Ellen Spertus

Papers

Total Citations

H-Index

About

Ellen Spertus is a pioneering computer scientist whose work spans human-computer interaction, computing education, and gender equity in technology. She is best known for her groundbreaking contributions to making programming accessible to non-specialists, most notably through her work on App Inventor 2, a visual, block-based platform that empowers anyone—regardless of technical background—to build fully functional Android applications. Her widely cited book, *App Inventor 2* (2014), has garnered over 7,000 citations and remains a foundational resource in computing education, enabling learners worldwide to create apps through intuitive, hands-on projects. Beyond her technical contributions, Spertus has been a vocal advocate for increasing diversity in computing, authoring influential research on gender bias in computer science and the underrepresentation of women in the field. Her work has shaped modern pedagogical approaches to coding, bridging the gap between novice learners and powerful computational tools. Through her research, teaching, and advocacy, Ellen Spertus has left an enduring mark on how we teach, learn, and think about computing.