Doy Kim
Email: doy.kim@wisc.edu
Biography
Doy Kim is an Arvil S. Barr Fellow and Ph.D. candidate in the Learning Sciences area of the Educational Psychology department at UW-Madison, where he studies how immersive technologies shape mathematical reasoning. Working under the mentorship of Dr. Mitchell Nathan, Doy investigates the intersection of embodied cognition, extended reality (XR), and rigorous quantitative methods—a career-long focus spanning over a decade of work in technology-enhanced mathematics education.
Doy’s research specializes in XR applications for geometric learning. His current research examines how physical actions in immersive environments influence geometric reasoning through advanced statistical modeling. His doctoral work builds on two independently funded projects: iGRASP (immersive Geometric Reasoning through Action and Spatial Practice), which explores how body movements affect geometric reasoning within XR environments, and GRAID (Geometric Reasoning Analysis through Integrated Datasets), which synthesizes multiple randomized controlled experiments to model relationships between embodied action, gesture, and geometric reasoning.
As a Doctoral Research Intern at WestEd, Doy works on large-scale evaluation projects, including the implementation and assessment of virtual reality math interventions for rural and high-need students, and evaluations of math curriculum efficacy using quasi-experimental designs. He is also an active collaborator on the EXCEL project (Exploring Collaborative Embodiment for Learning), which examines how action-based technologies enhance collaborative mathematical reasoning in multilingual high school classrooms.
Before joining UW-Madison, Doy completed his M.Sc. in Mathematics Education at Seoul National University, with a focus on cognitive science, where he studied embodied cognition in digital haptic learning environments. He has also held professional roles at Korea Educational Broadcasting System and the Center for In-service Teacher Education in South Korea.
Doy is committed to mentoring and knowledge-sharing within his research community, regularly facilitating workshops on data science tools, qualitative analysis software, and academic writing for fellow graduate students. Outside of work, he is a passionate tennis player and formerly served as a member of the US Army.
Education
Ph.D. in Educational Psychology – Learning Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Minor: Quantitative Educational Research
M.Sc. in Mathematics Education, Seoul National University
Coursework Emphasis: Cognitive Science
B.Sc. in Mathematics Education, Seoul National University
Research Interests
Technology-enhanced mathematics education
Virtual, augmented, and mixed reality (VR/AR/MR) for education
Embodied cognition in mathematical learning
Statistical modeling and causal inference “