People

James Ewing
Junior concentrating in Applied Math and Economics on the Mathematical Finance track
Email: [email protected]

Hi! My name is James Ewing and I am a junior here at Brown concentrating in Applied Math and Economics. I am excited to be here as a Problem Solving Fellow to help you all out! Inside the classroom I am really passionate about mathematics and economics. I have been a Teaching Assistant for both MATH0520 as well as MATH0100 which are large introductory math courses. Outside of the classroom I am also a private tutor and really enjoy soccer!

Last semester I took “The Theory and Practice of Problem Solving” which qualified me for this position. It was a brilliant class and I would recommend it to every student and educator here at Brown. I have a passion for teaching and creating effective learning environments and I look to bring a lot of what I learned in that class into my teaching nowadays. Again, I am looking forward to working with people - don’t hesitate to email me!

Daphne Maniatis
Senior concentrating in Mathematical Physics 
Email: [email protected]

Hi! My name is Daphne, and I’m a 7th semester student of physics at Brown. I am currently doing research in the field of high energy theory, studying scattering amplitudes in string theory. In addition to research, I am extremely passionate about STEM education and working to improve the student experience. I have found a lot of joy in studying math and physics and would love to help others feel that way as well!

In addition to taking UNIV 1110, The Theory and Teaching of Problem Solving, I have worked on several educational projects through my time in college. I have experience with course redesign, including syllabus building, problem writing, and lab design, and have also helped create instructional content for labs as well as helping to build and edit online classes. I would love to continue this work, so please don’t hesitate to reach out if you’d like to chat!

Ava Nemerovski (they/them)
Sophomore concentrating in neuroscience
Email: [email protected]

I’m Ava, and I’m a sophomore concentrating in neuroscience at Brown. In the classroom, I love to study small-scale neuroscience. Outside of the classroom, I do research on biosensor engineering, sing in Brown’s Disney A Cappella group, and write music. I am really excited to be a Problem Solving Fellow and help improve the educational experience at Brown!

Besides taking UNIV 1100, I have had many experiences that have exposed me to several facets of education. I am currently a CHEM 0350 UTA, which gives me practice writing effective problems and guiding students through the development of solutions. In addition, I have been a TA in math classes, including geometry and calculus, which has given me further practice in these skills. I have also worked as a tutor for all STEM disciplines. I am always happy to help with problem writing, course design, content presentation, or any other questions you may have. Feel free to contact me through my email!

Eric Steinberg 
Junior concentrating in Behavioral Decision Sciences and Entrepreneurship
Email: [email protected] 

Hello, my name is Eric Steinberg and I am studying Behavioral Decision Sciences with a specialization in business storytelling. I have worked overseas for a cognitive training startup and have been the team captain for the Brown Esports Overwatch team for the last two years. I am also an experienced screenwriter and game designer, and I use skills from both to enhance the learning experience of my students. 

In addition to taking UNIV 1100, I served as the Director of Education for TAMID at Brown where I developed and taught a curriculum for training new students to become business consultants for startup businesses. I have also been a TA for ENGN 1010: Entrepreneurial Process.

Please do not hesitate to contact me by email! I would love to help enhance the engagement and energy within your classroom.

Maxwell Ferguson (he/him)
Junior studying Geology-Biology
Email: [email protected]

Hi! I’m Max and I am a second semester junior in the EEPS department here at Brown! I am currently a part of a research project in paleoceanography, and enjoy taking classes in many different areas of both STEM and the humanities. From late high school until now, I have thoroughly enjoyed the teaching experiences I have been a part of - the most recent being an undergraduate TA for the course EEPS 0010.

Through the class UNIV 1110, I have learned a lot about creating effective and inclusive problem solving environments, especially in an educational classroom setting. I am passionate about bringing inclusivity, metacognitive practices, and many other concepts from the UNIV 1110 class into any educational setting I am a part of. I would be happy to work with any educators to help redesign problem sets, provide constructive feedback on lessons, develop interactive activities, or any other needed tasks regarding course improvement. Feel free to contact me with any questions!

Da-Young Kim (she/her)
Sophomore studying Mathematics-Computer Science
Email: [email protected]

Hello all, I’m Da-Young and I’m a sophomore studying in both the math and computer science departments here at Brown. I did not have previous experience coding prior to coming to Brown and completed the CSCI0111/CSCI0200 introductory sequence, so I know how it feels to learn computer science from the ground up here at Brown! I have also experienced the engineering introductory sequence (ENGN0032/ENGN0040), so I may be able to provide insight about diversity and equity in the math, engineering, and computer science departments. 

In addition to taking UNIV1110: The Theory and Teaching of Problem Solving in preparation for my role as a Problem Solving Fellow, I have experience holding individual tutoring in math as well as experience designing processes for non-profit organizations and social science research. I have a passion for taking a critical look at classroom processes and practices with a lens of inclusion and equity. I have also taken classes in the Korean language, East Asian Studies, and Philosophy classes here at Brown, so please feel free to reach out if you are in an area outside of STEM!

Afnan Nuruzzaman (he/him)
Junior studying Computational Biology - Applied Math/Statistics
Email: [email protected]

Hey there! My name is Afnan and I’m a junior and a pre-med studying computational biology at Brown. As a pre-med student, I've taken multiple introductory course sequences, including the intro chem sequence (CHEM 330, 350, 360), and the intro physics sequence (PHYS 0030 and 00040). Outside in the classroom, I’m also involved in malaria research in the Department of Pathology, and I play in competitive chess tournaments!

In addition to taking UNIV 1110: The Theory and Teaching of Problem Solving as training for my current role, I have also worked as a teaching assistant in the Biology department for two semesters. During the fall semester, I was a teaching assistant for Introductory Genetics (BIOL 470), and I am currently a TA for a CURE class, Inquiry in Plant Biology (BIOL 0440). I am especially enthusiastic about collaborating on courses that include lab or research components, so don’t hesitate to reach out to my email!