Past Featured Graduate Students

Past Featured Graduate Students

Seyedeh Fatemeh Dadashipour

Seyedeh Fatemeh Dadashipour | PhD Student | Learning Design and Technology

Seyedeh Fatemeh Dadashipour is a first-year PhD student studying Learning Design and Technology in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction. Her major professor is Dr. Jennifer Richardson.

Where are you from, and what did you do prior to your PhD program?
I am from Iran and have a background in English Language Teaching. I earned both my bachelor’s and master’s degrees in this field. Before starting my PhD, I worked as an English teacher for about seven years.

Why did you choose Purdue and your area of concentration?
I chose Purdue because it is one of the top universities, and the program aligns perfectly with my goals. The focus on online learning matches my academic interests and career aspirations. Purdue’s resources and faculty expertise will help me deepen my understanding in this area.

What are your areas of research interests?
My research interests focus on online and blended learning environments. The shift to online classes during the COVID-19 pandemic sparked my motivation to explore this area. Experiencing the challenges and opportunities of online education firsthand inspired me to investigate ways to improve these learning environments.

Do you have any prior research experience?
Yes, I have prior research experience. I worked on my thesis, which explored the effect of group dynamic assessment on reading comprehension of Iranian EFL students in online and blended learning environments. This research involved examining how group dynamics impact learning outcomes in digital settings. It provided valuable insights into effective strategies for online and blended instruction.

Where do you hope to be in five years?
As a first-year PhD student, I have not yet decided whether to focus on academia or work as an instructional designer in a major company. I hope to apply my expertise in online and blended learning in both areas. I also plan to run a successful business with my husband, Jafar Tavakoli, who is a third-year PhD student in Learning Design and Technology. Balancing these professional goals with a fulfilling personal life is my ultimate aspiration.

What advice do you have for other new fellow graduate student researchers?
Embrace curiosity and be open to exploring new ideas. Building a strong support network with peers and mentors can be invaluable. Stay organized and manage your time effectively to balance research with other responsibilities. Finally, remember that persistence is key. Research can be challenging, but resilience will help you succeed.

Rudan Wang

Rudan Wang | PhD Student | Science Education

Rudan Wang is a PhD student studying Science Education in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction. Her major professors are Rebekah Hammack and Hui Hui Wang.

Where are you from, and what did you do prior to your PhD program?
I am from China and and was previously a high school biology teacher.

Why did you choose Purdue and your area of concentration?
Purdue boasts a high global ranking and renowned faculty.

What are your areas of research interests? What led to your interest in these areas?
My research focuses on model-based inquiry to enhance students’ scientific literacy. I am inspired by the curiosity in students’ eyes and their excitement upon discovering scientific truths. Through education, I aim to foster students’ love for biology, promote scientific literacy, and inspire innovations.

Do you have any prior research experience?
Yes, I will focus on the two main topics. The first is the Effects of UV-B radiation on the nutritional and antioxidant quality of alfalfa. The second is Integrating disciplines such as math, chemistry, engineering, and art into biology classrooms through the concept of STEAM.

Where do you hope to be in 5 years?
I aspire to become a researcher with strong critical thinking skills and equipped with a high level of academic expertise.

What advice do you have for other new fellow graduate student researchers?
Exercise your body and enjoy your research!

Seyedeh Fatemeh Dadashipour

Seyedeh Fatemeh Dadashipour | PhD Student | Learning Design and Technology

Seyedeh Fatemeh Dadashipour is a first-year PhD student studying Learning Design and Technology in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction. Her major professor is Dr. Jennifer Richardson.

Where are you from, and what did you do prior to your PhD program?
I am from Iran and have a background in English Language Teaching. I earned both my bachelor’s and master’s degrees in this field. Before starting my PhD, I worked as an English teacher for about seven years.

Why did you choose Purdue and your area of concentration?
I chose Purdue because it is one of the top universities, and the program aligns perfectly with my goals. The focus on online learning matches my academic interests and career aspirations. Purdue’s resources and faculty expertise will help me deepen my understanding in this area.

