Graduate Fellows Program

Tesnim is a PhD candidate in the Department of Psychology, where she studies metacognition, or how people think about their own thinking. Because accurate self-knowledge underlies much of everyday decision-making and learning, her work ultimately asks a practical question: How can people come to know their own minds more accurately, and better regulate their behavior as a result? As a Dewey Lectureship Fellow, Tesnim designed and taught Know Thyself: An Introduction to Metacognition, bringing her research into the classroom. Her teaching emphasizes not only mastering course content but also helping students become more accurate judges of their own understanding, or “metacognitively aware”—a skill that supports lifelong learning far beyond any single course. 

Swathi is a fifth year PhD student in the Quantum Science and Engineering program at the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering. As an experimental researcher, she uses lasers to study the properties of imperfections in semiconducting materials that have interesting quantum information science applications. Outside the lab, she is passionate about making physics and quantum mechanics accessible to wide audiences through hands-on experiments. Swathi enjoys singing, reading science fiction and fantasy books, cooking with friends, exploring the neighborhoods and cafes of Chicago, and changing her hairstyle every year. 

Noah is a third-year Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Chemistry working with Professor David Mazziotti. His research focuses on developing quantum computing algorithms to simulate strongly correlated systems. He has served as a teaching assistant for the Introductory General Chemistry and Honors Chemistry sequences. Noah has also co-taught as a math instructor for Math Circles of Chicago at Walter Payton High School. As a CCTL Fellow, he aims to improve the quantum education landscape and contribute to quantum workforce development initiatives through the Quantum Teaching and Learning Series, which hosts invited speakers from universities and organizations across Chicago. 

Katie is a sixth-year PhD candidate in the Department of Mathematics working with Professor Ngô Bao Châu where she is supported by an NSF fellowship. Katie has taught and been a teaching assistant for many undergraduate and graduate math courses. Additionally, she regularly participates in the department’s weekly math pedagogy seminar. Katie received her undergraduate degree in mathematics and music from the University of Notre Dame. She then earned a Marshall Scholarship, which she used to study in the United Kingdom prior to beginning her studies here in Chicago. Katie plays the violin in the University Symphony Orchestra.   

Siobhan Finnerty is a PhD candidate in Political Science researching the localized political effects of international development. At the University of Chicago, she has served as a teaching assistant for undergraduate courses in comparative politics and research methods. Before coming to Chicago, she worked as a GIS Analyst for a DC firm specializing in telecommunications. She holds an MA in International Relations from the University of Chicago as well as a BA in International Relations and Geography from George Washington University. As a CCTL Fellow, Siobhan hopes to develop resources that will support effective and empowering teaching in social science fields.  

Katherine is a third-year Ph.D. student in the Committee on Computational and Applied Mathematics. As a researcher in statistical genetics, she develops novel statistical methods for understanding gene expression. She has previously served as a teaching assistant at UChicago and her alma mater, MIT, and will be lecturing in first-year calculus courses this year. Katherine actively works on strategies to build inclusive learning environments and activate students’ prior knowledge. As a CCTL Graduate Teaching Fellow, she looks forward to collaborating with educators across disciplines to make learning more accessible for all students. In her free time, Katherine enjoys painting, singing a cappella, catching a White Sox game, and rooting for the Buffalo Bills. 

Rhya is a PhD candidate in the Department of English Language and Literature where she is completing a dissertation about black consciousness and anxiety. She has experience teaching pre-schoolers through adults in various lead and supporting roles. At UChicago, Rhya has most recently designed and taught courses called Madwomen, American Satire, and Literature of the Apocalypse. Rhya is also a certified yoga instructor, wellness curator, and programmer with ongoing collaborations with Arts + Public Life, UChicago Spiritual Life, and more. As a CCTL fellow, Rhya is excited about innovative elements of curriculum and course design and diversifying engagement modalities in the classroom space and beyond. 

Maggie is a PhD candidate in Philosophy. Her research examines what psychopathologies reveal about the nature of consciousness, perception, and subjectivity. She taught as both an instructor and as a teaching assistant for various courses in philosophy of mind and ethics, and she received the Wayne C. Booth Graduate Student Prize for Excellence in Teaching in 2022. She also serves as Teaching Consultant at the CCTL and enjoys collaborating with instructors on how to develop inclusive and student-centered learning practices. As a CCTL fellow, Maggie looks forward to continuing to support, empower, and learn from other educators and is eager to create programming that adds to the insightful pedagogical discussions ongoing in the UChicago community. 

Kanika is a PhD candidate in the Department of South Asian Languages and Civilizations. Her primary area of research is North and Northwest India. Her dissertation examines the relationship between Rajput history and Hindi literature in the colonial period. She strives to create an inclusive and engaging classroom where students connect South Asian languages, literatures, and histories to develop a broader cultural understanding of the region. As a CCTL Fellow, she looks forward to learning from and contributing to a community of educators committed to thoughtful and inclusive teaching.  Alongside her research and teaching, she is raising her kid and, in her spare time, learning Korean. 

Mary Kemp is a PhD candidate in the Department of English Language and Literature.  Her dissertation-in-progress considers the concept of “folly” in medieval literature.  The project explores how medieval English writers used the multiple meanings of “folly” to negotiate between multiple, conflicting accounts of what it was to make vernacular literature—its media, its purposes, and its stakes.  Mary Kemp is passionate about active, student-centered, and inclusive instruction and course design.  Her course “Self-Help, Medieval and Modern” was awarded the 2025 Stuart Tave Course Design Award in the Humanities Division.  She is especially interested in pedagogies of writing and enjoys working with student writers. 

Katie is a 6th year PhD Candidate in the Psychology department. Katie researches social cognitive development, or how children reason about the social world. Her work mostly focuses on how school-aged children think about social status, interpersonal relationships, and peer pressure. At the University of Chicago, Katie has received the Dewey Lectureship Prize, for which she designed her own course called How and Why We Win Friends and Influence People. She has also served as Instructor of Record for Social Psychology and has been a Teaching Assistant for various Psychology and Statistics courses. As a CCTL Fellow, Katie especially enjoys teaching about effective, inclusive pedagogy. She has brought some of these inclusive practices to her website so more teachers will find them.  

Alexandra is on the Committee on Molecular Metabolism in the Biological Sciences Division, where she investigates tumor-muscle crosstalk in cancer cachexia. Her favorite teaching experience has been serving as a lead instructor for the Collegiate Scholars Program, where she developed and taught Contemporary Issues in Life Sciences and Bioethics for the past three summers. In the College, she has led a quarter of the Collaborative Learning in Biology series for undergraduates. Outside of UChicago, Alexandra tutors high school students in the Chicagoland area across a range of subjects, from biology to history to essay writing in collaboration with the Neighborhood Schools Program.  As a senior fellow, Alexandra hopes to continue supporting graduate student teaching in STEM by employing cross-disciplinary strategies.  

Haibei is a fifth-year graduate student in the Biophysical Sciences program, co-mentored by Dr. Jasmine Nirody and Dr. Ed Munro. Her current research explores cell locomotion, flagellar dynamics, and symbiotic interactions. She has six months of experience as a teaching assistant for Biophysics Research Immersion, where she mentored students as they developed and conducted their biophysics research projects. She has also participated in eight science outreach festivals throughout her Ph.D., which has strengthened her passion for making science engaging and accessible to diverse audiences. As a new CCTL graduate fellow, she looks forward to learning from the vibrant teaching community at the University and contributing to building inclusive and effective pedagogies in the sciences.