- Anushree Bhatia
- Education and Psychology (CPEP)
- [email protected]
Anushree Bhatia is a Ph.D. candidate in the Combined Program for Education and Psychology (CPEP). Anushree studies the role of systemic inequities and social contexts in shaping the psychosocial development of students, particularly women of color in academic spaces. Additionally, she has been involved in a partnership with local Ann Arbor public schools through the CPEP-PALS initiative, where higher education learners use a positive youth development approach to mentor middle schoolers. Before graduate school, Anushree was a Project Manager at Child Trends in Washington, DC where she contributed to projects on adolescent well-being, parenting, as well as organizational racial equity. She holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Mount Holyoke College. In her free time, Anushree enjoys dancing, taking care of her plants, and ceramics.
- Richard A. Bachmann
- History; Science and Technology Studies (STS); Museum Studies
- [email protected]
Richard A. Bachmann is a Ph.D. candidate in the History Department where he focuses on the history of science and technology. His dissertation project looks at how the auto assembly line became a crucial production site of mental health-related knowledge in the postwar US. In a related mini-exhibition project, Richard seeks to translate some of the insights from his dissertation into a piece of immersive public scholarship which allows visitors to explore the postwar history of automated labor and its psychological effects. Richard has taught two history courses and two STS courses at U-M, as well as several courses in American studies at Leipzig University, Germany, where he completed a BA and MA. A proud recipient of the U-M Graduate Teacher Certificate and the Rackham DEI Certificate, Richard is honored that his dedication to teaching and mentorship has been recognized by both the History Department and Rackham through Outstanding GSI Awards. He is an avid runner and cyclist who loves to kick around the ball for Woodbridge FC in his free time.
- Addie Block
- Anthropology
- [email protected]
Addie Block (she/they) is a 6th-year PhD Candidate in Linguistic Anthropology at the University of Michigan. Their dissertation research examines the social consequences of language policy change in Morocco after the Indigenous language, Tamazight, became officialized in 2011. After completing a graduate certificate in Community Action and Research, Addie is an Engaged Learning Consultant with the Ginsberg Center. Addie has served as Graduate Student Instructor for five semesters at UM, including an upper-level writing course, and was the GSI Mentor for the Anthropology department. They also have extensive experience teaching Arabic as an instructional aide at the University of Maryland, Indiana University, and the University of Texas. In their free time, Addie enjoys reading across genres, playing with their cats, and dabbling in fiber arts.
- Brianne Brenneman
- Urban and Regional Planning
- [email protected]
Brianne (she/her) is a second year PhD student in Urban and Regional Planning, focusing on the connection between community development and health promotion. She is passionate about partnering with communities to advocate for health-equity and is especially interested in how social infrastructure can mediate the relationship between the social determinants of health (e.g. income, education, housing access) and health outcomes for marginalized populations. At UM, Brianne has GSI’d three courses (one undergraduate and two graduate-level) in public health and urban planning, and she taught undergraduate public health for four years at Goshen College. As the public health program director, Brianne developed several community-engaged learning courses. In addition to developing and teaching eight different public health courses, she also team-taught a first-year writing seminar and two sessions of a course where she traveled with students to learn about disaster and recovery in different areas of the US. In her free time, Brianne spends time with her husband (Kyle), 3-year old son (Emmett), and dog (Ollie), bakes, gardens, and practices hot yoga.
- Eda Bozkurt
- Architecture
- [email protected]
- Eda Bozkurt is a Ph.D. candidate in Architecture at the University of Michigan. Her research examines the socio-spatial consequences of state-led urban renewal in Turkey, focusing on the displacement and everyday resistance of gecekondu communities. Grounded in critical spatial theory, feminist epistemologies, and participatory methods, her work foregrounds resident knowledge and collective memory in imagining more just urban futures.
- Eda has served as a GSI in the Department of Architecture, primarily teaching history/theory courses, and as a GSSA with Rackham’s Professional Development and Engagement team. She is also a GSIC at CRLT, mentoring instructors on inclusive and reflective teaching. An engaged campus leader, Eda is Chair of the Ginsberg Center Student Advisory Board, an Engaged Learning Consultant, and a Rackham Student Government representative. Her work has earned the Edward Ginsberg Center Graduate Impact Award, the MLK Spirit Awards, the Michigan Difference Student Leadership Award, and induction into the Edward A. Bouchet Graduate Honor Society.
