Mary Ellen has led the execution of the digital learning strategy for the Department of Biology at MIT for over seven years. As a Lecturer and Director of Online and Blended Learning Initiatives, she trains and mentors instructors, postdoctoral fellows, and students, manages the digital learning projects for the department including MOOCs and hybrid learning experiences and conducts research on the design of digital learning experiences. She and her team created two of the MOOCs on the list of the best online courses of all time according to ClassCentral. Her group received a silver award in the science of learning category at the 2019 Reimagine Education conference.

Prior to her current position, Mary Ellen earned her PhD in Biology from MIT, and then taught at Harvard University.

Mary Ellen’s broader roles at MIT include being a senior member of the Digital Learning Lab, an organizer of workshops on digital learning and has positions on committees that span all departments at MIT.