2008 Mathematics Teaching Fellows
The Knowles Science Teaching Foundation awarded the third cohort of Mathematics Teaching Fellowships in June 2008. For more information about our fellows, click on a picture.
Photos on this page by Yischon Liaw, 1000 Views Studios
GREGORY BORISH
"Nothing is more exhilarating to me than the look on a young student's face when he finally ‘gets' a difficult idea he has been struggling with, and I look forward to a long career of these experiences."
HOMETOWN: Seattle, Washington
FIELD: Mathematics
TEACHER PREPARATION PROGRAM: Stanford University
ANTICIPATED DATE OF GRADUATION: June 2009
PROFILE: Greg Borish became interested in teaching in middle school, when he saw how effective one of his teachers was in class. "Ever since my first class of sixth grade geography with Evan Hundley, I have envied and respected teachers. He demanded that we respect him, our peers and ourselves. But he also knew when it was the right time to crack a smile, tell a joke, or include a hands-on activity like creating maps out of orange peels." Greg's interest in teaching and in mathematics continued through high school. In 2008, Greg graduated with B.S. in Mathematics from Harvey Mudd College with the goal of pursuing an advanced degree in education. In college, Greg also realized that his passion lay in teaching high school: "High school students are at an age where they can start to see all that mathematics can do."
A National Merit Commended Scholar, Greg was on Harvey Mudd's Dean's List every semester. He was selected to participate in his college's Academic Excellence Program where he ran exam reviews and weekly tutoring sessions for nine different classes per semester. Greg has also tutored students at Pomona High School, an underfunded school in greater Los Angeles, and taught classes in intermediate programming and robotics at Cybercamps at the University of Washington.
WHY I WANT TO TEACH: "I love working with kids. I enjoy the challenges of teaching. I love mathematics and enjoy sharing my passion for the subject with others."
FUN FACT: During his college career, Greg was a student body film director and photographer/editor for the Harvey Mudd yearbook. He also played drums with several rock bands.
CORINNE R. CORNIBE
"I have always loved math for its elegance and purity, and I continue to be struck by how math can at the same time be remarkably abstract and yet undeniably practical."
HOMETOWN: Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
FIELD: Mathematics
TEACHER PREPARATION PROGRAM: New York University
ANTICIPATED DATE OF GRADUATION: June 2009
PROFILE: For most of her life, Corinne Cornibe subscribed to the maxim that "those who can't do teach." She did not consider pursuing teaching and planned to become a "master builder," earning a B.S. in Architecture from McGill University in 2005. In her senior year, as a recipient of McGill's prestigious Wilfred Truman Shaver Scholarship, Corinne was invited to participate in an architectural tour of Switzerland. It was during this trip that she began to have doubts about her chosen profession, realizing that the conditions necessary for the construction of the impressive architecture were inconsistent with her values.
Upon graduation, Corinne joined an architectural firm but "the reality that architecture is first and foremost a business continued to chip away at my enthusiasm." Simultaneously, she supplemented her income by tutoring mathematics. "Within a few months, I realized that I was more enthusiastic about tutoring than architecture." In May 2008, Corinne graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a B.S. in Mathematics and will go on to NYU to pursue her teaching certificate.
Corinne was University of Pittsburgh's Dean's Star for two years in a row. In addition to being a KSTF Fellow, she is a recipient of a Math for America fellowship. Corinne hopes to teach in New York City public schools.
WHY I WANT TO TEACH: "I hope to teach students in my classroom the role that an understanding of mathematical concepts plays in everyday life. Basic math skills are essential to enabling students in urban schools to participate in civic activities such as home ownership and interpreting political poll numbers."
FUN FACT: During her brief career in architecture, Corinne worked on the design of the Fred Rogers memorial (of Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood) and had the opportunity to meet Mrs. Rogers at the project's groundbreaking.
ELIZABETH R. DICK
"Just as math is in my blood, teaching is a part of me."