- Outside academia, she is a competitive ballroom dancer and pilates enthusiast. She also enjoys long walks and spending time with her dog, Masi (her favorite research companion and cuddle buddy).
- Sean Calvert
- Chemistry
- [email protected]
- Sean Calvert is a 4th year Ph.D. candidate in the Chemistry department. He is a member of the Montgomery group, where he conducts organic chemistry research. He is specifically interested in developing new C–H bond functionalization reactions. Sean has had experience teaching undergraduate courses in organic chemistry including CHEM 210, 211, 215, and 216, as well as a graduate level class in CHEM 543. In his teaching, Sean prioritizes an inclusive environment that makes organic chemistry more accessible to his students. He also believes the most powerful thing he can do as an instructor is teach his students how they learn most effectively. Sean earned his BS in chemistry with a minor in anthropology from Southwestern University in Austin, Texas. In his free time, Sean enjoys staying active and is an amateur photographer.
- Isaias Ceballos III
- Linguistics
- [email protected]
Isaias Ceballos III is a Ph.D. candidate in Linguistics at the University of Michigan. His research interests are centered around sociophonetics and psycholinguistics. He studies variable perceptions of offense and is largely interested in linguistic microaggressions. He thoroughly enjoys teaching about language and discrimination, as well as language and cognition. Isaias has taught several courses, such as Language and the Mind, Language and Discrimination, and Phonology. He has also served as a Graduate Student Mentor, in which he has had the opportunity to observe and provide feedback to fellow GSIs in his department. Isaias is passionate about inspiring others to pursue their career goals and is an advocate for fostering inclusivity in spaces that are historically exclusionary. In his free time, he enjoys motorcycle riding, photographing landscapes, and writing poetry.
- Jada Childs
- Psychology
- [email protected]
Jada Childs is a doctoral candidate and graduate researcher in the Developmental Psychology program at the University of Michigan. Her research centers around BIPOC emerging adults' health and academic experiences. Her focuses include imposter phenomenon, racial socialization, neighborhood trauma, socioeconomic status, and academic motivation. Jada's work aims to discover the ways that intersectional identity mechanisms (race, class, gender) and experiences of trauma converge to impact marginalized students' mental health and sense of belonging in academic spaces. She takes a trauma-informed and healing-centered approach to investigate ways to mitigate the unique challenges faced by these students. Jada believes in promoting holistic approaches to pedagogy that focus on cultivating an environment of safety, wellness, and academic success.
Jada has been a GSI for the department of psychology teaching both Psychology 111 "Introduction to Psychology" and Psychology 250 "Developmental Psychology". Jada loves being active and enjoys hiking, biking, traveling, and amusement parks.
- Leesi George-Komi
- Movement Science
- [email protected]
Leesi George-Komi is a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Movement Science in the School of Kinesiology. His research focuses on the intersections of physical activity, motor skills, mental health, and health disparities among minority youth, particularly exploring how sports participation moderates the relationship between adverse childhood experiences and mental health outcomes. Leesi has served as a Graduate Student Instructor at both the University of Michigan and the University of Georgia, teaching and managing a diverse range of courses from ultimate frisbee and volleyball to traditional kinesiology subjects. Regardless of the course or setting, he is dedicated to fostering inclusive learning environments and is passionate about leveraging his research to promote equitable academic and health outcomes for young people. Outside of academia, Leesi enjoys biking, playing basketball, and volunteering in his community.
- Bryanne Gordon
- Earth & Environmental Sciences
- [email protected]
Bryanne Gordon is a 4th year doctoral candidate and graduate researcher in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at the University of Michigan. Bryanne’s research centers around igneous petrology, specifically timescales of mineral growth in high SiO2 rhyolite magmas in the Long Valley Caldera volcanic system in eastern California. Bryanne has taught lab sections as a GSI in the Earth department including Introductory Earth Science, Geology of the National Parks, and Magmatism, Metamorphism and Plate Tectonics. Bryanne’s passion in teaching is to empower students, especially those typically not traditionally represented in the geosciences, to engage in topics and skills that they find daunting or inaccessible.