What are your areas of research interests?
My research interests focus on online and blended learning environments. The shift to online classes during the COVID-19 pandemic sparked my motivation to explore this area. Experiencing the challenges and opportunities of online education firsthand inspired me to investigate ways to improve these learning environments.

Do you have any prior research experience?
Yes, I have prior research experience. I worked on my thesis, which explored the effect of group dynamic assessment on reading comprehension of Iranian EFL students in online and blended learning environments. This research involved examining how group dynamics impact learning outcomes in digital settings. It provided valuable insights into effective strategies for online and blended instruction.

Where do you hope to be in five years?
As a first-year PhD student, I have not yet decided whether to focus on academia or work as an instructional designer in a major company. I hope to apply my expertise in online and blended learning in both areas. I also plan to run a successful business with my husband, Jafar Tavakoli, who is a third-year PhD student in Learning Design and Technology. Balancing these professional goals with a fulfilling personal life is my ultimate aspiration.

What advice do you have for other new fellow graduate student researchers?
Embrace curiosity and be open to exploring new ideas. Building a strong support network with peers and mentors can be invaluable. Stay organized and manage your time effectively to balance research with other responsibilities. Finally, remember that persistence is key. Research can be challenging, but resilience will help you succeed.

Christabel Anumenechi

Christabel Anumenechi | PhD Student | Curriculum & Instruction

Christabel Anumenechi is a first-year PhD student studying Curriculum Studies in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction. Her major professor is Dr. Jake Burdick.

Where are you from, and what did you do prior to your PhD program?
I am from Nigeria. I’ve long been in the teaching profession, as my experiences cuts across all level of education in Nigeria. Prior to the PhD program at Purdue, I was working in higher education as a curriculum studies lecturer, and officer in charge of Teaching practice @ Federal College of Education (T) Akoka-Yaba Lagos, Nigeria.

Why did you choose Purdue and your area of concentration?
Firstly, Purdue is an R1 University and I found a faculty member here whose background is in curriculum theory. Basically, the curriculum studies program resonates with my interest. Exploring the cultural, political, and economic dimensions of education, with emphases on social justice, multiculturalism, anti-racism, and international concerns remains my ardor and where my research interest resides.

What are your areas of research interests? What led to your interest in these areas?
I volunteer and partake in public discourses and enlightenment campaign programs, my interest is in inclusive, diversity, equity and quality education to promote lifelong learning opportunities for all. My commitment is to ensuring that these discourses become an integral part of the curriculum, pedagogy, and ethos of teacher education, make substantial contribution by reshaping teacher education programs and as well as accelerate SDGs goal 4 & 5. My research interests are in educational technology, specifically in applying it to special education. My interest in these areas stems from a desire to help students with autism and learning disabilities.

Tell us about your prior research experiences.
My research experiences centers around curriculum generally, teacher and professional development. In 2023 I researched and published a work which chronicles around education, rights, and policies. I looked at the Nigerian Girl Child’s education in the context of cultural curriculum, and Sustainable Development. Recently, I carried out a study (not finalized), towards gender inequalities, looking at the professional development and challenges of female lecturers in Nigerian Higher Education.

Where do you hope to be in five years?
I hope to be starting off my post-doctorate research or becoming an assistant professor, having successfully completed my PhD program, including my dissertation, published research in reputable academic journals, gaining visibility, applying and get research grants and other relative opportunities for international collaboration or global perspective. But overall, my goal is the professorship side of the profession.

What advice do you have for other new fellow graduate student researchers?
Hard work + Obedience + Endurance = Success! Basically I would encourage them to build academic and research skills, network and collaborate, communicate, and improve their personal and professional development to navigate their academic journey more effectively.

Chenchen Lu

Chenchen Lu | PhD  Candidate | Social Studies Education

Chenchen Lu is a fourth-year PhD candidate in social studies education in the Department of Curriculum & Instruction. 

“Before coming to the U.S., I taught high school social studies in Zhejiang, China, where I grew up,” says Chenchen. “My research interests include citizenship education, teacher identity, and inquiry-based learning and teaching in the classroom. I joined this community as a Holmes Scholar in the Spring of 2023.”

