Current Graduate Teaching Fellows

2012-2013 Graduate Teaching Fellows

Benjamin Chiles is a fifth-year Ph.D. student in the Communication Studies department.

Brian Clites is a doctoral candidate in Religious Studies, where he is exploring technologies that enhance the interactive classroom. Brian has six years of experience teaching humanities courses, and he was awarded the University of Chicago's highest graduate teaching prize for a writing class he taught there.

Jennifer Hobbs is a fifth-year graduate student in the Physics department doing computational and behavioral research on the neuromechanics of the rat whisker system. With the Searle Center, Jen has served as a Teaching Consultant (2012-13), a Graduate Teaching Mentor (2011-12), and a TA Fellow (2009-11). Jen has been a teaching assistant (discussion and laboratory) for a number of introductory physics courses at Northwestern and was n HHMI Teaching Fellow for the NuViBE program in 2011-12, helping to redesign the Bio 210 sequence.

Rachel Ricci is a Ph.D. candidate in Political Science. She currently teaches Political Theory courses at Loyola University Chicago. In the past she has taught in Northwestern's School of Continuing Studies and served as the Head Teaching Assistant for the Political Science Department. She has led workshops for the Searle Center since 2008.

Kati Sweaney is a fifth-year Ph.D. candidate in Interdisciplinary Theatre and Drama. Her work examines scientists and educators who use performance to teach non-scientists about the human brain. At Northwestern she has taught theatre practice, history, and theory; humanities; and English.

Desiree Weber is a fourth-year in Political Science and is working on what theories of language and linguistic change reveal about how we perceive political action. Desiree also works as a Teaching Consultant for the Searle Center and has previously served as a TA Fellow for the New TA Conference. Her previous TA assignments have included introductory Political Theory, American Politics, and International Relations courses, as well as upper-level courses in US Foreign Policy and Early Modern Political Theory. She has also taught academic debate at various institutes. 

Jade Werner is a Ph.D. candidate in English. She has won the English Department Outstanding TA award and currently works for the Alice Kaplan Institute for the Humanities as Coordinator of the Undergraduate Affiliates Program. She has been leading workshops for the Searle Center since 2008.

Tyler Zimmer is a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Philosophy. He has won teaching awards and has completed the Graduate Teaching Certificate Program at Northwestern. His dissertation research focuses on social inequality and deliberative democracy.