Dr. Kim is a postdoctoral researcher in Engaged Teaching who is enthusiastic about scaffolding and forming communities that everyone can grow together. As a researcher, Minju is interested in promoting the importance of observing nonverbal cues in children’s early development, such as infants’ dance to music with their parents or preschoolers’ spontaneous gestures in production when solving problems. Before joining the Engaged Teaching Hub, Minju served as a teaching assistant for more than 12 different classes in psychology. She also served on the Educational Continuity Committee as a graduate student representative in the psychology department for the transition from in-person to remote classes in 2020. After meeting a wonderful teaching community through the 2020 Summer Graduate Teaching Fellowship Program, Minju is continuing to teach as an instructor of record for remote and in-person classes in psychology, such as introduction to psychology or developmental psychology. Minju’s ultimate goal as a teacher is to lower barriers in education through providing evidence-based class structure for self-guided learning, and provide a safe space for productive struggle for students from all backgrounds. 

During the IA Symposium, you can learn with Minju in "Kickstart Session - Practical Plans for Section Preparation " and "Microlearning Session: Utilizing Interactive Tech Tools to Enhance Learning in the Classroom".

Moon (she/her) is a third year PhD student in the Anthropology department at UC San Diego, as well as a member of the Human Ecology Lab and PIER (Program for Interdisciplinary Environmental Research) at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Broadly, her research focuses on climate change futurities, ecological hauntings, and human-ocean relations across the Pacific and elsewhere. Moon is passionate about exploring the creative and liberatory possibilities of the radical imagination within the learning and teaching space, and is deeply inspired by traditions of speculative storytelling that imagine flourishing worlds and regenerative futures. She has a B.A. in Environmental Systems (Policy) and a minor in Marine Science from UC San Diego, as well as an M.S. in Environmental Sciences and Policy from Johns Hopkins University. 

Moon is deeply enchanted by the magic and mystery of the world(s) around her, and her familiar takes the form of a sunbathing chihuahua. She loves to dance, lift weights, do Lagree and pilates, doodle, drink iced matcha and pumpkin spice lattes, play the drums, and paint.

During the IA Symposium, you can learn with Moon in "Kickstart Session - Practical Plans for Section Preparation".

Ana is originally from Mexico City, but has lived in San Diego since 2018, when she started the PhD program in Sociology. Now a PhD Candidate, Ana's research focuses on how activist art and artists shape our perceptions of social problems, particularly focusing on anti-feminicide art in the United States and Mexico. Aside from being passionate about social research, Ana loves teaching and learning about teaching. She was a student and field coordinator of UCSD's Mexican Migration Field Research Program, where she accompanied 4 cohorts of approximately 30 students (mostly first generation, low income, Latine students) in conducting and analyzing field research at the Tijuana-Mexico border. This experience made her particularly interested in community engaged teaching and learning. Ana has also taught introductory research courses and conducted research on how deep reading tools, such as concept maps, can aid student learning. However, Ana's most humbling and pleasurable life lessons have come from being the parent of a fast-growing 2-year old daughter!

During the IA Symposium, you can learn with Ana in "Microlearning Session: Time Management 101".

Benjamin C. Kennedy (he/him) is a transgender author, educator, and activist who grew up in rural Maryland and later received both his BS and M.Ed. from The University of Vermont. He is currently pursuing a PhD education studies at UC San Diego, where his work focuses on equity policy, international education comparison, and helping educators to create queer and trans affirming curriculum and classrooms. He is a national facilitator with Welcoming Schools, a Board Member for Trans Youth Liberation, and a youth mentor at San Diego Pride. Ben has collaborated with The National Center for Transgender Equality, Planned Parenthood, Gender Odyssey, Bernie Sanders' office, and other organizations, and has been published in diverse outlets including multiple books, several academic journals, HuffPost, NPR, and more. He is a Competitive Edge Fellow, Kroner Fellow, and participated in the Hunter-Simes Institute in Sexuality Studies Fellowship in Sydney, Australia. Ben and his wife Becca have three cats, a three-legged pitbull, and a rotating crew of foster animals including over 200 neonatal kittens and orphaned wildlife. Together they are passionate about good food, good music, and being good to others.

