Personal Bio:

Chris Palaguachi is a doctoral student in Educational Psychology at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, working under the guidance of Dr. H. Chad Lane and Dr. Cynthia D’Angelo. His research focuses on educational design, AR/XR learning environments, human-computer interaction, learning analytics, and AI/ML applications for predicting and measuring learning outcomes. 

With a strong background in data analysis, behavioral coding, and computational modeling, Chris has contributed to multiple research labs, including the INVITE (AI Institute) Lab, Immersive Data Lab, WHIMC Data Lab, and T(CA)² Audio-Visual Data Lab. His work spans designing intelligent tutoring systems, developing AR-based learning tools like HoloOrbits, and using AI-driven analytics to study student engagement and collaboration in digital learning environments. 

Chris has presented his research at national and international conferences and has published in leading educational and learning sciences journals. He has also contributed to methodological advancements in analyzing classroom discourse and student interactions through computational and multimodal learning analytics. 

Beyond research, Chris is passionate about mentorship and interdisciplinary collaboration. He has served as a teaching assistant and panelist in multiple academic forums, guiding students in research methodologies, data science, and educational technology applications. 

He holds a Master’s degree in Educational Psychology with a concentration in Digital Learning and a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology with a minor in Mathematical and Statistical Modeling of Complex Systems from Northeastern Illinois University. 

Chris is fluent in both English and Spanish and has technical expertise in programming (Python, R, C++), machine learning, educational game development, and AR/VR applications. His work is driven by a mission to enhance learning experiences through technology and data-driven insights.