SLIVKA - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Professor of Electrical and Computer
Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, and (by courtesy) Biomedical Engineering Senior Adviser to the Dean of the McCormick School of Engineering Faculty Chair of Lindgren Residential College of Science and Engineering, 1995-2000
Job Titles:
- Associate Professor of Instruction, Segal Design Institute
Professor Birdwell teaches many classes in both the mechanical engineering department and the Segal Design Institute. You might find him teaching DTC, DSGN 395, ME 220, ME 224, ME 240/340, and ME 398. In these classes, he emphasizes user-centered design and engaging with the real world. He is also an adviser for the MaDE program here at Northwestern as well as the co-director of the DTC program alongside Dr. Michele Zugnoni. He is also a co-advisor for the NU Robotics Club with Professor Nick Marchuk. In his free time he likes to hike, ride bikes, make pottery, bake, and play frisbee. Ask him about his one year old lab Wall-E.
Job Titles:
- Professor of Instruction, Civil and Environmental Engineering
Job Titles:
- Associate Professor of Instruction, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
- Professor
Ilya is a professor in electrical and computer engineering. Outside of work, he likes playing tennis, running, and biking. He also fancies himself a decent dodgeball player, and tries to play IMs with Slivka when he can.
Hi! My name is Jamie Zhou (she/her) and I'm a neuroscience and biology major in the class of 2027. I'm from Zionsville, Indiana. I enjoy crocheting, reading, and watching cdramas. I'm also always down to go for a bike ride around the lakefill. Feel free to reach out with any questions!
Job Titles:
- Operations Director of the Ford Prototyping Shop
- Operations Director, Ford Prototyping Lab
Joe is the Operations Director of the Ford Prototyping Shop. He loves to talk about "shop stuff" and the manufacturing process with students who come to him, either for their DTC projects, or hobby projects of their own. He has 22 years of experience in the manufacturing field and has been at Northwestern for the last 7. He also enjoys golfing in his free time.
Hello! My name is Kaden Xu (He/Him), and I'm a Comp Sci major in the class of 2028. I hail from the glorious state of Indiana, which truly is the heart of America. I like watching football/basketball, exploring restaurants around Evanston, and playing a variety of video games. In particular, I love Tetris, Chess, and Hoi4. I have also famously never lost to Johnny in Smash. Don't believe him if he says otherwise.
Job Titles:
- Clinical Professor
- Faculty Chair
Clinical Professor Emerita of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, McCormick School of Engineering Slivka Fellow (2012-) Faculty Chair of Slivka (2022-present)
Karen Chou (aka KChou) is Slivka's Faculty Chair. She is a Clinical Professor Emerita and former assistant department chair of Civil Engineering. Since retirement, she was able to catch up on some cooking, including cooking fireside events with the Slivkans, cross stitching, reading mystery books, and walking as much as she can. She can always talk about building, structures, infrastructures, EA 2 and 216 (you will find out what they are soon enough). You can learn more about KChou here!
Job Titles:
- Professor of Instruction, the Cook Family Writing Program, WCAS Faculty Chair of Slivka, 2019 - 2022 Associate Chair of Slivka, 2016 - 2019
Kathleen Carmichael is Professor of Instruction in the Bobbie and Stanton Cook Family Writing Program where she teaches first-year seminars, intermediate composition, and Design Thinking and Communication (aka DTC). Kathleen also advises first-year, first-quarter students for the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences and is happy to talk to Slivkans about her insights from fifteen years of first-year advising. Kathleen's interests include satire, 18th-century British novels, and the complex ways that literature may drive public policy - an interest that informs her fall quarter seminar on literatures of addiction and her winter ecofiction class. She is currently excited to investigate how the emergence of generative AI tools, applied to writing tasks, may allow for a shift in academic writing - both teaching and practice - towards greater creativity and flexibility of form. Kathleen encourages Slivkans who have been experimenting with any kind of generative AI tools to share their findings and insights with her - she will be happy to pelt you with questions. Kathleen has been affiliated with the Slivka community since fall of 2011 when she became a faculty fellow. Subsequently Kathleen served as associate faculty chair (FQ 2014-SQ 2019) and faculty chair during the pandemic years (FQ 2019-SQ 2022). While Kathleen is proud to point out that Slivka Hall remained standing and largely undamaged at the end of her tenure as chair (if one discounts the mysterious theft of the letters S and V from the signage), she nevertheless deeply regrets her failure to inspire members of the community with universal reverence and affection for spiders of the Chicago wilderness, those masterful materials science engineers who may be seen adorning the exterior of Slivka in fall quarter. She encourages McCormick students in particular to consider these friendly arachnids as their colleagues and mentors in design engineering, from whom the thoughtful student may draw insight, inspiration, and relief from buzzing insects. Be kind - don't harass the spiders! While Kathleen makes her institutional home on far south campus (555 Clark, to be precise) she may be found in the Sargent dining hall on P2P days where she lends an encouraging ear to Slivkans talking through their latest plans for world domination. Kathleen also enjoys attending Bienen concerts and encourages Slivkans to support their south campus friends by going to theater performances, attending student concerts, checking out the Block Museum, or just joining her for the Skyline Piano Series.