During the IA Symposium, you can learn with Ben in "Engaging Students in Arts, Humanities, Social Sciences and discussion-based sections" and "Microlearning Session: Uncovering TA-terminology: What Do Those Terms Mean?"

Ebru is a PhD candidate in Linguistics and a psycholinguist who investigates how children and adults construct and interpret complex linguistic meanings. Her research focuses on how language users infer meanings beyond the literal words and explores how these meanings are represented in the listener’s mind. She received her BA and MA in English Language Teaching in Ankara, Turkey. She then taught at an English preparatory program for four years where she helped undergraduates develop the language skills necessary for English-medium instruction. At UC San Diego, she has been a teaching assistant for various courses, led discussion sections, and is currently teaching her class as an instructor of record. Ebru is excited about her role as a graduate teaching consultant, seeing it as a unique opportunity to gain deeper insights into teaching, beyond classroom instruction. Outside of academics, she enjoys visiting different coffee shops, cooking for friends and crocheting. She’s also trying her luck with surfing and roller skating - enjoying the SoCal sun and style.

During the IA Symposium, you can learn with Ebru in "Microlearning Session: Office Hours 101".

Dr. Erilynn Heinrichsen serves as the Assistant Director of Engaged Teaching in the Teaching and Learning Commons. Supporting both new and advanced graduate student instructors, Erilynn Heinrichsen’s goal is to ensure that Teaching and Instructional Assistants (TIAs) have the opportunity to receive effective pedagogical training for teaching diverse learners at UC San Diego and in preparation for their future careers. Prior to joining the Teaching + Learning Commons, she taught through the Division of Biological Sciences at UC San Diego and was adjunct faculty at San Diego City College. She earned her Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences from UC San Diego and has been actively involved in the areas of student-centered instruction and inclusive teaching methods throughout her academic career, beginning with training as an NSF GK-12 Socrates Fellow in graduate school and then as an IRACDA Postdoctoral Scholar. Her current research interests include the development of graduate students as reflective and scholarly instructors, and creating opportunities for formative assessments of instructional design and delivery by TIAs. 

During the IA Symposium, you can learn with Erilynn in "Microlearning Session: Grading 101 - Problem Sets/Short Answer".

Parla Buyruk is a Ph.D. candidate in cognitive science at UC San Diego. Before joining the Engaged Teaching Hub, Parla was a teaching assistant in the cognitive science department for more than 15 classes. She has also taught as an instructor of record twice during the pandemic for an introductory research methods class to more than 200 students. She feels grateful for the extensive training and support she received from Engaged Teaching Hub throughout her journey as a Summer Graduate Teaching Scholar, and she is excited to pay it forward by serving fellow graduate instructors as a graduate teaching consultant. In her research, Parla tries to understand how languages we speak influence the ways we talk, think and make judgements about intentionality, agency and blame. Before coming to UC San Diego for her doctoral studies, she received her B.A. in psychology at Koc University in Istanbul, Turkey. During her undergraduate studies, she spent a quarter at UC San Diego as an exchange student, which ultimately shaped her research interests and her decision to join UC San Diego.   

Outside of the university, Parla loves to cook and eat great food, do barre, spend time with friends, and enjoy sunny San Diego.

During the IA Symposium, you can learn with Parla in "Engaging Students in STEM and problem-solving sections".

Eric Rodríguez-Delgado is a PhD Candidate in the Anthropology Department here at UC San Diego. For his dissertation research in anthropological archaeology, Eric draws from his background as part of the Colombian Diaspora to examine how past communities migrated and adapted to the changing Caribbean landscapes of the Late Holocene. He is committed to building equitable and community-centered learning practices in his field and in the classroom, serving on the Ethics Committee for the International Association of Caribbean Archaeology (IACA) and as a teaching assistant for both his home department and for the Dimensions of Culture Writing Program at Thurgood Marshall College. Beyond academia, Eric enjoys being a plant dad, recreational scuba diving, and celebrating his Latin American roots through food. Eric holds B.Phil in Anthropology and History from the University of Pittsburgh and a MA in Maritime Archaeology from the University of Southampton.

During the IA Symposium, you can learn with Eric in "Engaging Students in Arts, Humanities, Social Sciences and discussion-based sections" and "Microlearning Session: Providing Feedback and Grading on Writing."

