Kennesaw State professor wins award for student support AI

Kennesaw State University assistant professor Sagnik Dakshit has received a Texas Innovator’s Award for VTA, a virtual teaching assistant designed to provide personalized academic support and help instructors improve learning outcomes. Dakshit earned the honor while serving as a faculty member at the University of Texas at Tyler.

VTA was developed as generative AI tools became more common in higher education. The platform answers student questions using only course materials uploaded and approved by instructors, giving students access to course-specific help outside normal office hours while reducing the risk of misinformation associated with public AI tools.

The system also analyzes student conversations to identify topics that may need more explanation and flag signs of disengagement before students fall behind. Dakshit joined Kennesaw State in spring 2026 and is exploring an enhanced version for Desire2Learn, especially in introductory and online courses, with future versions potentially offering academic guidance tied to career goals and resumes.