Simulation | Rebecca Leis

Rebecca Leis, Ph.D.

I currently serve as Program Director at Full Sail University, leading User Experience (UX) and Computer Science programs. In this role, I drive curriculum strategy, faculty leadership, and program innovation while advancing human-centered design, human-computer interaction (HCI), human-AI interaction, AI literacy, responsible AI, and software engineering education.

Previously, I taught graduate and undergraduate courses in sensation and perception, usability engineering, Agile software engineering, instructional design, and technical writing. I also mentor students in mixed methods research, user research, usability testing, human factors, and cognitive psychology to create accessible, evidence-based, and user-centered solutions.

I earned a Ph.D. in Modeling and Simulation from the University of Central Florida, where my research applied natural language processing (NLP) to analyze workforce competencies and align education with industry needs. Building on my undergraduate foundation in Human Factors Psychology, my work bridges UX research, learning experience design, AI-assisted design, and data-driven educational strategy to prepare the next generation of technology professionals.

AI Literacy Framework

Designed a scalable framework for integrating responsible AI into software engineering and UX education.

Nuclear Power Human Performance Research

Designed usability studies measuring operator workload using physiological sensors in high-risk environments.

Virtual Reality Training Systems

Developed evaluation methodologies for immersive simulation products supporting military, law enforcement, and industrial training.

RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS

Journal Publications

2015 - Resource Allocation Predictive Modelling to Optimize Virtual World Simulator Performance

2015 - An Empirical Analysis of Virtual World Fidelity’s Impact on Simulator Network Performance

Conference Proceedings

2018 - Understanding the Cybersecurity Workforce: A Skills Assessment for Instructional Guidance

2018 - Cyber Workforce Development Using a Behavioral Cybersecurity Paradigm

2015 - Workload Change Over Time for Nuclear Power Plant Operation Tasks