Hailing from Whitstable, Kent in the UK, Paul Hadjipieris has been in the academy for over ten years. His goals are to provide ongoing faculty support and build rich collaborative relationships. He was previously involved in instructional design in London where he integrated mobile technology and online instruction for faculty. Paul’s research agenda is focused on how emerging educational technologies can be incorporated into classroom practice to support faculty. He is currently working on a number of international Scholarship of Teaching and Learning projects and researching how both virtual and augmented reality can be used to enhance instructional design. He earned his B.A. in American History followed by an M.A. in History and Political Science.

During the IA Symposium, you can learn with Paul in "Microlearning Session: Engaging Students on Zoom".

Sarah Carvalho serves as an Education and Training Specialist with a focus on English language development and engaged teaching. She supports international and local graduate students and faculty through programs that advance communication skills. Sarah has over 15 years of professional experience in higher education, including teaching, program management, and graduate student advising. She has extensive experience supporting nonnative English speaking graduate students who are preparing to work as teaching assistants. She previously served as a Senior Learning Skills Counselor in the Teaching + Learning Commons where she provided language instruction to graduate students and administered assessments. Her prior experience also includes roles at multiple universities, notably as a Language Development Specialist at Carnegie Mellon University's Intercultural Communication Center.

Sarah earned a bachelor's degree in Sociocultural Anthropology from Tufts University and a master's degree in Linguistics from the University of Colorado-Boulder. She holds a certificate in E-Learning and Instructional Design from the University of Washington. Drawing on this background, she is committed to creating an inclusive learning environment that embraces diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds, incorporating an asset-based approach that values each student’s unique strengths and experiences.

During the IA Symposium, you can learn with Sarah in "Microlearning Session: Uncovering TA-terminology: What Do Those Terms Mean?"

Sean is a passionate language teacher who constantly upgrades his teaching by incorporating empirically explored teaching and learning methods. He holds a B.A. in Teaching Chinese as a Second Language from National Taiwan Normal University and is currently pursuing a PhD in Cognitive Science. Sean utilizes EEG (brainwaves) and behavioral methods to investigate communication, language processing, and language learning. His goal at ELP-ii is to apply his language teaching experiences to enhance his fellow TAs' English instruction capabilities across diverse academic fields and further explore ways to enhance language acquisition through action research in the classroom.

During the IA Symposium, you can learn with Sean in "Microlearning Session: Giving Feedback in a Multicultural Classroom".

Sushil is a former middle and high school teacher and is currently a student in the Education Studies doctoral program at UCSD. For his dissertation research he is studying how students in Southern California are socialized into particular ways of relating to the planet and the material world through their experiences in the high school science classrooms and what this socialization may mean for the pursuit of climate justice globally. Prior to joining UCSD, Sushil taught in diverse K-12 settings in India between 2010-17. He holds a Bachelor of Technology degree in Civil Engineering from Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay and a Bachelor of Education from University of Mumbai. Sushil also enjoys backpacking in and around San Diego during winter and spring, and is a volunteer staff member on a wilderness safety training course. 

During the IA Symposium, you can learn with Sushil in "Engaging Students in STEM and problem-solving sections ".

Vanessa serves as an Education Specialist in Engaged Teaching. A daughter of Khmer refugees, Vanessa is invested in imagining more caring and just futures, particularly within institutions of higher education. Prior to her role as an Education Specialist, served as a Graduate Teaching Consultant with the Engaged Teaching Hub and as an instructor across multiple departments, including Education Studies and the college writing programs. Vanessa brings over ten years of experience working within higher education, including the National Institute for Transformation and Equity at Indiana University and the Division of Equity and Inclusion at the University of Oregon. Her pedagogical approach and research are guided by the philosophies of co-creating educational spaces that are shaped by care and reciprocity. Vanessa’s doctoral studies focused on examining inequity and justice at institutions of higher education, coalition and solidarity building among college students, and pedagogies of care on college campuses. Vanessa enjoys spending much of her time at the boxing studio and taking walks with her partner and dog seeking local boba/coffee shops in San Diego. She received both her B.A. in Intercultural Communications and Digital Media Studies and M.A. in Higher Education from the University of Denver.

During the IA Symposium, you can learn with Vanessa in "Microlearning Session: Utilizing Interactive Tech Tools to Enhance Learning in the Classroom".