HOMETOWN: Dallas, Oregon
FIELD: Mathematics
TEACHER PREPARATION PROGRAM: Willamette University
ANTICIPATED DATE OF GRADUATION: May 2009
PROFILE: A 2008 graduate of Seattle University with a B.S. in Mathematics and a Minor in Physics, Elizabeth Dick has enjoyed mathematics since childhood. She has also always wanted to be a teacher. Elizabeth has tutored mathematics at all levels, from elementary school arithmetic to college-level calculus. Most recently, Elizabeth worked with students at Bailey Gatzert Elementary, an inner-city school in Seattle, and as an instructor at the YWCA in Belize City, Belize, where she taught forty high-school-age girls remedial math. "I returned to that feeling of pure enjoyment from simple math, and passed that delight onto my students. Seeing those girls grow in confidence and esteem through learning math concepts was an amazing sight." Working with the students in Belize solidified her desire to teach.
Elizabeth is a recipient of several awards and scholarships, including the Romano Scholarship and the Dallas Community Foundation Scholarship. She is Seattle University's Bannan Scholar and Trustee's Scholar. She hopes to teach in rural Oregon.
WHY I WANT TO TEACH: "I will combine my passion for education and mathematics into a relevant mathematics program for students of the community. I want my students to leave, to grow, and then come back with fresh ideas and an enthusiasm to improve their hometown."
FUN FACT: Elizabeth is an avid football fan. Her teams of choice are Oregon State Beavers and Seattle Seahawks.
RACHEL DUNNAGAN
"The ability to problem solve is one talent which effectively separates those who will thrive from those will struggle."
HOMETOWN: Louisville, Kentucky
FIELD: Mathematics
TEACHER PREPARATION PROGRAM: University of Kentucky
ANTICIPATED DATE OF GRADUATION: May 2010
PROFILE: For Rachel Dunnagan, teaching is a "gift that has run in my family for many generations," including her great-grandparents, her grandmother, her great-aunt, her father, and continuing through to Rachel. While Rachel has always excelled in mathematics, she learned to appreciate the significance it carries with the help of a superb teacher in Algebra and AP Statistics. Rachel hopes to emulate this teacher's techniques in her own classroom, specifically the ability to connect all things to math.
Rachel is a 2008 graduate of the University of Kentucky with degrees in Latin (Summa Cum Laude) and Mathematics (Summa Cum Laude). An Otis A. Singletary Merit Scholar at the University of Kentucky, Rachel received numerous other scholarships and awards during her undergraduate career.
Rachel is an active volunteer with a variety of organizations including Bible Bowl and the University of Kentucky Baptist Campus Ministry. A 2003 Kentucky Governor's Scholar and a Presidential Classroom Scholar, Rachel was an undergraduate teaching assistant with University of Kentucky's Math Excel program. She participates in the University of Kentucky Big Blue Council of Teachers of Mathematics, which has reinforced to Rachel the value of collaborating with peer teachers and seeking out help from veteran teachers.
WHY I WANT TO TEACH: "As a high school math teacher, I hope to provide my students with a solid foundation of critical thinking and problem solving skills which are stressed in the current learning environment."
FUN FACT: Rachel swam competitively for 13 years and hopes to be a high school swim coach.
SANGEETHA LAKSHMINARAYANAN
"Teaching math combines my passion for empowering youth and my conviction that education plays a fundamental role in the pursuit of social justice."
HOMETOWN: Ann Arbor, Michigan
FIELD: Mathematics
TEACHER PREPARATION PROGRAM: Stanford University
DATE OF GRADUATION: June 2008
PROFILE: Born in Madrid, Spain, Geetha Lakshminarayanan graduated from the University of Michigan in 2004 with a B.A. in American Culture and a Minor in Mathematics. While she loved both subjects - Geetha learned to appreciate the beauty of math from participating in her school's Academic Games program - she was unsure of how best to pursue her passion for social justice. After college, Geetha spent several years traveling and working for nonprofit and government organizations, including Nonprofit Enterprise at Work, Inc. in the United States and the New Zealand Ministry of Health. Eventually she realized that the answer lay in becoming a high school mathematics teacher. "Mathematics education is crucial to alleviating the disparities wreaking havoc on our country."
Geetha's teaching experience includes a six-year coaching stint with Ann Arbor Academic Games Program, for which she received the Outstanding Educator award. She was a mathematics student teacher at the Mission High School in San Francisco and Buchser Middle School in Santa Clara, California. As part of the Global Routes College Internship Program, Geetha spent three months in rural Kenya in 2002 adapting and implementing curriculum for 7th grade English and 10th grade math.
