The NSF-funded Learning Analytics in STEM Education Research (LASER) Institute aims to increase the capacity of early and mid-career scholars to leverage new data sources and apply computational methods (e.g., network analysis, text mining and machine learning) to support their existing research and develop new lines of inquiry. Located at the Friday Institute for Educational Innovation, the LASER Institute is a collaborative effort between North Carolina State University, University of Pennsylvania, University of Florida and the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

The LASER Institute focuses on building the capacity of scholars to conduct high-quality research in three primary domains:

• Disciplinary Knowledge: Scholars will deepen their understanding of LA methodologies, literature, applications and ethical issues as they relate to STEM education and equality.
• Technical Skills: Scholars will develop proficiency with R, Python, Quarto, GitHub and other tools used for collaboration, reproducible research and computational analyses.
• Social Capital: Scholars will expand their professional networks, connecting with researchers and experts in LA related fields, as well as other scholars focused on STEM education.

The LASER Institute is a year-long program consisting of two core components:

1. Summer Workshop: An intensive 5-day program consisting of learning labs, guest speakers, planning sessions, and community-building activities.
2. Online Community: An online community of practice for ongoing networking and support throughout the year.

Apply to be a 2025 LASER Scholar >>