Follow our Graduate Student Council (GSC) by clicking here!
PURPOSE
The Engineering Education (EEd) Graduate Student Council (GSC) exists to advance student leadership and leadership practices. It will foster a community of students interested in the field of engineering education, provide professional development opportunities, facilitate networking among peers and professionals, and promote the exchange of ideas and research in engineering education.
MEET THE EXECUTIVE BOARD
President
Name: Caroline Lubbe
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Email: clubbe@ufl.edu
Biography: Caroline is a third-year PhD candidate at the University of Florida working with Dr. Sindia Rivera-Jiménez in the Engineering Communities & Participatory Change (ECoPaC) Research Group. She got involved with Engineering Education Research through a 2022 NSF Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) at UF. Her current research focuses on the experiences and outcomes of engineering community college transfer students as they adjust to a four-year institution. Outside of research, she likes to read, watch reality TV, and try new foods & drinks.
Vice President
Name: Mariam Ayub
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Email: mariamayub@ufl.edu
Biography: Mariam Ayub is a 2nd year PhD student in the Department of Engineering Education at the University of Florida working with Dr. Sindia Rivera lab Engineering Communities & Participatory Change (ECoPaC). Her research focuses on experiential learning in first-year engineering lab design courses, with attention to students’ cognitive and emotional responses. Her long-term goal is to pursue an academic career in engineering education research and teaching. Her hobbies include watching TV, listening to Podcast and painting.
Secretary
Name: Samantha (Sam) Englehart
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Email: sa.shefte@ufl.edu
Biography: Sam is a Graduate Research Assistant in the TWISTER Lab within the Department of Engineering Education at the University of Florida and pursuing her PhD in Engineering Education. She graduated from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte with a B.S. in Civil Engineering and an M.S. in Civil Engineering focusing in water resources. She comes into the PhD program with 3 years of experience in the civil transportation field working as a water resource engineer focusing on transit hydraulics and bridge flood studies. She is currently exploring engineering workplace development/college to industry transitions, ethics, and students conflict management. Outside of research, she likes to read, watch F1, and enjoys running.
Treasurer
Name: Teja Kolla
Pronouns: he/him
Email: kolla.teja@ufl.edu
Biography: Teja Kolla is a master’s student in Artificial Intelligence Systems at the University of Florida. He has over two years of professional experience in blockchain development and served as Vice President of Blockchain Innovation at A.I.W Works Pvt. Ltd., where he led projects on decentralized applications and payment automation. In addition to blockchain, he has worked at the intersection of AI and distributed systems, driving hyper-automation initiatives and developing no-code AI applications that streamline business processes and expand accessibility to intelligent technologies. At UF, he works as a Data Scientist in the Developmental Network Neurobiology Lab (DNNL). In addition, he has contributed to projects in biomedical AI, image captioning, and generative models. His research interests span Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Data Science, Blockchain Development, and Explainable AI. Outside of academics, Teja finds balance through cooking, long walks, and a thoughtful game of chess. He also enjoys exploring different cultures through travel and cuisine and finding quiet moments in music and podcasts.
Social Media Manager
Name: Hima Yalavarthi
Pronouns: she/her/hers
Email: yalavarthima@ufl.edu
Biography: Hima is a first-year master’s student at the University of Florida, pursuing a degree in Artificial Intelligence Systems in the Department of Engineering Education. Her research interests focus on applying artificial intelligence and machine learning to health data, particularly in predictive modeling, medical imaging, and data-driven decision support systems. In her free time, she enjoys playing badminton and reading books.
Advisor
Name: John Mendoza Garcia
Pronouns: he/him/él
Email: jmendozagarcia@ufl.edu
Biography: I was born and raised in Colombia, where I received my bachelor’s and master’s degrees. I came to the United States in 2011 when I started my PhD in Engineering Education at Purdue University. Traveling, hiking, and biking with my family are my preferred activities. My research interest is in how people can develop professional skills such as systems thinking, problem-solving, design thinking, and computational thinking.
Want to join EEd GSC and get to know the activities happening? Join our listserv!
To add yourself to a list, send an email to listserv@lists.ufl.edu with the message:
- subscribe EED-GSC-L [your first name] [your last name]
For example: subscribe EED-GSC-L Jane Doe