Interested in meeting with a tutor? Click HERE to see our online schedule and make a 45 minute appointment.
Ryan Smith Madan
Associate Teaching Professor
Director, Writing Center
Humanities and Arts
Email: ryanmadan@wpi.edu
Office: Salisbury Labs 233A
Phone: +1-508-831-6561
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
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
Undergraduate Tutors
Shanna Bonanno
Year: Junior
Major: Biomedical Engineering and Professional Writing
Minor: N/A
Other Academic Interests: Tissue Engineering
GPS: Heal the World
HUA Depth: Writing & Rhetoric
IQP: Won't find out until December 20th
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
Year: Junior
Major: Biomedical Engineering and Professional Writing
Minor: N/A
Other Academic Interests: Medicine, Entrepreneurship, and Writing
GPS: N/A
HUA Depth: Writing & Rhetoric
IQP: TBD
Extracurriculars: Varsity Track and Field, National Society of Black Engineers( Academic Excellence Chair), Engineers without Borders, Engineering Ambassador
Hometown: Shrewsbury, MA
Fun Facts: I have played the alto saxophone for over 7 years.
Sonia Deodas
Year: Junior
Major: Biology & Biotechnology
Minor: N/A
Other Academic Interests: Too many to list
GPS: N/A
HUA Depth: German
IQP: TBD
Hometown: Norfolk, MA
Fun Facts: I might like Star Wars more than is socially acceptable.
Trevor Dowd
Year: Senior
Major: Computer Science
Minor: Writing
Other Academic Interests: Data Analytics
GPS: N/A
HUA Depth: Writing & Rhetoric
IQP: Cape Town B’18
Extracurriculars: Men's Varsity Crew
Hometown: Fairfax, VA
Fun Facts: I went to high school down the road from the US Capital building.
Ella Forbes
Year: Junior
Major: Biomedical Engineering
Minor: N/A
Other Academic Interests: Psychology, Professional Writing
GPS: N/A
HUA Depth: Writing & Rhetoric
IQP: TBD
Extracurriculars: 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)
Jacqueline Forson
Year: Senior
Major: Biology and Biotechnology
Minor: N/A
Other Academic Interests: Molecular Biology, Genetics, Environmental Studies
GPS: N/A
HUA Depth: English/Writing
IQP: Worcester Project Center, Summer'17
Extracurriculars: Chemistry Club
Hometown: Worcester, MA
Fun Facts: I was granted a Provisional Patent for an assistive writing device that helps relieve pressure in arthritic hands.
Faye Gauthier
Year: Senior
Major: Architectural Engineering
Minor: N/A
Other Academic Interests: Business, 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 competitively for over 8 years.
Katherine Gomes
Year: Senior
Major: Professional Writing and Chemical Engineering
Minor: N/A
Other Academic Interests: International Studies, Environmental Science
GPS: N/A
HUA Depth: Writing & Rhetoric
IQP: Melbourne, Australia
MQP: Renewable Energy Research & Safety Manual Translated into Portuguese (Campinas, Brazil)
Extracurriculars: Cheese Club, Greenhouse & Horticulture Club, Omicron Delta Kappa
Hometown: New Bedford, MA
Fun Facts: Eu falo Portuguêse!
Karen Ho
Year: Sophomore
Major: Psychological Sciences, Psychobiology Concentration
Minor: Chemistry
Other Academic Interests: Pre-Med
GPS: N/A
HUA Depth: Writing & Rhetoric
IQP: TBD
Extracurriculars: Club Fencing Team, Psych Society (Public Relations Officer), Pre-Collegiate Outreach Programs
Hometown: Kingston, MA
Fun Facts: I have a pet betta fish.
Fareya Ikram
Year: Senior
Major: Computer Science
Minor: N/A
Other Academic Interests: Business, Data Science
GPS: N/A
HUA Depth: Writing & Rhetoric
IQP: Hangzhou, B'18
Extracurriculars: WICS, Class Board 2020
Hometown: Shrewsbury, MA
Fun Facts: I have family in 6 different states and extended family in 6 different countries.
Ann Jicha
Year: Junior
Major: Computer Science and Professional Writing
Minor: N/A
Other Academic Interests: Physics
GPS: N/A
HUA Depth: Writing & Rhetoric
IQP: TBD
Extracurriculars: Debate Team, Association of Computing Machinery
Hometown: Santa Rosa, CA
Fun Facts: I play guitar in a band with friends in my hometown.
Natasha Levey
Year: Senior
Major: Computer Science and Professional Writing
Minor: N/A
Other Academic Interests: Cell Biology and Psychology
GPS: N/A
HUA Depth: Writing & Rhetoric
IQP: Upcoming: Namibia, D’19
Extracurriculars: Pep Band, Church
Hometown: North Bellmore, Long Island (but I live in Northborough, MA and I was born in Johannesburg, South Africa)
Fun Facts: I found a missing person during the summer of 2017.
Emma Lowry
Year: Junior
Major: Interactive Media & Game Development
Minor: Psychology
Other Academic Interests: Writing, 3D Modelling
GPS: N/A
HUA Depth: Art
IQP: TBD
Extracurriculars: Ice Hockey
Hometown: Framingham, MA
Fun Facts: I can ambidextrously draw Wolverine.
Madison Ryan
Year: Senior
Major: Biomedical Engineering
Minor: Writing
Other Academic Interests: Environmental Studies, Business
GPS: Ignorance Is Not Bliss
HUA Depth: Writing & Rhetoric
IQP: Upcoming: Melbourne D’19
Extracurriculars: PAWS, Spikeball Club, BMES
Hometown: Adams, MA
Fun Facts: I have a cat, a dog, and a chicken
Christopher Tocci
Year: Junior
Major: Biotechnology & Biology and Professional Writing
Minor: N/A
Other Academic Interests: Medicine, Pathology, Linguistics
GPS: N/A
HUA Depth: Writing & Rhetoric
IQP: TBD (Hopefully Thessaloniki in 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.
Katie Vasconcelos
Year: Senior
Major: Biochemistry and Professional Writing
Minor: N/A
Other Academic Interests: Psychology, Neurology, Business
GPS: N/A
HUA Depth: Writing and Rhetoric
IQP: Thessaloniki, Greece D'19
Extracurriculars: Chi Omega (Recruitment Chair). Crimson Key (Tour Guide), Lab Assistant in Professor Heilman's Lab, American Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Hometown: Lakeville, MA
Fun Facts: I saw Kris Jenner, Simon Cowell and Hugh Hefner (and have a picture with him) on a Star Tour in Hollywood.