Hashem Ramadan, STEM in Society
Hashem is a PhD student in the philosophy department at the University of Tennessee. He received his MA from Turkey, and is mainly interested in philosophy of mind and how our cognitive faculties affect our emotions, particularly when it comes to empathy.
Alina Rosati, STEM in Society
Alina Rosati is originally from Loudon, TN, and did her undergraduate degree at Maryville College. She is currently a master’s student in the UT Philosophy department and is mainly interested in the relationship between cellphone use and commonsense reasoning. She also has an interest in the role of meaning in our daily thinking and how a sense of meaning contributes to our ability to form healthy social relationships. Outside of school she spend most of her time feeding her pickleball addiction and training her German Shepard.
Wenxuan Shen, STEM in Society
Wenxuan Shen is a third-year PhD student in philosophy at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. He is also pursuing my graduate certificate in global studies. He is interested in both Chinese philosophy and Western philosophy. His current philosophical interests include philosophical psychology, political philosophy, philosophy of science, and virtue ethics.
Dario Vaccaro, STEM in Society
Dario Vaccaro is originally from Milan, Italy. He received his Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Philosophy from the University of Milan. As part of his Master’s program, he also studied one year at King’s College London. He specializes in epistemology (in particular justification and skepticism) and has recently started working on the philosophy of death, immortality, and meaning in life. Philosophy is his greatest passion and he tries to engage with it in all its facets.
Jessie Wilson, STEM Skills
Jessie is a master’s student in the Department of Industrial & Systems Engineering, where she also earned her bachelor’s degree in Industrial Engineering. Her research focuses on system modeling and optimization for healthcare and clinical applications. A GSSE alum from 2019, Jessie enjoys giving back to the program as a teaching assistant. She served as a TA for the Industrial & Systems Engineering class for two years and is excited to be part of the STEM Skills class this year. Outside of engineering, she enjoys ballet and plays oboe in the UT Wind Ensemble.
Faith Keating, STEM Skills
Faith is going into her third year as an undergraduate studying Industrial and Systems engineering. She is passionate about exploring many disciplines and teaching her findings to others. She has able to do this through her job at the Kao Innovation and Collaboration Studio where they are able to train on machines such as: 3D printers, laser engravers, and CNC mills. This will be her first year as a TA, and she is excited for a fun summer with the STEM Skills class!
Xavier Gage, STEM Skills
Xavier Gage is currently a sophomore studying mechanical engineering. He is the vice president of the UTK Baja SAE team, and works at the Kao innovation and collaboration studio metal shop. He enjoys spending his free time working on cars and working on anything mechanical.
Hannah M. Maddox, Biology
Hannah M. Maddox was recently awarded the Master of Science degree from UTK (graduated May 2025) under the supervision of Dr. Stephanie Drumheller, and is a soon-to-be PhD student at the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology. Hannah specializes in vertebrate paleontology and taphonomy, and has extensive experience doing paleontological fieldwork and museum collections management in the Western US. Her current research interests lie in understanding the role anatomical differences play in patterns of decomposition across Vertebrata and how these differences are reflected in the fossil record. This will be her first time as a TA for GSSE.
Shannon Hall, Mathematics
Shannon is going into his fourth year as a PhD student in mathematics. He studies operator algebras, and Hadamard matrices, with Dr. Remus Nicoara, who is teaching the GSSE math course. This is his second time being a TA for GSSE, and he looks forward to getting into some math with everybody!
Aya Rutherford, Physics
Aya Rutherford is a second year PhD student in physics with a concentration in condensed matter. Her interests lie in material synthesis, the study of the geometrically-induced magnetic properties of materials, and physical-chemical analysis of artworks. She attended UTK as an undergraduate majoring in art history and physics and continued onto the physics PhD program. This is her first time TAing for GSSE and is excited to meet everyone.
Charlotte Buchanan, Materials Science & Engineering
Charlotte Buchanan is a second year PhD student in Materials Science and Engineering. Her primary research is in magnetic skyrmions in thin films, but she has participated in a wide variety of other research projects including experimental archaeology, restoration of a musical reed organ, and studying the magnetic response of various insects. Outside of school, Charlotte plays cello and competes in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. This is her first time as a TA for GSSE, and she is excited to work with the next generation of engineers!
Maddie Maben, Materials Science & Engineering
Maddie Maben recently completed her Bachelor of Science in Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. During her undergraduate years, she had the opportunity to conduct research in multiple areas of MSE: metallurgy, ceramics processing, and magnetic materials. She is currently pursuing an accelerated Master of Science degree in MSE with Dr. Dustin Gilbert. Her current research is focused on developing magnetic thin films for electronic applications, and she ultimately wants to work as an R&D engineer in the electronics industry. This is her first time helping with GSSE, and she is excited to do some lab experiments with everyone!
Rebecca Terc, Industrial & Systems Engineering
Rebecca is a junior at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, pursuing a degree in Industrial & Systems Engineering. She’s a member of the Heath Integrated Business and Engineering Program, in which she collaborates with cross functional teams on class projects to assist local businesses. Beyond her studies, Rebecca is very passionate about music, playing the flute and saxophone, in addition to serving as a piccolo player in the Pride of the Southland Marching Band. She also holds a leadership role as the primary iLab attendant in the Tickle building where her responsibilities include teaching underclassmen 3D modeling software, fulfilling departmental projects, and more. Rebecca is looking forward to being a part of the program!
Katy Daniels, Industrial & Systems Engineering
Katy Daniels is currently a Ph.D. in Biosystems Engineering student at the University of Tennessee’s Tickle College of Engineering. Her background includes a BS/MS in Industrial Engineering with a certification in Fire Safety Engineering and a double minor in Leadership and Reliability & Maintainability (RME).
Her expertise spans sustainability, manufacturing, supply chain management, and data science, with experience applying machine learning and statistical analysis to complex milling manufacturing challenges. Katy has held research and teaching assistant positions, contributed to industry projects with Radio Systems Corporation, John Deere, and Keurig Dr. Pepper, and played a key role in optimizing industrial processes through Lean Six Sigma methodologies.
A passionate leader, Katy founded and presides over ROPES (Rural Outreach for Prospective Engineering Students), engaging future engineers through outreach. She has also served as President of WISE (Women in Science and Engineering) and Systers: Women in EECS @ UTK, significantly growing membership and impact. Her accomplishments include first-place wins in the UTK ACEI Graves Business Plan Competition and her Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education’s Energy Harvesting Necklace project, along with recognition as one of Knoxville’s 20 Under 20 for her extensive volunteer efforts. She is also Miss Tennessee Revolutionary and is representing the state in Nashville, TN where she will present on her platform, ROPES, and compete for the title of Miss America Revolutionary.
Katy’s skill set includes proficiency in programming (R, C++, Python, MATLAB), data analysis, public speaking, and project management. She is committed to sustainability, problem-solving, and fostering STEM education, making her a standout in both academia and industry.
Shelby Watson-Sanders, Chemistry
Dr. Shelby Watson-Sanders recently earned their Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK), and is now a postdoctoral researcher in the Dadmun Lab at UTK. Their research focuses on finding better ways to break down and recycle plastic waste, especially plastics like polyesters and polycarbonates found in everyday items such as water bottles and electronics. Dr. Watson-Sanders hopes to help reduce pollution and support a cleaner, more sustainable planet by studying how to turn old plastics into new materials. Outside the lab, they enjoy sharing their passion for science with students and helping others get excited about chemistry and solving real-world problems.