Italo Santos

I hold a Bachelor's degree in Digital Media and Systems with ``Magna Cum Laude'' from the Federal University of Ceará in 2017. I hold an M.Sc. in Computer Science and Computational Mathematics from the University of São Paulo (USP-ICMC). I am a PhD student at Northern Arizona University (NAU), focusing mainly on software engineering research.

Teaching experience and philosophy

My academic journey has been enriched by various experiences that have allowed me to grow professionally and personally. I actively participated in research projects, teaching assistantships, and service activities during my undergraduate and graduate studies. 

During my master's program, I also served as a Graduate Teaching Assistant (GTA) at the University of São Paulo. I mentored courses on software testing, information systems, and web development. My responsibilities included class assignment planning and correction, collaborating on designing syllabi and lesson plans, and providing assistance during lab activities. These experiences have nurtured my passion for educational support and a profound commitment to student development.

As a Ph.D. student at NAU, I have been working as a GTA (Fall'22, Spring'23, and Fall'23). In this capacity, I have actively contributed to guiding and mentoring students through the process of developing their Computer Science capstone projects (CS476 and CS486). My role as a GTA involved mentoring numerous student groups, guiding them through various activities ranging from initial project conceptualization and requirement engineering to implementation and product delivery stages. Throughout my GTA role, I had the opportunity to collaborate with 10 different capstone student groups, each consisting of an average of four students. This experience allowed me to develop expertise in managing diverse scenarios and providing support to a wide range of students. Witnessing the progression of students, both academically and personally, has resonated with me, highlighting the impact of my mentorship and guidance skills. During this time as a GTA, I collaborated with students to develop a poster for their work presentation at the NAU Undergrad Symposium. Through extensive interactions and by encouraging the students to give their utmost effort, one of the capstone teams I mentored achieved the distinction of winning the Best Poster award at the conference. Observing my students achieve their goals serves as a driving force that motivates me to continue my dedicated work. My teaching experiences continuously inspire me to pursue the dream of becoming a faculty member. This aspiration resonates with my deep passion for academia, student development, knowledge sharing, and the promotion of collaborative learning. 

I believe it's important to emphasize the approach and philosophy I bring to mentoring and teaching. I approach mentoring and teaching with a deep commitment to student growth and learning. My philosophy centers around fostering an environment where students feel empowered to explore, ask questions, and develop their critical thinking skills. I believe in creating a safe space for students to make mistakes and learn from them, as this is often where the most significant growth occurs. One notable challenge I've encountered is the diversity of student backgrounds and learning styles. To address this challenge, I employ a flexible teaching approach that adapts to the needs of individual students and the dynamics of the group. I also emphasize active engagement and participation, encouraging students to take ownership of their learning. Moreover, I take pride in my ability to break down complex topics into understandable components, making them accessible to all students. I've received positive feedback from students who appreciate my clarity in explaining concepts and my patience in addressing their questions. In my view, teaching and mentoring are not just about imparting knowledge but also about inspiring a love for learning. I'm passionate about instilling in students a sense of curiosity, the confidence to tackle challenges, and the ability to think critically. These principles guide my approach as a GTA, and as a future faculty member I want to keep improving my teaching style and keep learning how to better support my students.

My teaching philosophy aligns with Paulo Freire's concept of teachers as learners in dialogue with students. It emphasizes open communication, a comfortable learning environment, and the mutual learning process between students and myself. Moreover, my industry experiences have shaped my teaching practices to incorporate real-world experiences, teamwork, and self-organization to prepare students for the tech industry. Working as a GTA with computer science majors has been a rewarding experience, and their achievements motivate me to support their academic and professional success.

Research and professional experience

In the scholarly realm, I am actively conducting research and publishing papers at national and international conferences such as the International Conference on Software Engineering (ICSE)---the premiere venue in Software Engineering---and the IEEE International Conference on Software Analysis, Evolution and Reengineering (SANER); as well as journals like the Empirical Software Engineering Journal. I have reviewed submissions for journals like the Brazilian Journal of Information Systems (iSys) and the Systems and Digital Media journal. On the international stage, I have contributed as a reviewer (2018-2023) and served on program committees (2019-2023) for conferences in the software engineering field. In these roles, I have played a part in facilitating the growth of the research community. Notably, I have held positions such as Publicity Chair for SESoS/WDES (2020-2023), ICPC (2024), and WASHES (2021-2022), as well as Proceedings Chair for SESoS/WDES (2024).

It is worth mentioning that I also have industry experience in project management, web application development, and software quality, with a strong emphasis on software testing from 2015 to 2021. This background helps me bring practical experience to the classroom and improve my teaching practice.

I currently hold the position of representative for NAU's College of Engineering, Informatics, and Applied Sciences (CEIAS) within the Graduate Student Government (GSG) (2022/2023). In this capacity, I actively participate in regular meetings, focusing on addressing the concerns and issues raised by graduate students. Additionally, I advocate for providing support and guidance to graduate students on their academic journeys. Moreover, I also collaborate with projects that facilitate knowledge sharing in science by being a volunteer member of the Frontiers of Software Engineering podcast, a scientific dissemination initiative to reflect on the present and future of software engineering in Brazil.