We are pleased to have Xin Tong from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou) presenting at our SFU VINCI seminar.

Xin T>

Date: Friday, August 15, 2025

Time: 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Location: TASC1 9204, Burnaby campus

Zoom Link: Join via Zoom

Talk Title: Exploring Personalized Learning Approaches for Autistic Children and Key Stakeholders through Generative AI and Game-Based Technologies

Abstract:
In this talk, I will present several research exploring how generative AI and game-based systems can support personalized learning and interventions for autistic children and other stakeholders, e.g., their parents. I will showcase a Minecraft-based game that fosters peer social interaction, a PONG-style tablet game designed to improve turn-taking skills, an AI virtual agent that delivers tailored behavioral training and educational support to parents, and LLM-empowered systems for personalized language and social learning activities in special education. These systems are co-designed with educators and families to embed learning in everyday contexts, aiming to expand access to individualized, context-aware support across home, school, and community settings for autistic education and learning activities.

Biography:
Dr. Xin Tong is an Assistant Professor at Information Hub, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (Guangzhou). Previously, she served as an Assistant Professor of Computation and Design at Duke Kunshan University (DKU). She was awarded a NSERC Postdoctoral Fellowship and worked as a postdoctoral researcher at the Stanford University School of Medicine. She obtained her Ph.D. and Master’s degrees from Simon Fraser University in Canada and her doctoral dissertation received the 2021 Bill Buxton Best Canadian HCI Dissertation Award from the Canadian Human-Computer Communications Society. Dr. Tong’s research areas are human-AI collaboration, human-computer interaction (HCI), accessibility, and cultural heritage.