Luis Manuel Ortiz is a first-year Ph.D. student in the School of Education at Drexel University with a focus on educational technology, STEM, Career and Technical Education (CTE), and game-based learning. a member of the Games and Learning in Interactive Digital Environments (GLIDE) lab at Drexel. He is also a member of the Games and Learning in Interactive Digital Environments (GLIDE) lab at Drexel. He brings over a decade of experience as a social worker and over six years as a learning specialist designing and implementing instructional systems for adult learners across diverse industries. A multilingual social scientist, Ortiz has expertise in instructional design, learning management systems, program development, assessment, and language services including interpretation, transcription, and translation. His professional background reflects a deep commitment to creating engaging, practical, and job-relevant learning experiences that support knowledge and skill development.

Ortiz’s research focuses on the intersection of educational technology, STEM, and Career and Technical Education (CTE), with a particular emphasis on enhancing cybersecurity career readiness for minoritized middle and high school students. With over 3.5 million cybersecurity positions projected to go unfilled by 2025 and persistent underrepresentation of Black and Hispanic professionals in the field, his work explores how game-based learning, gamification, and university–district partnerships can address workforce and equity gaps by creating dynamic, alternative pathways into high-demand technology careers. His research also examines how emerging technologies like AI can be integrated to personalize and expand access to these pathways. Guided by the concept of “knowledge ecosystems”, shared, learned, and culturally situated frameworks that shape learning, identity, and opportunity, Ortiz is driven by a deep commitment to equity and access. He aims to reimagine how schools, industry and community-based organizations can collaborate to create meaningful, hands-on, and culturally responsive career exploration experiences that prepare underrepresented students for success in the technology-driven workforce.

Luis spends his spare time with his family, traveling and exercising.