Prof. Alexander Kusenko
University of California, Los Angeles, USA
Bio: Alexander Kusenko is a Distinguished Professor of Physics and Astronomy at UCLA.
He also holds an appointment of Senior Fellow at the Kavli Institute for the Physics
and Mathematics of the Universe (IPMU) at the University of Tokyo. He is an
Associate Editor of Reviews of Modern Physics, the most highly cited journal
published by the American Physical Society. Kusenko is a Fellow of the American
Physical Society (elected in 2008 “for original and seminal contributions to particle
physics, astrophysics, and cosmology”). In 2021, Kusenko was named a Simons
Fellow in Theoretical Physics. He received an Outstanding Referee Award from the
American Physical Society (2012). He has served as a general member of the board
of the Aspen Center for Physics for three five-year terms (2004-2019).
Website: https://kusenko.physics.ucla.edu
Title: Effective, Evidence-based Use of AI in Undergraduate Courses
Abstract: : Recent education research published by UCLA and UCSD researchers shows effectiveness
of AI tools in improving the learning outcomes in undergraduate courses. A curated AI chat assistant
and AI generated hints were integrated into the homework assignments, reducing or eliminating the
cost to the student, in terms of time, energy, and social barriers or fear of judgment. The learning
outcomes were analyzed and published in a peer-reviewed paper Y. Lu, K. Supriya, S. Shaked, E. H.
Simmons, A. Kusenko, Rev. Phys. Educ. Res. 21, 010160 (2025). The results show that all
the students benefit from these AI tools, and the students who had less-than-adequate preparation
coming into the class receive the greatest benefit. Inspired by the results of this research, UCLA has
started a program AI and Mathematical Skills (AIMS), implementing these successful interventions in
a broad range of undergraduate classes. Other universities in the USA and in Japan have expressed
interest in using similar AI tools in their classes. In addition, AI proves useful in designing the
learning materials and custom built “textbooks” designed for specific courses. I will review the
research results and their implementation at UCLA and beyond.