Read more about Chenchen Lu

Negar Bakhshandeh

Negar Bakhshandeh | PhD Student | Language and Literacy

Negar Bakhshandeh is in the second year of her Language and Literacy doctoral program in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction.

“I am from Iran, and I have taught English to English Language Learners from a variety of native languages and cultures for almost 11 years,” says Negar. “I also did my master’s and bachelor’s back in Iran in English Teaching and have been busy doing research studies on language learning, teaching, and teacher education.”

Negar chose Purdue University for her doctoral studies because it is nationally and internationally ranked amongst the top 50 institutions in her major. She appreciates that Purdue allows students to explore different departments and programs, fostering an individualized EDCI faculty’s expertise, particularly in areas like Language and Literacy Studies and Educational Equity. Her research interests include teachers’ education, belief, and cognition; language testing and assessment; global (language) assessment policies; educational reform; and language and culture. She plans to complete her doctoral degree in the next five years and establish herself as a language-assessment specialist.

Negar advises fellow graduate student researchers to remain curious, ambitious, and passionate about their area of study. She says: “Seek out opportunities to collaborate with experts in your field and explore diverse research topics. Don’t limit yourself to theory; combine theory and practice to make a meaningful impact in your chosen field. Be open to interdisciplinary perspectives.”

Zeynep Akdemir

Zeynep Akdemir | PhD Student / Research Assistant | Curriculum & Instruction

“I think it is exciting to look at middle schooler’s science learning profiles from different motivation and engagement frameworks” – Zeynep Akdemir

Zeynep Akdemir is a PhD student studying Science Education in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction. Born in Turkey, she worked as a research assistant at a private university in Istanbul before coming to Purdue.

“My research interests are investigating what motivates middle school students in learning STEM and science in particular,” Akdemir said. “Along this line, I am specifically researching how students’ achievement and motivation is linked to their engagement profiles.”

Recently, her paper “Introducing Quantum Key Distribution to High School Students” was published in Science Teacher. Akdemir describes that the highlight of her research experience so far has been working with a very productive and friendly research team, one notable member being Associate Professor Mushin Menekse within Purdue’s School of Engineering Education. During their time together Akdemir has learned several different methodological approaches to research.

“In five years, I would like to be a successful science teacher educator in the field,” Akdemir said. “Also, I would like to conduct comparative studies here and abroad to explore science learning motivation profiles of middle school students.”

When asked if she had any advice for fellow graduate student researchers, Akdemir recommended that researchers match their life goals to their tasks they perform in their graduate studies as well.

“Choosing the best mentor and finding themselves a compatible researcher in their lab team would give them the courage to do and achieve more,” said Akdemir.

Daniela Ela Castellanos-Reyes

Daniela (Ela) Castellanos-Reyes | PhD student, Learning Design & Technology

“I believe that distance education is one approach to improve people’s lives. My goal is to support adult learners and nontraditional students to improve their quality of life through distance learning.” – Daniela Castellanos-Reyes

Daniela (Ela) Castellanos-Reyes is a fourth-year PhD student studying Learning Design and Technology in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction. Originally from Bogotá, Colombia, she earned her bachelor’s degree in English Teaching from the Universidad Nacional de Colombia and also taught academic English writing to undergraduates.

Castellanos-Reyes came to Purdue after doing a research internship at the Gifted Education Resource and Research Institute (GER2I) as part of the Undergraduate Research Experience Purdue-Colombia, advised by Dr. Nielsen Pereira and Dr. Marcia Gentry. During the internship she also learned about Learning Design & Technology and found that it was a great fit for her.

“My focus is within the fields of instructional design and learning analytics to understand learners’ networks and their interaction with online learning environments,” Castellanos-Reyes said. “I am also an advocate of Open Pedagogies. My work spans from the use of Open Educational Resources (OERs) to Social Networking Sites (SNSs), to Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs), yet all converge on finding alternative and inexpensive technology platforms for education in a connected world.”

