- Lifelong Kindergarten
Natalie Rusk, PhD, is one of the creators of the Scratch programming language and a founder of the Computer Clubhouse. She is a research scientist in the Lifelong Kindergarten group and has collaborated for 30 years with Professor Mitchel Resnick on the development of Scratch and other international educational initiatives.
Natalie is guiding the development of OctoStudio, a new mobile phone app designed to make creating with code more accessible for children, families, and educators around the world.
Her research focuses on designing learning environments that enable young people to build on their interests and ideas. She is lead author of the Scratch Coding Cards and editor of the book, Start Making! A Guide to Engaging Young People in Maker Activities.
She earned a PhD in child development from Tufts University and a Master's in Technology in Education from Harvard Graduate School of Education.