Dr. Pregalathan (Preggy) Reddy

Position: Specialist: Systems Administrator & Educational Technology Researcher

Tel: +27 81 467 8158

Websites: preggyreddy.co.za | GitHub: resurrectethos

🆔 ORCID: 0000-0002-7274-7635

QUALIFICATIONS

• PhD in Information Technology — Durban University of Technology (2023)
  Thesis: “The development of a computerized simulation model to guide the South African higher education sector in short and long-term planning of TEL infrastructure”
• MTech in Language Practice (Cum Laude) — Durban University of Technology (2014)
  Thesis: “Development of a Language Learning Object Repository (LLOR) for second language teachers of English in Computer-Assisted Language Learning”
• BTech in Library & Information Studies (Distinction in Information Retrieval 4) — Durban Institute of Technology (2002)
• Faculty Certificate in Online Learning — Manipal University, Malaysia (2015)

BIOGRAPHY & Research Statement

Dr. Pregalathan (Preggy) Reddy is a Systems Administrator, Educational Technology Specialist, and Researcher at the Durban University of Technology (DUT), with over two decades of experience in enterprise Learning Management System (LMS) infrastructure and digital didactics. He holds a PhD in Information Technology from DUT (2023), where his doctoral research pioneered computerized simulation models for technology-enhanced learning (TEL) infrastructure forecasting across South African higher education.

Operating under the philosophy of the “Scholar-as-Builder,” Dr. Reddy’s current research investigates “The Augmentation Paradigm”—specifically the design, didactics, and security of Human-in-the-Loop (HITL) Socratic AI scaffolding. His work integrates Critical Realism and Cognitive Load Theory to engineer non-directive AI feedback mechanisms that mitigate automation bias, unburden academic supervisors, and protect human abductive reasoning in massified learning environments.

Current Roles & Strategic Responsibilities at CELT

• Design & Empirical Validation: Leads empirical testing for “The Augmentation Paradigm,” evaluating human-AI cognitive scaffolding frameworks in higher education.
• Pedagogical Advising: Advises CELT’s specialized reporting units (Digital Learning and Learning Analytics) on implementing Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) models and predictive learner analytics.
• Enterprise Infrastructure: Coordinates secure, localized RAG sandbox testing and privacy-hardened educational middleware across student cohorts.

Core Areas of Expertise

• Educational Strategy: The Augmentation Paradigm, Critical Realist Social Ontology, Cognitive Load Theory (CLT), TPACK Faculty Development, Open Distance and e-Learning (ODeL) Systems.
• Systems Engineering & Cloud: Python, FastAPI Backend, Docker, Kubernetes, Serverless Cloud Architectures (Google Cloud Run, Cloudflare Workers), Schema-Isolated Multi-Tenant Databases.
• AI & Learning Analytics: Local Embedding Generation, Vector Database Optimization (FAISS), Real-Time Computer Vision (YOLO backbones), Semantic Delta Algorithms (Revision Depth & Cognitive Autonomy metrics).

Selected Publications & Scholarly Merits

Published Book Chapters, Journal Articles & Refereed Proceedings

• Pratt, D. D., & Reddy, P. (2026). Use of AI Agents and Agentic AI to Evaluate University Curricula. In M. Carmo (Ed.), Education Applications & Developments XI (pp. 189–201). Lisbon: inScience Press.
• Pratt, D. D., & Reddy, P. (2026). Online Course Evaluation Using a Built-In Moodle Module: A Critical Realist Approach. In U. G. Singh (Ed.), Navigating the Future of Education with AI, Inclusivity, and Sustainability in Pedagogy, Springer Transactions on Digital Learning (pp. 15–25). Singapore: Springer.
• Pratt, D. D., & Reddy, P. (2026). Conceptualising the teaching/learning process to ensure resilience in higher education. In S. Graham & C. Meintjies (Eds.), Resilience in higher education: the South African experience (pp. 25–59). Johannesburg: University of Johannesburg Press.
• Pratt, D. D., & Reddy, P. (2025). Digital-Human Collaboration in Higher Degree Course Evaluation. The International Journal of Technologies in Learning, 32(2), 223–240.

Manuscripts Near Submission and Works in Progress

• Pratt, , & Reddy, P. (2026). Transformative Principles and Practices in Education. To be presented virtually at the 19th Annual International Conference of Education, Research and Innovation (ICERI2026), 9–11 November 2026. ICERI2026 Proceedings, IATED Digital Library (Paper ID: 129954, Abstract 1112).
• Reddy, (2026). The Systems Engineering of Didactic RAG Scaffolds: The Methodos LTI 1.3 Architecture. Targeted for Review of Artificial Intelligence in Education (RAIE) / IEEE Transactions on Learning Technologies (Manuscript near submission).
• Reddy, P. Epistemological Cartography & Institutional Geographies: An Empirical Study of South African Higher Education. (Monograph in development).

Honors Awards and Fellowships

• Fulbright South African Research Scholar Program (SARSP 2027–2028): Shortlisted Finalist & Candidate Selection Interviewee (U.S. Consulate General / Fulbright Panel, October 2026).
• 2026 South Africa MedTech Innovation Challenge (CSIR / DSTI): Stage 1 Qualified Contender in AI-Enabled Care & Triage (Category A: Innovation/Research).
• Google for Startups Cloud Program: Grantee ($25,000 active infrastructure allocation).
• NVIDIA Inception Program: Selected Member for hardware-accelerated AI/deep learning research.