Riya Su
Instructional Designer
Blending learning strategy with empathy across disciplines, contexts, and learner needs.
Public & Private Sector | STEM & Humanities | K–12 & Adult Learning
Online & In-Person | Rural & Urban | China & U.S.
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I am Riya Su, an Instructional Designer dedicated to creating meaningful learning experiences that blend knowledge, humanity, and emotional support.
With experience in K-12 education, online learning, and corporate training, I have developed curricula for diverse learners—from students in Teach for China to professionals at MassDOT. My academic foundation in education policy and analysis from Harvard Graduate School of Education informs my strategic approach to instructional design.
I believe that learning, like life, is a journey—courses should not only provide knowledge and skills but also foster human connection, emotional support, and lifelong curiosity. This philosophy drives me to create learning experiences that are both impactful and deeply engaging.
300K
Students Reached
Students Reached
Through online and onsite learning across China and the U.S.—including MassDOT,BrainCo Inc.,Yuanfudao, TAL Education and Teach For China.
100+
Instructional Products Designed
Instructional Products Designed
Ranging from full curricula, interactive eLearning, facilitator guides, STEM modules, and accessibility resources.
6 YEARS
Educational Experience
Educational Experience
Spporting diverse learners through curriculum design and instruction—across online and onsite settings in both China and the U.S.
5+
Industries Served
Industries Served
Including K–12, after-school, government, edtech, and corporate training—tailored to learners of various ages and backgrounds.
Featured Projects
Featured Projects
An interactive, scenario-based e-learning course designed for MassDOT managers to improve accuracy and consistency when completing the Commonwealth’s official position description document, Form 30. The simulation presents real-world case studies reflecting varying levels of job change—from minor adjustments to entirely new positions—and guides users through correct classification procedures. Learners engage with practical decision-making tasks, knowledge checks, and interactive feedback, while gaining access to essential resources such as guidelines, sample forms, and job description libraries. Developed to align with HR policies and classification standards, the training promotes efficiency, compliance, and clear communication of job responsibilities.
NeuroMaker BCI + Micro:bit:
Turn Your Attention into Light, Text, and Sound
NeuroMaker BCI + Micro:bit: Turn Your Attention into Light, Text, and Sound is a dynamic and beginner-friendly project that introduces students to brain-computer interface (BCI) technology through creative, real-time applications. Using the NeuroMaker BCI headband and Micro:bit, students translate their attention data into interactive outputs like blinking lights, scrolling text, and playful sound effects. This course not only demystifies neuroscience and coding but also empowers learners to see how their own brain activity can be harnessed to control digital devices—bridging the gap between thought and technology in a hands-on, exciting way.
Brain Breeze Kick-off:
Design Your Brain-Powered Fan
Brain Breeze Kick-off: Design Your Brain-Powered Fan is an intermediate BCI project where students use the NeuroMaker brainband and Arduino components to build a real fan that spins faster as their attention increases. By connecting and coding a circuit with a motor driver and a DC fan, learners translate their focus levels into physical airflow and visualize it through a fun bubble-blowing display. This project introduces more complex wiring and coding skills while encouraging creativity through add-ons like flags, pinwheels, or paper boats—all driven by the power of the mind.
Focus & Spin: Design Your Own Brainwave Display
Focus & Spin: Design Your Own Brainwave Display is an interactive STEM project that empowers students to transform real-time brainwave data into physical motion. Using the NeuroMaker BCI headset and Arduino technology, learners build and code a servo motor circuit that reflects their attention levels through a custom-designed moving dial. Blending neuroscience, engineering, and creativity, this beginner-friendly course helps students explore brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) while designing their very first brain-powered gadget.
Design a Brain-Powered Prosthetic Hand
Design a Brain-Powered Prosthetic Hand is an advanced hands-on project where students step into the role of biomedical engineers to control a prosthetic hand using their brainwaves. Inspired by real BCI research at Harvard iLab, this experience combines neuroscience, coding, and hardware engineering as learners use a NeuroMaker BCI headband to manipulate all five fingers of a NeuroMaker Hand. Through this project, students deepen their understanding of servo motor control, explore the intersection of brain-computer interfaces and assistive technology, and gain insight into real-world applications of prosthetic innovation.
