Patrick Hong
Founder and CEO of Prenostik; Lecturer at University of California, Irvine
Scaling Prenostik’s 'My Learning Coach' to improve student retention and graduation rates through AI-driven pedagogy.
Intro
I'm Patrick Hong, the Founder and CEO of Prenostik and a Lecturer at the UC Irvine Samueli School of Engineering. My career has been a unique journey from nearly two decades as an Executive Editor at Road & Track to leading an NSF-funded AI EdTech startup. I sit at the intersection of technology, pedagogy, and storytelling, focusing on how we can use AI to augment rather than replace human cognition. I'm deeply passionate about 'Purpose-First Learning' and helping students find their agency through what I call the 'productive struggle.' Whether I'm discussing the future of AI in the classroom or high-performance automotive technology, my goal is to foster resilience and ethical reasoning in the next generation. I’m looking to connect with fellow educators and innovators who are interested in scaling human-centric learning solutions.
Networking
What I can offer
- ›Expertise on responsible AI integration in classrooms
- ›Strategies for fostering student resilience and agency
- ›Technical communication and storytelling mentorship
What I'm looking for
- ›Educators and university administrators
- ›EdTech community partners
- ›Opportunities to scale student retention solutions
Best fit for
Focus
Current interests
Core competencies
Background
Career
Began in automotive journalism as Executive Editor at Road & Track for 18 years before transitioning into startup advisory and academia. Founded Prenostik in 2012, eventually pivoting to an NSF-funded AI EdTech focus while lecturing at UC Irvine.
Education
MBA from UCLA Anderson and National University of Singapore; M.S. Aerospace Engineering from USC; B.S. Mechanical Engineering from UC Irvine.
Achievements
- ›Secured National Science Foundation (NSF) funding for Prenostik
- ›2023 UCI Faculty Fellow for Digital Learning Excellence
- ›Holds Patent No. US 8,762,874 B2 for Quantitative Analysis
- ›Inducted into the Samueli School of Engineering Hall of Fame
- ›Finished 37th overall at the 24 Hours of Nürburgring in a Maserati
Opinions
- Tools like AI solve the 'how' of learning, but only teachers provide the 'why'.
- Errorless learning is a mistake; students need 'productive struggle' to learn effectively.
- Education must double down on human skills like ethical reasoning and empathy as mechanics become automated.
- Boredom is essential for creativity and original thought.
Personality
Communication style
Professional, reflective, and pedagogical with journalistic clarity.
Formality — 8/10
Vocabulary