ADL Initiative Welcomes New Director : Dr. Sae Schatz

The Advanced Distributed Learning (ADL) Initiative is delighted to announce that Sae Schatz, Ph.D., has been named the new Director as of June 22, 2015. Dr. Schatz is widely respected in the distributed learning community for her work in learning science, with a focus on andragogy, human performance assessment, adaptive training, simulation, online/blended learning, and human-systems integration.

As Director of ADL Initiative, Dr. Schatz plans to emphasize advocacy for learning science, demonstration of the "art of the possible" involving learning technologies, and wide-ranging collaboration with our stakeholders.

She also expressed a passion for the work we perform. "Globalization, social media, ever-increasing computing power, and the proliferation of low-cost advanced technologies have created a level of complexity and rapid change never before seen. Success requires reflection and creativity, the adaptability to notice and react quickly to evolving conditions, and a strategic understanding of the far-reaching effects of actions taken," she explained. "Learning science and technologies can help foster outcomes such as critical thinking, emotional intelligence, and more efficient and agile pathways to expertise. The methods and tools developed by ADL Initiative and our partners in government, industry, and academia are essential to achieving this vision."

Prior to joining ADL Initiative, Dr. Schatz was a Senior Consultant with Executive Development Associates, and before that she was the Chief Scientist for MESH Solutions, LLC (a DSCI Company) in Orlando, Florida. She has worked on a number of well-known projects including the Marine Corps' "Making Good Instructors Great" effort, the NTSA award-winning Border Hunter research and instructional design project, and the Joint Staff (J7)'s Blended Learning–Training System.

Dr. Schatz received her Ph.D. in Modeling and Simulation from the University of Central Florida in 2008. She served on the UCF faculty from 2006–2011 (teaching courses in human-systems integration, visual and web design, and web development) and continues to support the Modeling and Simulation graduate program as an occasional adjunct instructor.