Hi! I’m Mika

I’m a developmental and learning scientist. I lead Tangle & Thrive, a project within Teaching Lab Studio focused on designing and testing ways that generative AI can meaningfully support student engagement, motivation, and learning.

My research roots are in early childhood. I spent years studying how infants, toddlers, and preschoolers come to understand others: whose feedback to trust, how to manage what others think of them, and how encouragement shapes their motivation to learn. That foundational work lives at the intersection of social cognition and learning science, and it’s shaped how I think about designing tools and experiences for kids and families today.

My current work extends that foundation into applied product research. I build and run studies with students, caregivers, and educators to understand what’s working, what’s not, and why — then translate those findings into design decisions. I care a lot about what people actually experience, not just what we can measure.

I’ve been lucky to build research from the ground up a few times over: as a founding lab member at Stanford and at Yale, and now leading the research initiative Tangle & Thrive at Teaching Lab Studio. Each time, the challenge has been the same, creating the conditions for good research to inform good decisions.

I completed my PhD in Psychology at Stanford University and have received funding from the National Science Foundation to support independent doctoral and postdoctoral research.

You can reach me at: mika.asaba [at] teachinglabstudio.com