EMG Mastery: Journey from Concepts to Control
This project explores the integration of electromyography (EMG) sensor data with programmable prosthetic devices. I designed an interactive learning experience where users collect and interpret real-time muscle activity to control the NeuroMaker Hand. The module introduces core bioengineering concepts through applied coding and hardware interfacing, emphasizing the real-world relevance of neural signals in assistive technology. The goal was to create an engaging, STEM-rich environment that connects scientific understanding with hands-on experimentation.
Gesture Blitz: Gesture Matching Showdown
An interactive gesture-matching game powered by flex sensors, LED indicators, and a button interface, designed to control and compare hand movements using the NeuroMaker Hand. The project combines sensor-based input with block-based programming to evaluate gesture accuracy in real time. It demonstrates how wearable inputs and robotics can be integrated to create responsive, educational STEM challenges.
Move & Freeze:
Design a BioSensor Sprint Challenge
An interactive Red-Light-Green-Light game utilizing ultrasonic sensors for motion detection and LED indicators to signal game states. The system is programmed through block-based coding to control the NeuroMaker Hand, simulating a real-time stop-and-go challenge. The project demonstrates the integration of sensor data, robotic actuation, and logic-based game mechanics in a STEM learning context.
Automatic Object Detection for Prosthesis
A sensor-based control system using a button, rotary encoder, and ultrasonic distance sensor to enable automated object detection and grasping with the NeuroMaker Hand. The project integrates real-time distance measurements with programmed responses, allowing the prosthetic hand to detect nearby objects and close automatically when they enter a defined range. Highlights include sensor coordination, actuator control, and practical applications of automation in assistive technology.
RoboPuppet:
Automated Performer Show
A storytelling project integrating the NeuroMaker Hand 2.0 and BioSensor Kit to animate glove puppets through gesture-controlled movement. By combining sensor input and programmable motion, the project bridges robotics and literature, transforming classic narratives into interactive performances. Highlights the creative application of engineering concepts, wearable sensors, and motion control in a performative context.
NeuroMaker HAND 2.0 Curriculum
The NeuroMaker Hand 2.0 curriculum offers six comprehensive modules, each designed to teach students hands-on skills in mechanical and electrical engineering, biomedical exploration, programming, and artificial intelligence. Through interactive lessons, students engage in problem-solving, critical thinking, and explore real-world applications in fields such as manufacturing, bioengineering, and AI development.
Dancing Lion: A Cultural & Language Experience
Dancing Lion: A Cultural & Language Experience
A two-session learning experience introducing the traditions and symbolism of Chinese lion dancing while integrating Mandarin vocabulary and character recognition. Through a narrative-driven approach, learners follow a lion overcoming three challenges, each unlocking a core trait represented in lion dance culture. The experience combines colorful visuals, cultural storytelling, and hands-on creation—culminating in a craft activity where participants design their own lion-themed bag. Designed to reinforce memory through multi-sensory engagement and storytelling, the course blends cultural appreciation with language learning in an interactive format.
Chinese Dragon: Cultural Journey & Craft
Chinese Dragon: Cultural Journey & Craft
A one-hour session designed using principles of constructivist learning and narrative-based instruction to introduce the historical and cultural significance of the Chinese dragon. Learners follow a story in which a “misunderstood” dragon evolves through exposure to traditional values, reflecting a gradual shift in understanding. The session integrates Mandarin vocabulary and character learning with multisensory inputs—including visuals, stories, and kinesthetic tasks. The experience concludes with an experiential learning activity in which learners create their own paper dragon head, reinforcing symbolic knowledge through hands-on construction and reflective engagement.
Classroom Highlights and Students' Testimony
Classroom Highlights and Students' Testimony
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