Email: rtorbey@tacc.utexas.edu
Ryan Torbey is a research associate at TACC. He is an advocate for expanding computer science education in K-12 schools and believes that every student should learn the foundations of artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, and computer programming. In the past decade, Dr. Torbey has advanced participation in computing through his work as a K-8 technology teacher, professional development provider, consultant, and researcher. He spurred systemic change in Texas through his work as co-founder of CS4TX, a statewide initiative to expand computer science education. In 2021, he was one of the inaugural winners of the Cognizant Foundation's Innovation in Computer Science Education Awards.
Dr. Torbey most recently worked for American Institutes for Research (AIR) where he served as the deputy director for the Center for Evolving Computer Science Education (CS@AIR) and as the principal investigator for AI by 8 (NSF Grant # 2434579), a research practice partnership developing unplugged AI language arts instruction for early elementary learners. Prior to that, he was a K-8 technology teacher.
Torbey, R. (2024) Inequities of Enrollment: A Quantitative Analysis of Participation in High School Computer Science Coursework Across a 4-Year Period. ICER '23: Proceedings of the 2023 ACM Conference on International Computing Education Research - Volume 1.
Fletcher, C.L, Dunton, S., Torbey, R., Goodhue, J., Biggers, M., Childs, J., DeLyser, L.A., Leftwich, A., Richardson, D. (2021) Leveraging Collective Impact to Promote Systemic Change in CS Education. SIGCSE '21: Proceedings of the 52nd ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education
Torbey, R., Martin, N.D., Warner, J.R, Fletcher, C.L. (2020). Algebra I Before High School as a Gatekeeper to Computer Science Participation. SIGCSE ‘20 Proceedings of the 51st ACM Technical Symposium on Computer Science Education.
Torbey, R. (2018). Expanding CS Education: Reflecting on a Year of Progress. CSTA Voice, 14(2), 12.
K-12 Computer Science Education
K-12 AI Education
Association of Computing Machinery (ACM)
ACM’s Special Interest Group for Computer Science Education (SIGCSE)
Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA)
Virginia ECEP Alliance State Leader