- Daisy Haas
- Chemistry
- [email protected]
Daisy Haas is a Ph.D. student in the Chemistry Department, researching chemistry education. Daisy’s interests lie in the intersection of writing, reasoning, and justice in the chemistry classroom. Daisy deeply believes in creating curriculum, activities, and classroom experiences that are inclusive of all identities and create a culture of care. They serve as a GSI for an upper-level biochemistry writing course and a GSM for introductory organic chemistry laboratories at the University of Michigan. Daisy earned a BS in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry and a minor in Rhetoric and Writing at Chapman University. In her free time, Daisy enjoys cooking, reading, biking, walking, and playing with their cat, Ivy.
- Keanu Heydari
- History
- [email protected]
Keanu Heydari is a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of History. His research focuses on French and Iranian cultural, intellectual, and migration history. Heydari’s dissertation examines Iranian students, political dissidents, and intellectuals in Europe after the 1953 coup d’état in Iran. Heydari was born and raised in Los Angeles, California, and is an alumnus of the University of California, Los Angeles (B.A., History, French language minor, 2017). When he's not in the archives, he's often strategizing about pedagogy and thinking through research-based and critically reflexive teaching practices.
- Angie Kim
- Center for the Study in Higher and Postsecondary Education (CSHPE)
- [email protected]
Angie Kim is a Ph.D. candidate in the Center for the Study in Higher and Postsecondary Education (CSHPE) at U-M. Her research explores the role of relationalities and networks as mechanisms for organizational change in higher education, specifically in the context of pursuing racial equity. Prior to U-M, Angie worked as a student affairs professional at New York University in student life, social justice education, and residential life. At U-M, Angie taught undergraduate and graduate students as a GSI for Sociology/Organizational Studies and CSHPE departments. In her free time, Angie enjoys eating and cooking with friends and is an amateur potter.
- Katya Kornievskaia
- College of Pharmacy
- [email protected]
Katya Kornievskaia is a third year PharmD candidate in the College of Pharmacy. She earned a BS in Biochemistry from the University of Michigan in 2022. Her interests are in medical chemistry, drug development, and clinical trials. The focus of her PharmD Investigation research is interprofessional education and the impact of self- and peer-evaluation. Katya has worked as a GSI at the University of Michigan for three semesters, teaching an introductory chemistry lab twice (Chem 125/6) and a physiology discussion once (Physiol 201). In her free time, Katya loves going rock climbing. During the fall, you can usually find her driving 6 hours for a weekend trip to climb at the Red River Gorge in Kentucky.
- Franshelly M. Martinez-Ortiz
- Political Science
- [email protected]
Franshelly M. Martinez-Ortiz (she/her) is a Ph.D. Candidate in Political Science and Public Policy at the University of Michigan. Her research examines the intersections of race, conspiracy thinking, political psychology, and public policy. Her research aims to inform policy and public discourse by shedding light on how systemic neglect and state violence influence political behavior in marginalized communities. After obtaining her PhD, Martínez-Ortiz aims to pursue a career in academia and serve as a mentor for other first-generation scholars.
- Irene Morse
- Political Science
- [email protected]
Irene Morse is a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Political Science. Her dissertation examines how immigrants' political norms change after moving from an authoritarian context to a more democratic one. Irene started working as a teacher in between undergrad and grad school, serving first as a math tutor at a high school near her hometown and then as an ESL and test prep instructor abroad. She then transitioned to working as a GSI at U-M, where she has taught in both the Political Science and Public Health departments. Irene's teaching practice centers on empowering students to take charge of their own learning process and fight limiting beliefs about who is intelligent/competent in the U-M classroom. In her free time, she enjoys spending time outdoors with her partner and their two dogs.
- Courtney Myers
- Neuroscience Graduate Program
- [email protected]
Courtney Myers is a Ph.D. candidate in the Neuroscience Graduate Program. Her research is focused on cholinergic signaling in the inferior colliculus and how this signaling influences state-dependent auditory processing. Courtney received her MS and BS in Chemical Biology and Neuroscience from the University of Michigan. During her undergraduate education she aided in literacy education in the Ann Arbor Public School system through America Reads Tutoring Corps and served as a peer-to-peer tutor at the Science Learning Center (SLC) and the Office of Academic and Multicultural Initiatives (OAMI) at the University of Michigan. As a graduate student, Courtney has been a lead GSI for neuroanatomy and laboratory-based cellular, molecular, and developmental biology courses. Courtney is passionate about science communication and uncovering hidden curricula in STEAM. In her free time, she enjoys tending to her ever-expanding plant collection and hiking with her dog, Kya.
