In her role at C21U, Meryem Yılmaz Soylu explores how emerging technologies such as extended reality (XR), artificial intelligence, and learning analytics can transform teaching, learning, and assessment. With a background in educational psychology and instructional technology, her work focuses on facilitating the design of innovative, data-informed learning environments that promote self-regulation, metacognition, engagement, and 21st-century durable skills.

Yılmaz Soylu leads and collaborates on interdisciplinary research initiatives, including the use of VR for multimodal communication, an AI-powered oral assessment tool (Socratic Mind), the development of an AI-powered tool (LORI) to streamline admissions, and digital twins of learner behavior. She is a co-instructor of the VIP Data Driven Education team and a member of Georgia Tech’s Extended Reality Working Group. She also serves on campus committees focused on educational innovation and technology-enhanced learning.

Meryem and C21U colleagues Stephen Harmon and Jonna Lee received the 2025 UPCEA award for outstanding research and innovation in online learning.