About Dr. David Guralnick

David Guralnick envisions a new approach to education and workplace learning. His vision integrates progressive learning theory, advanced technology, and creative, entertaining storytelling to create learning experiences that help people learn to think critically, reflect, and make thoughtful decisions. David holds a Ph.D. from Northwestern University, where his work synthesized concepts from the fields of computer science and artificial intelligence, instructional design, and cognitive psychology. Over the past 30 years, he has designed and evaluated a variety of simulation-based training applications, performance support systems, online courses, mobile applications, and authoring tools for corporate, non-profit, and university audiences.

David holds a Ph.D. in computer science from Northwestern University, where his work synthesized concepts from the fields of computer science/artificial intelligence, instructional design, and cognitive psychology. Over the course of his thirty years in online learning, he has designed and developed simulation-based training applications, electronic performance-support systems, and specialized authoring tools which allow non-technical people, such as writers and trainers, to build e-learning sites.

Among David’s most notable achievements are the creation of the first learn-by-doing simulation for corporate training purposes and the first authoring tool for a non-technical audience that was specific to e-learning. He has been the recipient of over 200 e-learning design awards, and his work has been featured in Wired magazine, the Wall Street Journal, and Training magazine (as an Editor's Choice). He has been a regular speaker at both industry and academic events since 1991. He is also the author of the recent book How Organizations Can Make the Most of Online Learning.

David is the current President and CEO of Kaleidoscope Learning. He is also the current president of the International E-Learning Association; founder and chair of The Learning Ideas Conference; Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal on Advanced Corporate Learning; Chair of the International E-Learning Awards; and an Adjunct Professor at Columbia University.

Skills for the Future Workforce

Lydia Liu, Ph.D.

Technological change and demographic shifts are among the main factors that shape the future workforce. Rapidly changing technical skills require individuals to learn fast, adapt swiftly, and collaborate effectively. This presentation will provide an overview of the skills critical for both academic and workforce success, introduce innovative ways to assess such skills, and discuss implications for individuals and organizations.

About Dr. Lydia Liu

Dr. Ou Lydia Liu, Associate Vice President of Research, is a globally recognized expert in assessment of critical skills and competencies in higher education and workforce. She has also managed large-scale grants awarded by government and private funding agencies in the U.S. and international countries including India, China, and Korea. Dr. Liu has authored and coauthored over 100 peer-reviewed journal articles, research reports, and book chapters in the fields of applied measurement, higher education, and science assessment. Her research appeared in Science, Nature Human Behavior, Educational Researcher, and other influential outlets. She delivered over 100 invited seminars and peer-reviewed conference presentations domestically and internationally. Dr. Liu was inducted as an AERA Fellow in 2023, and received the 2019 Robert Linn Memorial Lecture Award, and the 2011 National Council on Measurement in Education Jason Millman Promising Measurement Scholar Award in recognition of her original and extensive research in learning outcomes assessment in higher education and K-12 science assessment. Dr. Liu holds a doctorate in Quantitative Methods and Evaluation from the University of California, Berkeley.

About Dr. Zachary Herrmann

Dr. Zachary Herrmann serves as a member of the professional faculty at the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education. Dr. Herrmann’s areas of interest are collaboration, negotiation, team effectiveness, and leadership. Dr. Herrmann is the founding director of the Penn Leadership Education Institute, which supports leadership development for students. Dr. Herrmann teaches a course called “Collaboration & Conflict,” which engages students in an interdisciplinary exploration of how people work together to solve complex problems, and “Negotiation,” within the MBA program at The Wharton School, which is a course that focuses on strategies and tools to secure agreements and solve problems.