Announcing 2019 i3 PhD Teaching Fellows

PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania, May 20, 2019 — The iSchool Inclusion Institute (i3) is pleased to announce its 2019 cohort of PhD Teaching Fellows. Each year, four PhD students are selected from a nationwide search to co-teach modules on Research Design and Programming throughout the i3 Summer Introductory Institute. These modules introduce undergraduate i3 Scholars, who come from a myriad of majors and universities across the country, to fundamental topics and tools in preparation to conduct their yearlong team research projects. This year’s Fellows come from a range of prestigious iSchools, including the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the University of Pittsburgh, and the Pennsylvania State University.

Kristen Bowen (Research Design Module) is a PhD student in Library and Information Science at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. Her research examines the role of social media and technological advancements play in influencing the health and wellbeing of Black and Latinx young adults. Kristen was also an i3 Scholar as an undergraduate student (2012 Cohort).

Joslenne Peña (Programming Module)  is a PhD candidate in the College of Information Sciences and Technology at the Pennsylvania State University. Her research investigates non-programmers’ behaviors and attitudes in higher education through small non-formal learning exposures to coding.

Aisling Quigley (Programming Module) recently completed her PhD in Information Culture and Data Stewardship at the University of Pittsburgh’s School of Computing and Information. Her dissertation focused on examining digital scholarship in museums of fine art.

Megan Threats (Research Design Module) is a PhD candidate in Information Science at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. Her research seeks to understand the influence of socio-technical environments on the information behaviors and HIV protective and risk reduction behaviors of young, Black men who have sex with men.

“The national search for PhD Teaching Fellows this year yielded a diverse pool of highly qualified applicants,” said Dr. Kayla Booth (Director, i3). “We’re excited to welcome Megan, Aisling, and Joslenne into the i3 Family and welcome Kristen back to i3 as Teaching Fellows!”

These fellowships serve to connect and develop the next generation of information science educators through cultivating hands-on teaching experience and professional development in which diversity and inclusion are centered and embedded. Throughout the spring, Fellows work collaboratively to design their curriculum and upon arrival receive detailed daily feedback throughout their modules. For undergraduate i3 Scholars, Teaching Fellows serve as role models and mentors with whom they build relationships over the course of the Introductory Institute. This year’s Fellows will be on-site in Pittsburgh from June 21st to July 6th.