Geetha is a recipient of the Bernard Osher Fellowship from Stanford University School of Education and is a member of the Phi Beta Kappa and Phi Kappa Phi Honor Societies. She will teach at San Lorenzo High School in San Lorenzo, California.
WHY I WANT TO TEACH: "I've always known I would spend my life challenging oppression and dismantling inequalities, but it was not until I tried other venues that I realized there is no better way for me to maximize my personal impact toward these ends that to teach a vital subject to undeserved students."
FUN FACT: Geetha has gone skydiving twice. The second time she took her mother with her.
JESSICA WHITNEY NEWVILLE
"My main goal as a teacher is to have students innately enjoy doing math. I want to teach them how working out a math problem is beautiful because of the sheer aesthetically pleasing nature of numbers."
HOMETOWN: Ventura, California
FIELD: Mathematics
TEACHER PREPARATION PROGRAM: California Lutheran University
ANTICIPATED DATE OF GRADUATION: May 2009
PROFILE: By the time she reached high school, Jessica Newville knew she enjoyed math. Encouraged by her calculus and statistics teacher to pursue a math major in college, Jessica enrolled in California Lutheran University where she joined the math lab. Surrounded by posters of Einstein and 200 digits of Pi, she tutored in the lab one night a week. Within her freshman year she realized where her math degree would land her: in a high school classroom teaching mathematics. She is particularly interested in furthering girls in mathematics and sciences.
Jessica graduated with Honors in May 2008. As part of her college career, she spent a semester at the Universidad de Guanajuato in Guanajuato, Mexico, where she tutored English at a local high school. She has worked as a camp counselor and recreational leader for teen and children's centers since 2004.
A Californian to the core, Jessica loves spending time outdoors in the California sun hiking, camping and spending a day at the beach. Teaching runs in the family: Jessica's mother is a community college professor.
WHY I WANT TO TEACH: "How could I not be a math teacher? Teaching mathematics is my passion."
FUN FACT: If she couldn't be a math teacher, Jessica would want to be a rock star.
ALEXIA L. OLSON
"There is no profession nobler than teaching."
HOMETOWN: Corona, California
FIELD: Mathematics
TEACHER PREPARATION PROGRAM: University of California, Riverside
ANTICIPATED DATE OF GRADUATION: June 2009
PROFILE: Alexia Olson was inspired to teach by two great women: her fifth grade teacher and high school math teacher. She completed her B.S. in Mathematics at the University of California, Riverside, in 2008 where she remained on the Dean's List for ten consecutive quarters and on the Chancellor's List for three academic years. Active in community service through her sorority, Alexia was also recognized as having one of the highest GPAs in the entire Greek system on campus.
As a teaching apprentice at Rubidoux High School for two years, Alexia worked with almost 200 students, writing and teaching lessons, and assessing and grading student work. During her student-teaching, she asked her students to create a math-related art project. After completing her graduate work at UC Riverside, Alexia hopes to teach at Centennial High School, where she attended school. She enjoys reading, knitting, crocheting, sewing, and arts and crafts.
WHY I WANT TO TEACH: "Teaching is one of the most important ways to serve the community. It is a combination of doing something meaningful and interacting with the next generation of leaders and decision makers."
FUN FACT: Alexia considers herself fortunate that at least one family member celebrates a birthday every month of the year, allowing frequent family get-togethers.
MEGAN O'REILLY
"Some students have already developed anxieties about mathematics and it is my goal to show them math is interesting, exciting, beautiful and not scary."
HOMETOWN: Mullica Hill, New Jersey
FIELD: Mathematics
TEACHER PREPARATION PROGRAM: University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
ANTICIPATED DATE OF GRADUATION: June 2009
PROFILE: Megan O'Reilly holds a B.S. in Mathematics from The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey in Pomona, where her undergraduate honors included a Presidential Scholarship, Computer Science and Mathematics Scholarship, and Foundations Scholarship. She is also the recipient of a National Science & Mathematics Access to Retain Talent grant.
As Head Tutor at the college's Math Tutoring Center, Megan constructed the tutor schedule, provided guidance to new tutors, and assisted students in math courses ranging from basic skills to upper level math, physics and statistics. She was a teacher's aide at Free to Be Me Preschool in Mullica Hill, New Jersey, from 2001 to 2005. There she made lesson plans, planned activities, assisted the head teacher and ran two summer camps. Megan enjoys hiking, reading, origami and sewing.
