Laurie Rabin
Leigha Howland
Libby Hunt
Linton Davis
Louise Flannery
Madhu Govind, Ph.D.
Maia Teubal
Maitreyi Kale
Marcos Posadas de la Piedra
Marcy Hudson
Marti Zentmaier
Martina Tan
Marie Perrot
Mateo Hernandez Idrovo
Matthew Fiedler
Matthew Taylor
Max Cohen
Maya Morris
Megan Bennie
Megan Berja
Megan Souza
Meha Elhence
Melanie Becker
Melissa Lee
Melissa McGuiness
Melissa Viezel
Michael Horn, Ph.D.
Michelle Stevens
Miela Efraim
Miki Vizner
Mira Eschtruth
Miranda Eagle
Mitch Choi
Mitchell Katz
Mollie Elkin
Naomi Arnold
Naomi Durand
Natasha Link
Nauman Khan
Nehama Libman
Nicole Boire
Nicole Notaro
Nick Woolf
Olivia Hobert
Pablo Storch
Paola Oberhauser
Patrick Nero
Rachael Fein
Rachel Viselman
Riva Dhamala
Ruthi Aladjem, Ph.D.
Ryan Ghayour
Sam Schwamm
Safoura Seddighin
Sarah Boone
Sarah Coburn
Shunta Muto
Sofia Poma
Stephanie Gold
Susan Ni
Taylor Lentz
Tess Guttadauro
Wren Stueck
XuanKhanh Nguyen
Yessenia Rivas
Ziva Hassenfeld, Ph.D.