Avery H. Closser

About Me

Hi there! I am a learning scientist discovering how we can leverage the inherently embodied nature of learning to improve instructional materials for classrooms and online settings. Currently, I am a postdoctoral researcher working with David Purpura in the Human Development and Family Science Department at Purdue University.

Originally from Virginia, I attended the University of Richmond for my B.A. in psychology where I pursued research on perception, embodied cognition, and spatial memory. Afterwards, I spent two years teaching English as a Second Language in Thailand and Spain where I discovered my passion for education, multimodal communication, and traveling. This self-discovery led me to pursue research on how students' perceptions and cognitive processes impact the way they think and learn about math across online environments at Worcester Polytechnic Institute where I completed my M.S. and Ph.D. in Learning Sciences & Technologies. Now, I'm interested in uncovering how students' individual and developmental characteristics may influence the way they are impacted by scaffolding in instructional materials to inform the design of materials.

Beyond research, I adamantly believe in team science and empowering others. I actively pursue opportunities to support fellow researchers and to promote women in STEM through various projects, mentorship roles, and by creating learning communities.