Petrus Gaginistraat 51, 6217GG, Maastricht, Netherlands
+31 0613085599 | kenli@nyu.edu | Site: www.lizhien.me
Profile Summary
Learning Science specialist, doctoral researcher, and software engineer with hands-on experience in instructional design, LMS management, and teaching for secondary & post-secondary students. Skilled in integrating interactive learning experiences into the classroom that enhance students’ critical thinking, self-regulated learning (SRL), and knowledge transfer.
Education
Ph.D. Candidate in Educational Technology | Maastricht University
JUNE 2022 – PRESENT
- Research Focus: Integrating virtual patients (VP) in medical education to foster knowledge acquisition and transfer.
- Instructional Design & Innovation: Developed an online VP simulation session for a personalized cancer treatment course, demonstrating significant improvements in learners’ clinical reasoning and performance.
Master of Science in Integrated Digital Media | New York University | GPA 3.85 / 4
MAY 2013
- Key coursework: Game Design, HCI/User Experience, Media Study, Web Development, Video for New Media.
- IDM is a computer science-related major focusing on new media technologies.
Bachelor in Broadcast Engineering | Communication University of China in Nanjing | GPA 3.23 / 4
JUN 2010
- Minor: Public Relations & Marketing
- Key coursework: TV program production, Editing, Broadcasting, Digital TV Technology, Signal Processing, Digital Graphic Processing.
Publications
- Li, Z., Asoodar, M., de Jong, N., Könings, K., & van der Vaart, L. (2024).
Perception of enhanced learning in medicine through integrating of virtual patients: an exploratory study on knowledge acquisition and transfer.
BMC Medical Education, 24, 647. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-024-05624-7
Experience
CS Teacher, LMS Manager, Coordinator | Farragut Academy Dongguan
JUN 2020 TO JUN 2022
- Curriculum Design & Secondary-Level Teaching
- Taught Computer Science Principles to Grades 6–12, including an AP-level curriculum for Grades 9 & 10.
- Introduced SRL techniques to Grade 12, focusing on goal setting, time management, and metacognition.
- Incorporated PBL, Jigsaw, and peer collaboration strategies to enhance problem-solving and entrepreneurial skills.
- Program Coordination & Research Competition Coach
- Coached China Think Big (CTB) research competition teams, achieving a national third-place award.
- Led professional development sessions for faculty on digital pedagogy and classroom technology integration.
- LMS Management & Digital Implementation
- Managed multiple e-learning platforms (Xiaobao, Gradelink, myON, and Code.org), ensuring structured digital course materials and user-friendly access.
- Developed a data-driven e-portfolio system for tracking students’ weekly academic performance and feedback.
- Trained faculty on e-learning tools to optimize teaching efficiency and student engagement.
Senior Front-End Engineer | RingCentral Corp (NYSE: RNG)
OCT 2015 TO JUN 2020 | Sample of Works @ RingCentral
- Software Development
- Created and maintained front-end features using React.js and Angular.js for a large-scale communication platform.
- Collaborated with cross-functional teams, gaining strong project management and stakeholder coordination skills.
- Internationalization & Localization
- Implemented multi-language support (i18n), ensuring a consistent user experience across diverse markets.
D3 Customer Reporting (CFA)
(Angular.js, PHP, Less, Scrum, Git, Intellij, Jira, D3.js, MySQL, Mercurial)
- Improved logic accuracy by creating a data analysis tool and worked with the project manager to fix data selection logic issues.
- Rewrote documentation, including environment setup, deployment processes, and roadmaps.
- Trained new team members and guided them on environment setup and project structure.
Subscription Customer Reporting
(Angular.js, Jasmine, PHP Restful API)
- Created a management page UI and subscription functionality.
- Delivered a Proof-of-Concept demo in two weeks under a tight schedule.
- Integrated Restful APIs for subscription management and report generation.
Subscription Monitoring System
(Kafka, Java, Rsyslog, MongoDB, Vertica DB, Jira, Scrum, Tableau)
- Developed a monitoring system for internal users to track email delivery status, reducing error occurrences by 60%.
- Architected the project, processed data, and integrated system logs.
- Prepared release notes and coordinated system updates with the OPS team.
Web Developer | Citi Group (NYSE: C) | Buffalo, NY
APR 2014 TO JUL 2015 | Sample of Works @ Citi
- Web Development & Content Management
- Updated branded web content, newsletters, and emails with strict design guidelines.
- Led website migrations and automated processes to save developer hours.
- Set up Omniture tracking scripts for analytics and generated marketing reports.
Web Developer | Evolving Technologies Corporation | Brooklyn, NY
JUL 2012 TO FEB 2014 Sample of Works @ ETC
- 3D Earthquake Data Visualization (Unity3D, JavaScript, Leap Motion SDK, Node.js)
- Designed a Unity 3D-based earthquake visualization using real-time USGS data.
- Developed interactive elements using Leap Motion for user engagement.
- The project was exhibited at the 2013 NYU-Poly Annual Research Expo.
- ETC United (JavaScript, HTML, jQuery, JSPlumb.js, Gridster.js, Handsontable.js, D3.js, Node.js)
- Developed a web application for remote business negotiation and data analysis.
- Designed drag-and-drop interfaces using jQuery and JSPlumb.
Technical Skills
- Programming: JavaScript, HTML5, React.js, Angular.js, Java, C#, CSS, jQuery, D3.js, PHP, Karma, Jasmine, Less, PhPUnit, Yii, Kafka, Rsyslog, MongoDB, Vertica, Spark Streaming.
- Instructional Design: Simulation-based learning, gamification, PBL.
- Teaching: Computer Science, Digital Media.
Academic Projects
Polytechnic Institute of New York University | JAN 2012 TO MAY 2013
- 3D Earthquake Data Visualization: Built a real-time visualization using Unity 3D and Leap Motion.
- Virtual Reality Campus Experience: Recreated NYU’s campus in Unity 3D, contributing to GUI development and sound design.
- Playful HCI: Motion-Controlled Game: Developed a Java-based game using color pens and audio cues as input.
- Beyond Joystick: Accelerometer-Based Game: Prototyped an Arduino game showcased at the 2012 New York Game Expo.
Other Projects
Wedding Website & WeChat Invitation
- Designed and created a wedding site in English and Chinese using Bootstrap (lizhien.com/marriage).
Awards & Recognitions
- Best Presentation Award at the International Health Professions Education Virtual Conference (2024).
- CTB Official Recognized Coach (China Think Big Competition).
- Code.org Recognized Teacher (Microsoft-led online CS teaching platform).
- NYU High GPA Award (Multiple times).
- Xiamen Backbone Software Engineer.