Fellowships
The Trefny Center offers fellowship opportunities for faculty, graduate student, and postdoctoral leaders to support the culture of teaching and learning at Mines.
Engineering Learning Mentorship Fellows
The Engineering Learning Mentorship (ELM) Fellowship is a prestigious two-year experience designed for established faculty to lead and mentor others in enhancing teaching and learning practices. ELM Fellows engage in advanced educational development and develop a pedagogical leadership project that improves the culture of teaching and learning at Mines.
Heather Fester
Teaching Associate Professor
Humanities, Arts, & Social Sciences
Erik Menke
Teaching Associate Professor
Chemistry
Kristy Csavina
Teaching Professor
Mechanical Engineering
Katie Johnson
Professor
Electrical Engineering
Engineering Learning Fellows
The Engineering Learning Fellows (ELF) Program is a yearlong, application-based initiative designed to support faculty in developing engaging, effective, and innovative learning experiences. Throughout their fellowship, EL Fellows curate an original teaching portfolio that includes a learner-centered course (re)design, written statements, teaching innovations, and a collection of peer and student feedback.
2025-26 Engineering Learning Fellows
- Parisa Bazazi, Assistant Professor, Petroleum Engineering
- Polina Brodsky, Teaching Assistant Professor, Mechanical Engineering
- Alexandra Chakarov, Teaching Assistant Professor, Computer Science
- Duncan Davis-Hall, Teaching Assistant Professor, Engineering, Design, & Society
- Adam Duran, Teaching Assistant Professor, Mechanical Engineering
- Amanda Furness, Teaching Assistant Professor, Chemistry
- Gary Nave, Teaching Assistant Professor, Mechanical Engineering
- Mark Orrs, Teaching Associate Professor, Engineering, Design, & Society
- Josue Prado, Teaching Assistant Professor, Electrical Engineering
- Syd Slouka, Teaching Assistant Professor, Civil & Environmental Engineering
- Siby Thomas, Teaching Assistant Professor, Mechanical Engineering
- Brianna Zrinsky, Teaching Assistant Professor, Humanities, Arts, & Social Sciences
Peer Observation Fellows
Peer Observation Fellows (POF) support all aspects of the faculty peer observation program, which is being piloted from AY23-24 through AY25-26. The Fellows lead department trainings, conduct off-cycle observations, act as a resource for faculty, and assess the initiative. Fellows commit to two academic years in this position, investing approximately 40 hours per semester, and receive a yearly stipend.
Polina Brodsky
Teaching Assistant Professor
Mechanical Engineering
Becky Swanson
Teaching Professor
Applied Mathematics & Statistics
Aubrey Wigner
Teaching Assistant Professor
Engineering, Design, & Society
Michael Sheppard
Teaching Assistant Professor
Engineering, Design, & Society
Graduate Teaching Fellows
The Trefny Graduate Teaching Fellowship provides support for experienced graduate students and postdocs to further refine their pedagogical development. As part of their yearlong fellowship, recipients participate in monthly meetings with other Fellows and Trefny staff to explore topics in teaching and learning and advance their leadership and facilitation skills by mentoring their peers in the College Teaching Certificate Program (CTC). Fellows are also provided with personalized professional development opportunities based on the Fellow’s specific interests and professional goals.
Fellows are awarded $3,000, distributed evenly throughout the year. Prospective applicants are required to be at Mines throughout the duration of their fellowship year, and must have already completed the CTC. Applications for the ’25-26 academic year are now closed.
2025-26 Graduate Teaching Fellows
Sienna Gonzalez
PhD Student
Materials Science
Dagny Sacksteder
PhD Candidate
Materials Science
Isaac Spackman
PhD Student
Chemistry