During her graduate training, Ela has enjoyed a prolific writing career counting with 10 publications and six of them as first author. Recently, her paper The dynamics of a MOOC’s learner-learner interaction over time: A longitudinal network analysis” was published in Computers in Human Behavior. She said that highlights of her time at Purdue so far include the relationship she has with advisor Dr. Jennifer Richardson and working with Dr. Yukiko Maeda. Ela’s proudest achievements are being the first Purdue student to receive the P.E.O. International Peace Scholarship as well as the first Purdue Dissertation Fellow awarded by the National Academy of Education and the Spencer Foundation. She hopes to continue making Giant Leaps as a future faculty!

Learn more about Ela’s work in her website www.elacastellanosreyes.com and connect via Twitter @ElaTheCandidate.

Razak Dwomoh

Razak Dwomoh | PhD Candidate

“My research interest is in preparing young people to be critical thinkers, problem-solvers, and civic-ready. I investigate how inquiry-based instructional approaches and culturally sustaining pedagogies impact students’ learning outcomes and social-emotional learning and becoming informed civic competent citizens, positively addressing barriers to student achievement and democratic citizenship.”  – Razak Dwomoh

Razak Dwomoh is a fourth-year PhD Candidate studying Social Studies Education in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction. He is an American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE) Holmes Scholar. Originally from Ghana, Dwomoh has taught elementary, middle, and high school students. Prior to joining the Purdue community, he completed a master’s in Curriculum and Instruction at Eastern Illinois University. 

The crux of Dwomoh’s research interests involves inquiry approaches to Social Studies teaching and learning, teacher preparation, diversity, equity, social justice, and culturally sustaining pedagogies. He has authored ten articles and co-authored five papers in peer-reviewed journals, and currently has three manuscripts under review and five papers in progress.

One of Dwomoh’s articles was recently chosen for the January publication in the 2022-2023 edition of the Purdue Graduate School’s InnovatED magazine titled “The decline of civic education in the United States: Examining instructional strategies in-service teachers employ to prepare the next generation.” He also received an award as one of the top ten graduate students chosen by the Purdue University Graduate School and was one of ten winners of the Boilers Work Internship award in the Summer of 2022.

Dwomoh hopes to be a tenured professor researching social studies inquiry, civic readiness, teacher preparation, and diversity and equity in social studies education. 

His advice to current students is to set the right priorities and achievable goals, don’t procrastinate, learn from mistakes, and be open to constructive criticism.

Mark Knight

Mark Knight | PhD student, Math Education

“Don’t be afraid to ask faculty for input and advice; they are most helpful whenever any issues come up.” – Mark Knight

PhD student Mark Knight, from Munster, Indiana, completed his undergraduate studies at Purdue in BS Math Education (2012) and his MS Statistical Science (2018) from Indiana University. He is now working on his PhD part-time while teaching at a high school.

“I know that Purdue is a top-tier university with wonderful faculty and many great opportunities,” Knight said. “I chose my area of concentration because I wanted to continue to contribute to the field of math education beyond classroom instruction alone.”

His current areas of research interest focus on the application of technology in the enacted curriculum of statistics and mathematics education. Highlights of his research experience so far include the amount of new ideas, methods, and technologies he has discovered.

“Having been a teacher of statistics and a purveyor of lots of high-quality technological resources in my classroom, it felt like a natural place to direct my research interests,” he said. “I hope to be contributing to mathematics and statistics education both within and beyond the walls of my classroom.”

Wonjin Yu

Wonjin Yu | PhD Student in Learning Design and Technology

Wonjin’s message to fellow graduate students is to enjoy the present since graduate school can be a long journey.

Wonjin Yu is a second-year PhD student in the Learning Design and Technology program within the College of Education and a recipient of the David-Ross fellowship within the College. Prior to coming to Purdue University, he earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education and a Master of Arts in Elementary Computing Education from Daegu National University of Education in South Korea. He also has experience as an elementary school teacher in South Korea, teaching mostly 5th– and 6th-graders and occasionally students in lower grades. This is where he devoted himself to spreading the effectiveness of computing education to the public. Computing education is his main research interest, with particular projects centered around integrating Artificial Intelligence and Computational Thinking into education methods.

