Mary Shuman

University of North Carolina at Charlotte

Papers

Total Citations

H-Index

About

Dr. Mary Shuman is a pioneering researcher in human-robot interaction and educational technology, with a focus on lowering barriers to programming for novices. Her most notable contribution is the development of DOROTHY, a groundbreaking educational tool that bridges the Alice 3D programming environment with autonomous robots, enabling bidirectional communication of sensor data and commands. This innovation allows users with no prior programming experience to rapidly create graphical routines and control physical robots, democratizing access to robotics education. While her work has garnered over 2 citations, its true impact lies in its practical application for STEM learning, making complex robotics concepts accessible to students and hobbyists alike. Dr. Shuman’s research sits at the intersection of visual programming, human-robot collaboration, and educational design, with DOROTHY representing a significant step toward intuitive, hands-on learning tools that inspire the next generation of engineers and computer scientists.