About me

I’m Alex Steinmaurer, a computer scientist, teacher, and researcher from Austria. I currently work at IT:U Austria, a newly established interdisciplinary university in Linz with the goal of transforming learning and science. At IT:U I’m a postdoctoral researcher, advised by Prof. Manuela Paechter. I earned my Ph.D. in Computer Science from the Faculty of Computer Science and Biomedical Engineering at Graz University of Technology, under the supervision of Prof. Christian Gütl.

My postdoctoral research lies at the intersection of computer science and education. I investigate the impact of generative AI on learning processes, with a particular focus on computing education. Together with an interdisciplinary team spanning learning sciences, psychology, educational technology, and computer science, I explore how conversational agents and large language models influence the development of computational thinking and coding skills. This includes studying interaction patterns, educational settings, and common misconceptions that arise in AI-supported learning environments.

In addition to my work at IT:U, I’m an adjunct fellow at the Cognitive and Digital Science Lab at Graz University of Technology.

Since 2020, I have been an external lecturer at the University College of Teacher Education Styria (Graz), where I teach a Master’s-level seminar on the development of (educational) multimedia systems. The course is designed for in-service teachers specializing in media informatics and digital media education. I view this seminar as a valuable opportunity to connect my research with classroom practice, introducing students to current topics in educational technology and working collaboratively on concepts and methods they can apply in their teaching.

During the Fall 2023 semester, I was a research fellow with the PLT Group at Brown University, working with Prof. Shriram Krishnamurthi and Prof. Kathi Fisler. My work there focused on developing new approaches and tools for rethinking data science and programming education in the context of large language models.

Working with me?

If you are interested in my research area and would like to discuss your ideas (as researcher or student), I am happy to hear from you. Just drop me an email (alexander.steinmaurer@it-u.at).