Fatemeh Jamshidi
Assistant Professor , Computer Science, College of Science
About Me
Fatemeh Jamshidi, Ph.D is an Assistant Professor of Computer Science at Cal Poly Pomona, where she proudly joined in August 2024. She brings a dynamic blend of creativity and technical expertise, with research that bridges artificial intelligence, computer science education, computer music, game AI, human-AI collaboration, and augmented and mixed reality. Fatemeh is especially passionate about empowering students, she deeply respects and takes pride in the incredible talent and drive of Cal Poly Pomona’s Computer Science students.
She holds a Ph.D. in Computer Science and Software Engineering and a Master’s in Music Education from Auburn University, completed in 2024 and 2023, respectively. As a Ph.D. student, Fatemeh founded the Computing + Music programs, which have engaged hundreds from underrepresented communities since 2018. She also served as Director of the Persian Music Ensemble from 2020 to 2023.
Fatemeh’s work has been featured in leading venues such as ACM SIGCSE, IEEE Access, and HCII. Her long-term vision? To launch a Music Technology Center, a collaborative research hub at the intersection of music therapy, AI-driven music generation, game audio, and XR experiences in music.
Honors and Awards
Finalist of 2022 NCWIT Collegiate Award ($10,000)
National Center for Women and Information Technology
February 2022
Awarded for technical contributions to projects demonstrating high innovation and potential impact. The NCWIT Collegiate Award recognizes graduate students who are developing applications of AI and other technologies to solve real-world problems. My contributions involved leveraging machine learning for music transcription and generating adaptive lessons to improve music pedagogy.
J. Alley Family Fellowship ($2,000)
Auburn University, USA
April 2021
Fellowship recipients are selected based on their academic excellence, extracurricular activities, and leadership abilities.
100+ Women Strong Graduate Leadership Award ($3,000)
Auburn University, USA
April 2021
The 100+ Women Strong Leadership Award recognizes graduate students in the College of Engineering who have demonstrated outstanding leadership qualities.
Contracts and Grants
2025–26
Jamshidi, F. (PI); Xiao, M (Co-PI)
Immersive Learning: Developing Augmented and Virtual Reality Course Content for Introductory Computer Science Courses
Primary Objective:
To revolutionize learning in core computer science courses—Cybersecurity and Object-Oriented Programming—by integrating immersive Virtual and Augmented Reality (VR/AR) experiences.
The project features interactive simulations that allow students to explore encryption, network vulnerabilities, and AI-driven cyber threats, while visualizing programming concepts like classes and data structures in 3D space.
A culminating student-led VR symposium enhances engagement, comprehension, and real-world readiness.
Funding Source:
Cal Poly Pomona Internal Grant: Special Projects for Improving the Classroom Experience (SPICE) – Innovative Approaches to Instruction program
Total Award: $25,000
2025–26
Kim, J. (PI); Jamshidi, F. (Co-PI)
Code, Create, Compose (CCC): A STEAM Pathway for Expanding Computer Science Education in Early Childhood and Elementary Classrooms
Primary Objective:
To address the significant gap in preparing preservice teachers—especially at the elementary level—to teach computer science (CS) and digital literacy.
Despite the adoption of K–12 CS standards in California in 2016, most teacher preparation programs, including those in the CSU system, lack structured training in CS education for young learners. At Cal Poly Pomona, there is currently no dedicated course in the elementary teacher preparation program that focuses on CS or digital literacy.
This interdisciplinary initiative between the Computer Science and Early Childhood Studies departments seeks to empower preservice teachers with the knowledge and skills to introduce foundational CS concepts in developmentally appropriate ways. The ultimate goal is to cultivate critical thinking and technological literacy among young children from an early age.
Funding Source:
Cal Poly Pomona Internal Grant: Strategic Interdisciplinary Research Grant Program (SIRG)
Total Award: $19,000