Wonjin is currently working with Samet Baydar on a proposal for a leadership development program for NATO, which they presented on October 26, 2022, at the Association for Educational Communications and Technology Conference in Las Vegas.

Samet Baydar

Samet Baydar | PhD Student in Learning Design and Technology

Samet Baydar is a second-year PhD student in the College of Education’s Learning Design and Technology program, and a Teaching Assistant in the College of Liberal Arts’ Japanese program. He is from Turkey and earned a BA in Japanese Language Education at Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University. As an undergraduate, he received a scholarship to study in Japan for one year as an exchange student. Upon completing his BA, he worked in the manufacturing industry in various roles in Turkey.

In 2017, he decided to earn a Master’s degree in Japanese pedagogy in the U.S. and discovered that Purdue’s College of Liberal Arts had the most opportunities for a graduate student. He took three courses from the College of Education during that time and his interest in educational technology took root.

Samet’s primary research interest is personalized learning, which values each student individually and tailors their education based on their needs, preferences, and goals in life. He wants to conduct research on utilizing various technologies (including emerging virtual and augmented realities) to contribute to equity in education.

Samet’s favorite memory in the College is being (along with teammate Wonjin)  among the top three winning teams in an instructional design and development competition at the national Association for Educational Communications & Technology (AECT) conference. “It was surprisingly good news for us, and now we will be competing to win the competition in late October 2022 in Las Vegas,” Samet said.

His best advice to future College of Education students is not to fear dreaming of what they want to do in education. “Our faculty provides endless mental and cognitive support to pursue your dreams and research,” Samet concluded.

Mathilde Jocteur-Monrozier

Mathilde Jocteur-Monrozier | MsEd Student

Mathilde Jocteur-Monrozier is a second-year MSEd student from Grenoble, France, studying Literacy & Language Education within the College of Education. She is a graduate of Grenoble-Alpes University in France, where she received a Bachelor and Master of Arts in English. Her research lies primarily in second language acquisition, with a particular interest in immersion programs and international schools. Additionally, she hopes to make an impact on culturally responsive teaching by looking at things from an anti-racist perspective.

Mathilde describes the role of a teacher is not only that of sharing knowledge, but making sure students are becoming kind and responsible citizens. She also believes that modern technology can be utilized to enrich the study of language and help students understand that learning a new language changes the way they see the world.

Mathilde says her favorite experiences in graduate school so far involve helping Purdue students apply to study abroad programs in French-speaking countries and hearing back later about the great experiences they had.

She recently received the Boiler Changemaker Award from the College for leading “the Graduate School Education Counsel (GSEC) into the post-Covid world”, organizing and conducting hybrid workshops for COE graduate students, and helping develop a new program for mentoring incoming international students.

Mathilde’s message to fellow graduate students is to understand that graduate school is a short time, and to make the most of what they have available. She advises them to get out of their comfort zones to meet new people, start new hobbies and apply to opportunities even if they seem out of reach.

Graham Lyon

Graham Lyon | PhD Student

Graham Lyon’s message to fellow graduate students is find their calling where their talents cross with the needs of the world and to serve others to the best of their ability with the vessel they were given. Lyon is a third-year PhD student studying Science Education in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction.

Lyon is a third-year PhD student studying Science Education in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction. He is a graduate of Buffalo University where he completed a triple major in Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics along with a minor in Education where he completed award-winning research on High-Temperature Superconductivity within the Physics Department. After receiving his degree, he earned a National Teaching Fellowship to pursue his current PhD studies. Graham’s main research interests lie in Authentic Education, which presents a crossover of education models such as situated- and problem-based into one uniform and practical message. Lyon has presented his research at the Indiana STEM Conference hosted by Purdue and hopes within five years to obtain a permanent position at Purdue’s College of Science, Engineering, or Education. He also hopes during his time in West Lafayette to form a local private school to implement his Authentic HAMSTER model blending Healthcare, Art and Religion into the traditional STEM approach. He chose Purdue University as part of his National Teaching Fellowship because he believes it offers the highest quality education and opportunities compared to the alternatives.