Cathryne Stein
KISS Institute for Practical Robotics, University of Oklahoma
Papers
8
Total Citations
141
H-Index
5
About
Cathryne Stein is a pioneering force in educational robotics, best known for her transformative work with the Botball Educational Robotics Program. Her research centers on using hands-on, team-based robotics competitions to spark and sustain early interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), with a particular focus on gender equity in engineering and computer science. Stein’s most influential paper, “The Impact of Robot Projects on Girl's Attitudes Toward Science and Engineering” (53 citations), provides critical evidence that structured robotics activities can significantly shift girls’ perceptions and aspirations in male-dominated fields. Her widely cited works, including “Botball: Autonomous Students Engineering Autonomous Robots” (26 citations) and “Botball Robotics And Gender Differences In Middle School Teams” (20 citations), demonstrate how autonomous student-led projects foster deep engagement and technical confidence. Stein’s landmark paper, “So that's what Pi is for!” (27 citations), captures the pedagogical epiphanies that occur when abstract math becomes tangible through robot design. Her contributions have shaped national STEM outreach, making complex engineering accessible to thousands of middle and high school students. Through Botball, Stein has built not just robots, but a generation of autonomous, empowered young engineers.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1
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- 3Botball: Autonomous Students Engineering Autonomous Robots26 citations · 2020
- 4Botball Robotics And Gender Differences In Middle School Teams20 citations · 2020
- 5Scarecrow: If I only had AI5 citations · 2007
- 6The AAAI 1999 Mobile Robot Competitions And Exhibitions4 citations · 2000
- 7Creating autonomous roboticists4 citations · 2001
- 8Using Robots to Build Engineers2 citations · 2006