The Graduate Teaching and Learning (GTL) Fellowship Program, supported by individual Faculties and the CTL, provides direct and targeted support within Faculties by positioning experienced graduate teaching assistants within a Faculty to facilitate professional development opportunities and mentorship for graduate and undergraduate teaching assistants (GAs/TAs). The overarching goal of the Program is to increase the pedagogical knowledge, skills, abilities of GA/TAs as well as the student experience overall.
In the Fellowship role, graduate students have a chance to develop skills in project design, teaching and learning innovation, leadership, and public scholarship and outreach. The program challenges GTL Fellows to fine-tune and utilize creative skill sets (e.g., design thinking, prototyping, communication strategy) to disseminate what is being learned through educational development initiatives, e.g., the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL), peer observations, workshop design and facilitation, resource development, etc. Through their involvement, graduate students are exposed to intellectual spaces at the University of Windsor where innovation in teaching and learning is occurring – within collaborative projects between academic units, the GATA Network, and the Centre for Teaching and Learning (CTL).
Current Fellows (Faculty of Engineering)
Mahsa Jalali, Fellow in the Faculty of Engineering
Mahsa Jalali is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) at the Laboratory for Autonomous Resilient Systems (LARS). She is a Graduate Teaching and Learning (GTL) Fellow in the Faculty of Engineering and Centre for Teaching and Learning (CTL).
Mahsa has been a Graduate Assistant for 7 semesters and the head of the team 3 times. Over the course of her academic pursuit, Mahsa has also been involved in teaching. She has been leading the IEEE Windsor Student Branch and organizing successful events. Her leadership has won her many awards that include the 2021 Annual IEEE Award and the 2022 IEEE Distinguished Service Award. She has mentored the university's Formula SAE team and served as a student representative in the ECE department's appointment committee since 2022.
Mahsa's entrepreneurial spirit led her to the RBC Founders program at the Entrepreneurship, Practice, and Innovation Centre (EPICentre) in 2022, where she developed her startup idea. She has shared her experience and expertise as a speaker at the university's summer camp, providing insights into how AI is shaping the transportation system.
Ailin Barzegar, Fellow in the Faculty of Engineering
Ailin is an aerospace and mechanical engineer who demonstrates a strong commitment to learning and leadership. Her master’s degree was followed by two years of teaching engineering courses at the university level and taking on supervisory roles. She is currently studying for a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering in the Department of Mechanical, Automotive, and Materials Engineering (MAME) at the University of Windsor, where she has worked as a Graduate Teaching and Learning (GTL) Fellow to contribute significantly to both the Faculty of Engineering and the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) in this position. As a GA and Head GA, she demonstrated her commitment to education. She held these positions for two semesters during her master’s study at the Sharif University of Technology and for six semesters at the University of Windsor. In addition, she has co-supervised projects in the iCAM lab at the University of Windsor. In addition to her passion for education, Ailin has excelled as an international student mentor at the University of Windsor for the past two years. Her innovative thinking was recognized by the University of Windsor Twitter competition with the "Best Entry" award. Ailin's dedication to improving teaching quality is further demonstrated by her enrollment in the University Teaching Certificate (UTC) program, highlighting her commitment to innovative teaching methods. Furthermore, Ailin's impact extends to the student community, where she serves as the vice-chair of the IEEE student branch in the Windsor section.
For inquiries about the GTL Fellowship Program, contact Laura Chittle (Laura.Chittle@uwindsor.ca).