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Ryan Smith Madan
Associate Teaching Professor-Arts, Communications, and Humanities
When new acquaintances find out I teach writing, it’s not unusual for them to lament a broad decline in the nation’s writing skills. How does it make me feel, they ask, that students, say, don’t know the difference between adjectives and adverbs? Or, can I believe it that people hardly even know what apostrophes do, let alone where to put them? As someone who treasures good, careful prose, I’m sympathetic to these worries. But as an educator, I think it’s important to steer the conversation in a different direction. ... View Profile
Graduate Tutors
Michael Dedek (he/him/his)
Education: PhD in English with a specialization in rhetoric and composition (Northeastern University); B.A. in English and Mathematics (University at Buffalo)
Academic writing experience: business administration, criminal justice, engineering and technical professions, health sciences, humanities, and social sciences.
Fun fact: I have played guitar since I was 12
Avery Closser (she/her/hers)
Education: Pursuing a Ph.D. in Learning Sciences & Technologies (LS&T) at WPI; M.S. in LS&T at WPI; B.A. in Psychology from the University of Richmond
Academic writing experience: Research dissemination in psychology and multiple areas of educational research in the form of journal manuscripts, conference proceedings, etc.; Minor grant-writing experience (internal support, NSF GRFP, etc.)
Hometown: Christiansburg, Virginia
Fun fact: I love traveling and am trying to visit 30 countries before I turn 30.
Undergraduate Tutors
Shanna Bonanno (she/her/hers)
Year: Senior
Major: Biomedical Engineering and Professional Writing
Minor: N/A
Other Academic Interests: Tissue Engineering
GPS: Heal the World
HUA Depth: Writing & Rhetoric
IQP: Venice B'19
Extracurriculars: Alpha Xi Delta, DanceCrimson, BMES, SWE
Hometown: Methuen, MA
Fun Facts: I have won 4 gold medals at the World Championships for tap dancing in Germany.
Mark Bright Bray (he/him/his)
Year: Senior
Major: Biomedical Engineering and Professional Writing
Minor: N/A
Other Academic Interests: Medicine, Health Care Access and Equity, Entrepreneurship, and Writing
GPS: N/A
HUA Depth: Writing & Rhetoric
IQP: Albania B'19
Extracurriculars: Varsity Track and Field, National Society of Black Engineers, Engineering Ambassador
Hometown: Shrewsbury, MA
Fun Facts: I have played the alto saxophone for over 9 years.
Jackie Cardin (she/her/hers)
Year: Senior
Major: Chemical Engineering and Professional Writing
Minor: N/A
Other Academic Interests: Materials, Writing
GPS: N/A
HUA Depth: Writing & Rhetoric
IQP: San Juan, Puerto Rico D'20
Extracurriculars: Varsity Field Hockey
Hometown: Manchester, New Hampshire
Fun Facts: My uncle is Steven Tyler's optometrist
Ella Forbes
Year: Senior
Major: Biomedical Engineering
Minor: N/A
Other Academic Interests: Psychology, Professional Writing
GPS: N/A
HUA Depth: Writing & Rhetoric
IQP: On campus B, C, D terms of '19
Extracurriculars: ROTC, Men's Rowing, BMES, and EWB
Hometown: Bridgton, ME
Fun Facts: I have hiked 2090 miles of the Appalachian Trail (From Maine to the beginning of Georgia)
Faye Gauthier (she/her/hers)
Year: MS student in FPE
Major: Architectural Engineering
Minor: N/A
Other Academic Interests: FPE, Writing
GPS: N/A
HUA Depth: History
IQP: Cape Town B’18
Extracurriculars: Varsity Track & Field, Alpha Xi Delta
Hometown: West Warwick, Rhode Island
Fun Facts: I’ve been throwing (the hammer) competitively since 6th grade.
Lauren Handel (she/her/hers)
Year: Senior
Major: Electrical and Computer Engineering
Minor: N/A
Other Academic Interests: Business, Writing
GPS: Ignorance is NOT Bliss, PLA for Livable Cities
HUA Depth: Writing & Rhetoric
IQP: Upcoming: Windhoek, Namibia D'20
Extracurriculars: Chi Omega, Art Club, Club Tennis
Hometown: Chatham, MA
Fun Facts: Over the summer I worked in Denver, CO and climbed Mt. Elbert, the highest summit of the Rocky Mountains.
Karen Ho (she/her/hers)
Year: Junior
Major: Psychological Sciences, Psychobiology Concentration, and Professional Writing
Minor: Chemistry
Other Academic Interests: Pre-Med
GPS: N/A
HUA Depth: Writing & Rhetoric
IQP: Melbourne, B'20
Extracurriculars: Psychology Society, Active Minds, SPI & SEED Labs
Hometown: Kingston, MA
Fun Facts: I have a pet betta fish named Beta.
