Horn Presented with NSF CAREER Award

Prof. Michael Horn has been awarded the prestigious Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Award from the National Science Foundation (NSF).

Prof. Horn is among a select number of Northwestern University faculty members to receive the prestigious distinction. The award recipients’ areas of research include: computational photography, modulation of the immune system, computational design of new materials, engineering microbes for biofuels, chemicals and drugs, and functional analysis in mathematics.

With his CAREER award project, Prof. Horn goal is to study computational literacy in informal learning environments for his proposal, titled, "CAREER: Blocks, Stickers, and Puzzles: Rethinking Computational Literacy Experiences in Informal Environments." He is particularly interested in building on existing cultural forms of literacy as a means to broaden participation in computing.

Michael Horn's research interests center around the intersection of human-computer interaction and education with a focus on innovative and thoughtful uses of emerging technologies in learning settings. Some of Prof. His recent research projects have included an investigation of multi-touch tabletops in natural history museums and the use of tangible programming languages in kindergarten classrooms and science museums.

The CAREER award, the NSF’s highest honor for junior faculty members, supports early career development of individuals who exemplify the role of teacher-scholar through outstanding research, excellent education and the integration of education and research. The minimum CAREER award size is $400,000 for a five-year period.