Dr. Nia Nixon: Advancing AI in Education Through Research and Innovation
By Rachel Rees Sampson
March 3, 2025
March 3, 2025
Nia Nixon
Nia Nixon, assistant professor at UC Irvine’s School of Education, is at the forefront of artificial intelligence (AI) and education research, earning two prestigious honors: a $700,000 Gates Foundation grant and a 2024 Jacobs Foundation Research Fellowship. Her work is transforming the way educators leverage AI to create more equitable, inclusive, and effective learning environments.
Nixon, in collaboration with Dr. Jamaal Matthews of the University of Michigan, has been awarded a $700,000 grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to develop AI-powered coaching tools for mathematics teachers in urban school districts. Their project, AI-Powered Professional Learning: Cultivating Culturally-Competent Mathematics Instruction in Urban Districts, aims to enhance teacher professional development by:
By integrating Generative AI with human coaching, this research seeks to improve teacher effectiveness, student engagement, and equity in mathematics classrooms. The initiative also prioritizes the ethical and equitable use of AI, ensuring it supports—rather than replaces—educators in creating high-quality learning experiences.
In addition to the Gates Foundation grant, Dr. Nixon has been named a 2024 Jacobs Foundation Research Fellow, one of the most competitive and prestigious fellowships in child and youth development research. This $150,000, three-year fellowship supports her work in leveraging AI to foster inclusivity in STEM education, particularly in collaborative learning environments.
Her research focuses on how AI-powered tools can identify and address disparities in student engagement across gender and racial lines, helping educators create more equitable and supportive classrooms. With this fellowship, Dr. Nixon will continue developing real-time AI-driven analytics that empower teachers to promote diverse participation and advance STEM accessibility for all students.
Dr. Nixon’s recent accolades highlight her pioneering contributions to AI in education and her commitment to transforming teacher development and student learning experiences. Through her innovative research, she is shaping the future of AI-powered education, ensuring technology serves as a force for equity and inclusion in schools.
Congratulations to Dr. Nixon on these remarkable achievements!
Nixon, in collaboration with Dr. Jamaal Matthews of the University of Michigan, has been awarded a $700,000 grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to develop AI-powered coaching tools for mathematics teachers in urban school districts. Their project, AI-Powered Professional Learning: Cultivating Culturally-Competent Mathematics Instruction in Urban Districts, aims to enhance teacher professional development by:
- Providing AI-driven instructional feedback to identify strengths and areas for growth
- Enhancing coaching conversations with targeted, AI-generated insights
- Delivering personalized, self-paced learning modules to support teacher development
By integrating Generative AI with human coaching, this research seeks to improve teacher effectiveness, student engagement, and equity in mathematics classrooms. The initiative also prioritizes the ethical and equitable use of AI, ensuring it supports—rather than replaces—educators in creating high-quality learning experiences.
In addition to the Gates Foundation grant, Dr. Nixon has been named a 2024 Jacobs Foundation Research Fellow, one of the most competitive and prestigious fellowships in child and youth development research. This $150,000, three-year fellowship supports her work in leveraging AI to foster inclusivity in STEM education, particularly in collaborative learning environments.
Her research focuses on how AI-powered tools can identify and address disparities in student engagement across gender and racial lines, helping educators create more equitable and supportive classrooms. With this fellowship, Dr. Nixon will continue developing real-time AI-driven analytics that empower teachers to promote diverse participation and advance STEM accessibility for all students.
Dr. Nixon’s recent accolades highlight her pioneering contributions to AI in education and her commitment to transforming teacher development and student learning experiences. Through her innovative research, she is shaping the future of AI-powered education, ensuring technology serves as a force for equity and inclusion in schools.
Congratulations to Dr. Nixon on these remarkable achievements!
