Melissa Layne

AVP Research & Innovation, American Public University System (APUS)
Editor-in-Chief, International Journal of Open Educational Resources

Location:  United States
Term: 2021-2023

Dr. Melissa Layne is the Associate Vice President of Research and Innovation at American Public University System (APUS).  She also serves as the Founding Editor-in-Chief for the International Journal of Open Educational Resources—the first official academic journal devoted solely to promoting OER research, and to integrate Blockchain technology to permanently record an author’s work.  The first inaugural online issue brought an impressive 5,553 new members in the first three weeks of the website’s debut.

Layne’s research agenda includes topics on Open Educational Resources and a) student retention; b) Blockchain and academic publishing; c) academic peer review; d) incentivization; e) self-paced instructional design and implementation; f) text and predictive analytics, and g) machine learning and AI. Her research has been awarded by several distance learning organizations including the Online Learning Consortium (OLC), National University Technology Network (NUTN), and the Distance Learning Administration (DLA). Layne also served as an Advisory Council Member for, and Contributor to the New Media Consortium annual issue of The Horizon Report. She was also an Invited Participant for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Postsecondary Next Generation Models Advisory Council. She is currently a member on several top tier editorial and advisory boards. Her work has been covered in well over 50 peer-reviewed journal publications, 10 book chapters, presentations, and invited keynotes.