Hey everyone! My name is Kaylen (they/them) and I'm a biomedical engineering major in the class of 2028. I'm from Chicago but I'll take any excuse to go into the city more! I love Asian food, fruity/jasmine tea, cooking with friends (no fire alarms!!), and Swedish fish. I'm often up playing video games and trying out various arts and crafts- I can make a kirigami 5 point star from memory.
Job Titles:
- Professor of Instruction and McCormick First - Year Adviser
Ken is a first-year adviser in McCormick and also teaches DTC and Biomedical Engineering courses. He received his PhD in Biomedical Engineering from Duke University. He likes biking to work, walking and running with his dog, reading books (sci-fi and non-fiction), and watching movies. He thinks Sargent food isn't bad, but mainly goes for the company.
Hi! I'm Lara Mocan (she/her), and I'm a biomedical engineering major in the class of 2027. I'm originally from Ankara, Turkey, and I moved to Chicago when I was 10. I love reading (I alternate between genres so come to me if you want any recommendations!), listening to music, and baking anything with chocolate (and no, white chocolate is not chocolate). I also enjoy going out on walks during the fall and the spring. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions or just want to chat!
Job Titles:
- Associate Director for STEM in the Office of Fellowships
LaTanya is the Associate Director for STEM in the Office of Fellowships. Born and raised in Chicago, she developed a love of life sciences from her mother, who shared with her a strong interest in the human body and nutrition. She earned bachelor's and master's degrees in biology from Howard University. She also got her PhD from Northwestern in 2014 and completed a Postdoctoral Fellowship at UIC with a focus on prostate cancer. LaTanya has more than a decade of experience in teaching and advising undergraduate and graduate students. She helps students and alumni to identify international and domestic external awards, and works with students one-on-one through the process. She enjoys spending time with her husband, a fellow scientist, and her two active, young sons who keep her busy and thoroughly entertained. She also enjoys reading biographies, traveling, and trying new restaurants.
Hi! I'm Lexi Rizzo (she/her), and I'm a chemical engineering major and spanish major in the class of 2028. I'm originally from the US but have spent the majority of my life in Prague, Czechia. In my free time, I enjoy playing music, singing, dancing ballet, theatre and hanging out with friends and family. I also love Disney so you will definitely see me around Slivka wearing Disney apparel. Feel free to reach out if you ever want to chat!
Job Titles:
- Research Lab Manager in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences
- Research Technologist at Northwestern University
Ms. Yeager is currently a research technologist at Northwestern University, where she serves as the laboratory manager of the Chemistry Department's undergraduate teaching facilities. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Ms. Yeager has assisted the department with filming lab demonstrations for online learning components of lecture courses. In addition to being technically proficient, Ms. Yeager is also creative and has leveraged her knowledge of benchtop chemistry to reengineer a classic piece of lab equipment for which she was granted a U.S. patent. Prior to working at Northwestern University, Ms. Yeager worked as a technical consultant and is often called upon to support Northwestern University's faculty and students with her expertise in environmental sampling and analysis. In this capacity she assists with the design and execution of collaborative projects undertaken by the university such as recent research into the atmospheric deposition of contaminants at the Gensburg-Markham Prairie in the greater Chicago area
A Residence Director, or RD, is typically a live-in professional staff member who functions as the supervisor of a residential area of campus. The RD organizes processes and procedures, adjudicates any conduct issues, serves on a 24-hour duty rotation to provide emergency response, and serves as a resource to students in the area.
Mark is not a live-in faculty member - he has an office in McCulloch Hall
Mark joined the Residential Life team in 2021 and currently serves as one of the Resident Directors for the Northeast Area.
Mark's professional portfolio includes: supervising residence halls, health promotions outreach, sexual violence prevention education, and multicultural education.
