Our People

Under the leadership of the Center's Senior Director, a wide range of people contribute to the Searle Center's work. We work with colleagues around campus, around the country, and around the world on a variety of teaching-and-learning projects.

Our Staff

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Our staff are skilled scholars and professionals with tremendous experience in learning and teaching. We take pride in working alongside Northwestern University faculty, postdoctoral fellows, graduate student instructors, and educational support staff.

Lauri Dietz

Director of Pedagogy and Assessment

847.467.2271

lauridietz@northwestern.edu

Read Lauri Dietz's Bio

Denise Drane

Senior Associate Director of Research and Innovation

847.491.2628

d-drane@northwestern.edu

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Lina Rombalsky Eskew

Senior Assistant Director of Assessment

847.467.6289

lina.eskew@northwestern.edu

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Laura Ferdinand

Assistant Director of Content and Communications

847.491.5676

laura.ferdinand@northwestern.edu

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Kate Flom Derrick

Assistant Director of Reflective Pedagogy

847.491.3106

kate.flomderrick@northwestern.edu

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Jennifer Keys

Senior Director of the Searle Center

847.467.4415

jennifer.keys@northwestern.edu

Read Jennifer Keys's Bio

Erika Nadile

Assistant Director of STEM Education

847.467.1163

Erika.Nadile@Northwestern.edu

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Dreana Rubel

Center Manager

847.467.6778

d-rubel@northwestern.edu

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Eun Sandoval-Lee

Project Administrator, Strategic Initiatives

eun.sandoval-lee@northwestern.edu

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Jaz Thomasian

Educational Development Coordinator

jasminethomasian2023@u.northwestern.edu

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Joshua Watson

Assistant Director of Engaged Learning

847.491.2181

joshua.watson@northwestern.edu

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Veronica Womack

Associate Director of High-Impact Teaching

847.467.3046

veronica.womack@northwestern.edu

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Maya Mei Wong

Administrative Aide

MayaWong2027@u.northwestern.edu

Read Maya Mei Wong's Bio

Eric Worden

Assessment Intern

eric.worden@northwestern.edu

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Searle Fellows

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Since 1999, the Searle Fellows program has been a university-wide initiative for early career research- and teaching-line faculty with the mission to cultivate a community of learning & teaching leaders at Northwestern who exemplify excellence and benefit from a shared year-long experience of pedagogical experimentation, critical reflection, and joyful celebration.

The 2024-25 Searle Fellows

Looking for past fellows?

We have an archive list that dates back to 1999.

Barina Aqil

Assistant Professor, Pathology

barina.aqil@northwestern.edu

Abigail Barefoot

Assistant Professor of Instruction, Legal Studies

abigail.barefoot@northwestern.edu

Jen Blackwell

Assistant Professor, Music Studies

jennifer.blackwell@northwestern.edu

George Cederquist

Lecturer, Music Performance

georgie@northwestern.edu

Cécile Chazot

Assistant Professor, Materials Science and Engineering

cchazot@northwestern.edu

Ying Chen

Assistant Professor of Instruction, Civil and Environmental Engineering

y-chen@northwestern.edu

Angelique Duenas

Assistant Professor, Medical Education

angelique.duenas@northwestern.edu

Caroline Egan

Assistant Professor, Spanish and Portuguese

caroline.egan@northwestern.edu

Maia Jacobs

Assistant Professor, Computer Science

maia.jacobs@northwestern.edu

Jeremy Keys

Assistant Professor of Instruction, Mechanical Engineering

jeremy.keys@northwestern.edu

Junsoo Kim

Assistant Professor, Mechanical Engineering

junsoo.kim@northwestern.edu

Raj Kumar

Assistant Professor of Instruction, Materials Science and Engineering

rkumar@northwestern.edu

Sarah Pila-Leiderman

Research Assistant Professor, Medical Social Sciences

sarah.pila@northwestern.edu

Michael Spikes

Lecturer, Journalism

michael.spikes@northwestern.edu

Krista Van Der Laan

Assistant Professor, Physical Therapy and Human Movement Sciences

krista-vanderlaan@northwestern.edu

Jessica Villagomez

Lecturer, Journalism

jessica-villagomez@northwestern.edu

Zach Wood-Doughty

Assistant Professor of Instruction, Computer Science

zach@northwestern.edu

Distinguished Fellows

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Searle Center Distinguished Fellows

Recipients of the University Teaching Awards become Distinguished Fellows of the Searle Center, amplifying exemplary teaching practices through public engagements and enriching the Center’s work with their unique perspectives and approaches.

Masi Asare

Charles Deering McCormick Professor of Teaching Excellence

Michael Beltran

Charles Deering McCormick Distinguished Lecturer

Thomas Bozza

Charles Deering McCormick Professor of Teaching Excellence

Barbara Butts

Charles Deering McCormick Distinguished Professor of Instruction

Melissa Foster

Charles Deering McCormick Distinguished Professor of Instruction

Ben Gorvine

Charles Deering McCormick Distinguished Professor of Instruction

Mei-Ling Hopgood

Charles Deering McCormick Distinguished Clinical Professor

Brent E. Huffman

The Alumnae of Northwestern Teaching Professor

Daniel Immerwahr

Charles Deering McCormick Professor of Teaching Excellence

Ilya Mikhelson

Charles Deering McCormick Distinguished Professor of Instruction

Cynthia Nazarian

Charles Deering McCormick Professor of Teaching Excellence

Elizabeth Norton

Charles Deering McCormick Professor of Teaching Excellence

Aaron Peterson

Charles Deering McCormick Distinguished Professor of Instruction

Reuel Rogers

Charles Deering McCormick Professor of Teaching Excellence

Lilah Shapiro

Charles Deering McCormick Distinguished Professor of Instruction

Amy Stanley

Charles Deering McCormick Professor of Teaching Excellence

Shirin Vossoughi

Charles Deering McCormick Professor of Teaching Excellence

Grad & Postdoc Collaborators

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Graduate and Postdoc collaborators include:

Logan Fenimore

Graduate Student

Chemical & Biological Engineering

About Logan Fenimore:

Logan participates as a Peer Session Leader at the Academic Kickoff and in the Graduate Teaching Fellows and Formative Feedback Partners programs.

Gerpha Gerlin

Graduate Student

Anthropology

About Gerpha Gerlin:

Gerpha participates in the Graduate Teaching Fellows and Formative Feedback Partners programs

Olabanke Goriola

Graduate Student

Performance Studies

About Olabanke Goriola:

Olabanke participates in the Reflective Teaching Guide program within Reflective & Effective Teaching.

Christina Hemmingsen

Graduate Student

Chemistry

About Christina Hemmingsen:

Christina participates as a Peer Session Leader at the Academic Kickoff and in the Graduate Teaching Fellows program.

Jennifer Lin

Graduate Student

Political Science

About Jennifer Lin:

Jennifer is a Formative Feedback Partner.

María Palacio

Graduate Student

Spanish & Portuguese

About María Palacio:

Maria participates as as a Peer Session Leader at the Academic Kickoff and in the Reflective Teaching Guide program within Reflective & Effective Teaching.