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Hello!

My name is Ella, and I am a PhD candidate at Clemson University’s Zucker Family Graduate Center in Charleston, South Carolina, under Dr. Paige Rodeghero. In 2018, I decided it was time to pursue a graduate degree in the evenings while maintaining my full-time industry position. In 2020, the opportunity arose to switch from a master’s to PhD program full-time – so here I am! My research focuses on software development communities, live streaming software development, and software engineering education. My goal is to bridge the gap between academic research and practical application in software engineering education to create more inclusive and effective learning environments for all students, regardless if they have access to formal education.

When not studying, writing, or attending class, I enjoy playing video games with a tight-knit group of individuals who have stayed together since my undergraduate days. When not playing a multiplayer game, I love Stardew Valley and any and all rogue-like deck builders (Slay the Spire, Balatro) and general rogue-like games (Death Must Die, Deep Rock Galactic Survivors). I also own a small laser-etching and rug tufting business that I run out of a spare room; it has been an absolute joy to share my art with others and motivate others to create.

Recent Posts

Sucessfully Defended my PhD!

26 Feb 2025

I am thrilled to share that I have successfully defended my PhD thesis “Exploring the Pedagogical Impact of Software Development Live Streams: Informal Learning Opportunities for Software and Game Developers”!

This was experience was both challenging and rewarding, and I couldn’t have done it without the incredible support system around me. To everyone who attended, your presence meant the world to me. A heartfelt thank you to my advisor, Dr. Paige Rodeghero, who guided me through this journey with patience and wisdom, and to my incredible committee members: Dr. Kelly Caine, Dr. D. Matthew Boyer, and Dr. Emma Dixon. Your thoughtful questions and insights have made my research stronger and me a better researcher.

I’m also endlessly grateful to the participants in my studies who shared their experiences, the students who took part in my live streaming course, and my family and friends who provided emotional support through late nights and moments of doubt. This milestone isn’t just mine - it belongs to everyone who helped me along the way. Now, on to new adventures, who is hiring!?

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Invited Talk with Adam from Adam Learns Live!

24 Sep 2024

interview research live streaming

While recruiting for my most recent study ((which you can check out here))[_pages/participate.md], I reached out to Adam from Adam Learns Live, who is an established streamer on Twitch focusing on software and game development edutainment streams and, most recently focusing on developing his own indie game Skeleseller! When reaching out to Adam, he suggested an on-stream interview about my PhD journey and my research; how could I say no?

We talked a lot about mentorship and how my personal journey to graduate school wasn’t the most rosey, but I ended up in a place where I think I needed to be with my interests in live streaming research and beliefs that everyone needs access to an education, even if it is not in a formal classroom. Being able to showcase the work I have done in a casual, non-critical setting, was awesome and I felt like my work reached a broader more general audience in a way that was impactful.

I highly encourage everyone to check out Adam’s streams on Twitch; they are as entertaining as they are informative!