WHY I WANT TO TEACH: "As a teacher I will have the opportunity to inspire students to work hard, be a role model for girls, provide a foundation for a possible career in mathematics, and teach many other valuable skills that students can use."
FUN FACT: As a child Megan enjoyed horseback riding.
LINDSEY QUINLISK
"Math is the common vernacular between the rhythms of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony, the equations of Newton's laws of motion, the proportions in Michelangelo's statue of David, and the parametric curves of Watson and Crick's double helix model of DNA."
HOMETOWN: Cascade, Colorado
FIELD: Mathematics
TEACHER PREPARATION PROGRAM: Stanford University
ANTICIPATED DATE OF GRADUATION: June 2009
PROFILE: Before deciding to become a mathematics teacher, Lindsey Quinlisk planned to purse a career in civil engineering. In 2007, she completed a B.S. in Engineering with Civil Specialty at the Colorado School of Mines in Golden, Colorado, where she received the Leo Borasio Memorial Award for Outstanding Junior in the McBride Honors Program. As part of the program, she spent a month in Brazil interviewing political leaders, professors and professionals while researching sustainable development and cultural diversity.. As an intern with the Matrix Design Group, she assisted senior engineers on projects including retaining wall design, roadway manhole design checks and water line surveys.
Lindsey has volunteered for Habitat for Humanity, Children's Literacy Center, Denver Rescue Mission, as well as local projects including canned food drives and partnerships with middle schools to develop understanding and interest in engineering and technological fields. She enjoys hiking, backpacking, camping, ultimate Frisbee and running. She also enjoys makeing greeting cards.
WHY I WANT TO TEACH: "Teaching is one field which has the most impact on the next generation, a career that gives birth to future doctors, politicians engineers, and teachers. I would not want to miss such an incredible opportunity to participate in this breeding ground for change."
FUN FACT: Lindsey swam with pink dolphins in the Amazon region of Brazil.
LIZ RATLIFF
"I know that I will not convince every student that math is wonderful and fun, but I do want to make sure every student knows that math is not impossible and that it is very useful, no matter what career they decide to pursue."
HOMETOWN: Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania
FIELD: Mathematics
TEACHER PREPARATION PROGRAM: University of South Carolina
ANTICIPATED DATE OF GRADUATION: December 2008
PROFILE: Liz Ratliff graduated from the University of South Carolina in 2004 with a B.S. in Electrical Engineering and began working for Intel. A year and a half into her job Liz found herself rethinking her career choice. She soon realized that she missed her job as a math tutor. "I always looked at teaching as more of a hobby than a career. I never really expected to be a teacher, but once I had decided I was going to be one, I couldn't believe I hadn't done it sooner."
As a student, Liz did not like math and thought the subject was boring. Her feelings changed when she took ninth grade geometry. Her geometry teacher, whose innovative teaching methods piqued Liz's interest in mathematics and led her to pursue a mathematics-related career, continues to serve as her role model and inspiration. "He really got the students interested in the subject and because of that interest, students performed better."
Liz is a member of the Pi Mu Epsilon Math Honor Society and the Eta Kappa Nu Engineering Society. She has volunteered as reading tutor at Mill Creek Elementary School's Early Alliance program and served as a First Lego League mentor and judge at Northside Middle School and the University of South Carolina.
WHY I WANT TO TEACH: "I want to help students become more comfortable with math. I hope that my students will come to believe that math is not scary or difficult and that it is, in fact, useful and relevant in their lives."
FUN FACT: Liz was on the rifle team in high school has won numerous medals for marksmanship.
ELLIE LIN RATLIFF
"My first memory of mentoring is from the fourth grade when I helped a classmate with long division. I still vividly remember the moment she and I realized that she really understood. That day, I felt the reward of teaching and that unforgettable feeling drove me to seek other teaching opportunities for years to come."
HOMETOWN: Taipei, Taiwan
FIELD: Mathematics
TEACHER PREPARATION PROGRAM: University of Pittsburgh
ANTICIPATED DATE OF GRADUATION: June 2009
PROFILE: Born in Taiwan, Ellie Ratliff came to the U.S. in 1984 and received a B.S. in Computer Science from the University of Texas at Austin in 2004. Ellie comes from a family of teachers that includes her mother and uncle. She has always enjoyed teaching concepts to others but it wasn't until recently that she realized she wanted to be a high school teacher. Her fascination with artificial intelligence combined with her teaching and research experience first led her to pursue a doctoral degree in robotics.