Ann Jicha
Year: Senior
Major: Computer Science and Professional Writing
Minor: N/A
Other Academic Interests: Physics
GPS: N/A
HUA Depth: Writing & Rhetoric
IQP: Albania B'19
Extracurriculars: Debate Team, Association of Computing Machinery
Hometown: Santa Rosa, CA
Fun Facts: I play guitar in a band with friends in my hometown.
Caitlin Kuzma (she/her/hers)
Year: Junior
Major: Industrial Engineering
Minor: Spanish
Other Academic Interests: Business, Writing
GPS: N/A
HUA Depth: Spanish
IQP: Upcoming: Thessaloniki, D‘21
Extracurriculars: Women's Ultimate Frisbee Team, VOX Musical Theatre, Masque
Hometown: Cornish, New Hampshire
Fun Facts: I went to New Zealand for two weeks in high school when my school's winter musical went on tour!
Christopher Tocci (he/him/his)
Year: Senior
Major: Biotechnology & Biology and Professional Writing
Minor: Global Public Health
Other Academic Interests: Medicine, Pathology, Linguistics
GPS: N/A
HUA Depth: Writing & Rhetoric
IQP: upcoming: Armenia D'20
Extracurriculars: Student Government Association (SGA), Beta Theta Pi Fraternity, Crimson Key Admissions Tour Guide, Ballroom Dance Team
Hometown: Bridgewater, MA
Fun Facts: I am a beekeeper and a certified Basic EMT. I also love playing the piano and I am currently learning the ukulele.
Emily Coughlin (she/her/hers)
Year: Sophomore
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Minor: Spanish
Other Academic Interests: Writing
GPS: N/A
IQP: Upcoming: Copenhagen, D22
Extracurriculars: Alpha Xi Delta Women’s Fraternity, Student Alumni Society, ENACTUS, American Society of Mechanical Engineers
Hometown: Litchfield, New Hampshire
Fun Facts: I can quote virtually any scene from The Office word for word, I have a dog whose tongue is perpetually stuck out, and I write all my papers in the shower!
Anastasia Mina
Year: Sophomore
Major: Biomedical Engineering and Professional Writing
Minor: N/A
Other Academic Interests: Cultural Studies
GPS: Livable Cities
HUA Depth: Intercultural Communication/Writing
IQP: TBD December 2020
Extra Curriculars: Society of Women Engineers, Biomedical Engineering Society, Phi Sigma Sigma Women's Fraternity
Hometown: Ashland, MA
Fun Facts: I have performed at Mechanics Hall twice and I have an extra muscle in my left eye!
Cristian Nunez
Year: Junior
Major: Biology and Biotechnology/ Professional Writing
Minor: N/A
Other academic interests: Pre-med
GPS: N/A
HUA: Writing
IQP: Worcester D term 21'
Extracurriculars: Sigma Phi Epsilon, CAC
Hometown: Leominster, MA
Fun Facts: My birthday is on Christmas
Caitlin Strzegowski (she/her/hers)
Year: Sophomore
Major: Environmental Engineering
Minor: N/A
Other Academic Interests: Chemistry, Writing
GPS: Livable Cities
HUA Depth: Writing
IQP: Upcoming: Thessaloniki, D'22
Extracurriculars: Varsity Soccer, Phi Sigma Sigma
Hometown: East Granby, Connecticut
Fun Facts: I have 2 dogs Henry and Penny!
Michelle Barboza
Year: Sophomore
Major: Chemical Engineering
Minor: N/A
Other Academic Interests: Writing, Biology
GPS: N/A
HUA Depth: Writing
IQP: TBD
Extracurriculars: Alpha Phi Women’s Fraternity, ISPE, SWE
Hometown: Mendon, MA
Fun Facts: I have a cat (even though I’m allergic to cats)
Angela Haith (she/her/hers)
Year: Senior
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Minor: N/A
Other Academic Interests: Biology, Biomechanics, Writing, and Art
GPS: Heal the World
HUA Depth: Spanish
IQP: San Jose, Costa Rica C'20
Extracurriculars: Outing Club, Ski and Snowboard Club, WPI Sailing
Hometown: Biddeford, ME
Fun Facts: I'm from Maine, so naturally one of my favorite hobbies is lobstering!
Maya Sun (she/her/hers)
Year: Senior
Major: Computer Science
Minor: N/A
Other Academic Interests: Sustainability, Environmental Studies
GPS: N/A
HUA Depth: Spanish
IQP: San Jose, Costa Rica C’20
Extracurriculars: Women’s Ultimate Frisbee Team, Women in Computer Science (WiCS), Office of Sustainability, Arts and Sciences Undergraduate Advisory Council, climbing
Hometown: Belmont, CA
Fun Facts: I just learned how to drive a tractor!