2025-2027 Fellows
Daniel Feshbach, Computer and Information Science, School of Engineering and Applied Science
PGAEF Faculty Advisor: Cynthia Sung, Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics, School of Engineering & Applied Science
Daniel plans to teach an ABCS course on mentoring in engineering after-school programs: participating Penn students will have teaching practicum placement in local public school programs such as robotics teams. Relatedly, he will examine the experiences of students on high school robotics teams, investigating how students learn and use engineering skills and how this relates to their feelings of empowerment and career interest. His dissertation research involves developing computational tools to design mechanisms for robots. Daniel is a proud mentor of FIRST Robotics Competition team 9416 from Bodine High School in Northern Liberties, Philadelphia. Before joining Penn for his PhD, he studied Computer Science at Haverford College.
Christine Phan, Annenberg School for Communication
PGAEF Faculty Advisor: Julia Ticona, Annenberg School for Communication
Christine plans to design and teach an ABCS course on digital inequalities and community-based approaches to research and technology. In this class, undergraduate students will learn research approaches and methods for conducting community-based research by exploring quantitative and qualitative methods, research study development, and research ethics. This class will incorporate critical digital studies, surveillance studies, data feminism, and policy work in technology regulation to introduce students to technology ethics and the principles of liberatory technology.
Her research focuses on immigrant communities’ relationship to technology. Prior to starting her Ph.D., Christine worked in technology and disinformation policy and managed a city-wide program to close the digital divide in collaboration with community organizations in Oakland, California.