While on the Ph.D. and research track, Ellie also served as a teaching assistant. "As time passed, I realized that the motivation and dedication I felt while teaching contrasted sharply with the reluctance I felt when pushing through research hurdles." This realization led Ellie to give up her doctoral research in order to become a high school mathematics teacher.
Fluent in Mandarin Chinese, Ellie is a recipient of the National Merit Scholarship and Barry Goldwater Scholarship. She has served as a teaching assistant for an artificial intelligence course and has helped create a team of soccer-playing robot dogs to compete at the international RoboCup competition. She is a member of the Women@SCS Roadshow, through which she gives computer science presentations to high school and undergraduate students.
WHY I WANT TO TEACH: "The satisfaction of witnessing a moment of understanding."
FUN FACT: Ellie loves to swing dance.
MARK RYAN SPONG
"Teachers are great people and I am proud to call myself one."
HOMETOWN: Denton, Texas
FIELD: Mathematics
TEACHER PREPARATION PROGRAM: Stanford University
DATE OF GRADUATION: June 2008
PROFILE: A 2007 Harvard College graduate with a B.A. in Mathematics, Mark Spong grew up in a family of educators. His grandmother, aunt, uncle and brother are all teachers and played an important role in his career choice. Mark was always interested in teaching but began to question his choice as many of his peers went into other, more lucrative professions. Once Mark entered graduate school, he became certain he was on the right track. "At Stanford Teacher Education Program, social justice and purpose-driven education finally convinced me that I am in the right profession."
Mark strives to emulate his best teachers and those who touched his life in positive ways. "I have had several particularly wonderful teachers throughout my academic career and I acknowledge their personal investment in my life." His goal is to create a sense of community and discussion when he teaches in order to replicate the environments he benefited from most as a student.
Mark believes strongly in mentoring and giving back to the community. He has been a student teacher at two high schools in California and has returned to his elementary school as a volunteer tutor. A four-year collegiate rower and a black belt in Kyokushin Karate, Mark has always been interested in coaching and athletics. He serves as assistant coach for a local rowing team.
WHY I WANT TO TEACH: "I enjoy working with high school students and I love high school mathematics. It is a world I wish to unlock for my students."
FUN FACT: Mark spent the entire junior year of his high school living and working in Washington D.C. as Congressional Page for the U.S. House of Representatives.
AJOY VASE
"Mathematics is like a rich language with dialectical differences that can be used to talk about a variety of fields - from physics to philosophy to politics. "
HOMETOWN: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
FIELD: Mathematics
TEACHER PREPARATION PROGRAM: Stanford University
ANTICIPATED DATE OF GRADUATION: June 2009
PROFILE: Born and raised in Dubai by Indian parents, Ajoy Vase came to the United States in 2003. He received a B.A. in Physics and Mathematics from Pomona College in 2007. Ajoy has long been inspired by his family's dedication to teaching and public service, including his grandmother, who taught for 33 years in India, and several other aunts and uncles. He spent a year teaching at his former high school in Dubai, a catholic institution attended by students of different faiths. Learning to adapt curriculum material to the cultural context of this school was both a challenging and rewarding experience and prepared Ajoy to teach in multicultural settings in the U.S.
Ajoy hopes to teach in the urban public school system, a decision rooted in his pursuit of social justice. He has participated in programs such as the Pomona College Summer Scholars Enrichment Program that helps prepare low-income students for prestigious liberal arts colleges. He spent six months after college on a team working to build a community-based learning center in Pomona College that would allow students and faculty to partner with existing community organizations and combine their resources to better serve the public.
Having spent time learning Spanish, Hindi and Arabic, Ajoy was the co-founder and head mentor of his college's International Student Mentor Program. He is one of 25 national recipients of the Rockefeller Brother's Fund for Aspiring Teachers of Color.
WHY I WANT TO TEACH: "Through teaching mathematics, I want to give my students the confidence to address problems that they encounter in their communities and encourage them to use their analytical skills to tackle important issues in our generation.-widespread disease, climate change, and social inequality."
FUN FACT: Ajoy is a keen follower of world soccer and cricket. He also enjoys making short films.