- Lindy Ortiz
- Philosophy
- [email protected]
Lindy Lane Ortiz is a Ph.D. candidate in Philosophy at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, focusing on feminist/political epistemology, Sexual Ethics, Social and Political Philosophy, and Philosophy of Race. She coordinates the Ann Arbor Ethics Bowl and COMPASS, a diversity workshop for aspiring philosophy graduate students. With a Philosophy and Political Science background, Lindy is passionate about social justice, teaching, and making philosophy accessible. In her free time, she also enjoys hanging out with their beagles, Ben and Sam.
- Brittany Pendergraft
- Classical Studies
- [email protected]
Brittany Pendergraft is a seventh-year PhD candidate in the Department of Classical Studies’ Language and Literature program. Her research focuses on Ancient Greek linguistics and the composition-in-performance of oral poetry. To further pursue her interest in the latter, she is currently a research fellow with UM’s Center for World Performance Studies. Over the years, Brittany has been a GSI for many Greek civilization courses, for which she received an Outstanding GSI award. She has also taught several of her own courses, including Latin language courses as well as a large lecture course on medical terminology. Her pedagogical interests include student engagement, student empowerment, and the development of transferable learning skills. These interests stem from her own experiences and struggles as an undergraduate from a poor, uneducated family. She has formally served as a Graduate Student Mentor twice and continues to regularly tutor and mentor graduate students in her department. In her free time, she loves ballet, tennis, basketball, music, and hiking with her dog, Rigby.
- Melissa Valerie
- English & Education
- [email protected]
Melissa Valerie is a Ph.D. student in the Joint Program in English and Education (JPEE). Her research interests include reading and writing pedagogies, developmental education, and teaching and learning in community colleges. At U-M, she has served as an Instructor of Record in the English Department Writing Program (EDWP). Before coming to the University of Michigan, Melissa taught first-year composition, developmental reading and writing, and adult literacy courses at City University of New York (CUNY). As an instructor, Melissa values a learner-centered approach to teaching and enjoys designing collaborative learning activities that help students engage more deeply with course materials. In her free time, Melissa enjoys reading, exploring museums, and taking long walks.
- Ethan Voss
- English & Education
- [email protected]
Ethan Voss is a second-year PhD student in the Joint Program in English and Education (JPEE). His research interests include writing program administration, first-year composition, teacher education, and critical writing pedagogies. At the University of Michigan, he has taught ENGLISH 125: Writing and Academic Inquiry and ENGLISH 229: Professional Writing in the English Department Writing Program. Ethan’s pedagogical interests include designing and scaffolding effective assignments, enacting critical pedagogies, and assessing student learning. In his spare time, he enjoys reading, traveling, watching volleyball, binging sitcoms, and going out with friends.
- Veronica Cook Williamson
- Germanic Languages and Literatures
- [email protected]
Veronica Cook Williamson is a Ph.D. candidate in Germanic Languages and Literatures and a Museum Studies Fellow. Her dissertation focuses broadly on migration and multilingualism in contemporary (post-2000) German culture. She has a keen interest in second language acquisition, the roles of public history in education, and learning beyond the classroom, including in museums or various public spaces. Veronica has taught five semesters at the University of Michigan, three of which were language courses where she was instructor-of-record, one of which was a literature course where she led weekly discussion sections, and one of which she was a guest lecturer throughout the semester.
- Hilary Zedlitz
- Political Science
- [email protected]
Hilary Zedlitz is a Ph.D. Candidate in political science focusing on American politics. Her research interests include political psychology, religion and politics, and survey measurement. At U-M, she has served as both a GSI and Instructor of Record in the department of Political Science for courses ranging from Introduction to Comparative Politics to Religion and Politics in the United States. Hilary received her B.A. in political science & Middle East Studies at the University of Arkansas in 2016. Before coming to the University of Michigan, Hilary served as an academic advisor for first-year students at her alma mater, and as an Assistant Port Chaplain in the ports of Everett, Tacoma, and Seattle, WA. In her free time, Hilary enjoys playing board games & listening to podcasts.