Hiya! The name's Mira Norman (they/them), and I'm a manufacturing and design engineering major (MaDE) in the class of 2026. I was raised in Omaha, Nebraska and essentially lived there all my life. (No, I don't live on a farm.) I'm a major Kirby enjoyer, love cooking, and can often be found in the study room working on yet another pset. I also love many music genres and always have song recommendations. If you ever see me around Slivka, want to talk about Pokemon, or are interested in seeing my dice collection (30 sets and counting!), please say hi! I'd love to talk!
Hello! My name is Nano Goldman (he/him) and I am an electrical engineering major in the class of 2026. I am also planning on completing the business institutions minor. I'm from San Diego, California, and in my free time I enjoy photography, talking about Formula One, card collecting and magic, and exploring the local area. You can usually find me around campus and throughout Evanston in one of the many local coffee shops and cafes. Please feel free to reach out to me at any time. I look forward to working with you all as your Treasurer!
Job Titles:
- Graduate Associate, NSF GRFP Fellow, Research Assistant
Job Titles:
- Assistant Professor of Classics
Dr. Winters is a classicist (and former physicist) specializing in ancient mathematics, science, and technology. He teaches courses at Northwestern on ancient astronomy, ancient medicine, Greek history, and the Greek language (both ancient and modern). His work has also included projects on games, textiles, books and manuscripts, seafaring and navigation, engineering, mathematical theory, and calculating devices from the ancient world. He is a member of the Science in Human Culture program and the Global Antiquities group, and is always excited to help students discover unexpected and creative applications of their scientific expertise. In his free time, Dr. Winters may be found losing at backgammon, playing the piano badly, getting hit in the head with a racquetball, making big pieces of lace for his cat to maul, collecting replicas of ancient scientific instruments, or studying a dozen languages that he might or might not ever use.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Professor of Instruction, Theater Department Lecturer, the Cook Family Writing Program Director, Office of Undergraduate Research
- Director of the Office of Undergraduate Research
Peter Civetta is the director of the Office of Undergraduate Research in the Office of the Provost, running programs including the Undergraduate Research Grants (URG) and the Undergraduate Research and Arts Exposition. He advises students on grant proposals, works to foster undergraduate research across the University, and helps to develop new initiatives. In addition to his affiliation with the Writing Program, he is also an Assistant Professor of Instruction in the Theater Department, where he teaches on the intersection of performance and culture, particularly looking at the impact of religion, politics, and comedy. Peter received his BA in Boston College, before working for almost ten years as a professional actor. His research explores the performance of religious/spiritual/moral beliefs in contemporary American society, particularly focusing on the impact of preaching as cultural discourse. In Evanston, Peter runs the non-profit Extraordinarily Sophisticated Imagination Club, a theatre program where children improvise and create their own original plays.
Job Titles:
- Sarah Rebecca Roland Professor of Earth and Planetary Science Director of Graduate Studies, Director of Computing, Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, WCAS
Sikder was born and brought up in Dhaka, Bangladesh. He received his B.Sc. and M.Sc. in Materials and Metallurgical Engineering from the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology. There, he worked with rare-earth doped semiconductor photocatalysts for degrading organic complex dyes in wastewater. Currently, he is developing nanomaterials by plasma synthesis for CO2 conversion utilizing Mid-IR enhancements. In his spare time, he enjoys traveling, watching cricket, and spending time with friends and family.
Job Titles:
- Members and Administrators
Slivka Fellows are faculty members and administrators that are affiliated with our Residential College. Students benefit greatly from the opportunity to become acquainted with these individuals outside the classroom-at firesides, over meals, or on excursions in Evanston and Chicago. Our Fellows are encouraged to eat with us at lunch in Sargent Dining Hall. In addition, Slivka has Fellows from various schools and departments. This encourages collaboration and learning across departments and also provides networking opportunities.
Job Titles:
- Sarah Rebecca Roland Professor of Earth and Planetary Science Director of Graduate Studies, Director of Computing, Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, WCAS
Prof. van der Lee's work investigates how plate tectonics started, how it is sustained, and when and how it will end. This research contributes to the idea that a secondary deep water cycle, through the transition zone, is a critical factor for sustaining plate tectonics. Suzan also harvests information from seismic waves generated by ambient dynamics in the Earth System and deduces source mechanisms of earth- and marsquakes. Part of the data that is analyzed is acquired through seismological field experiments. Suzan has participated in or led such experiments in four continents.
Hello! My name is Tanat Johnny Tungsubutra (he/him) and I'm a Industrial Engineering major in the Class of 2028 from Bangkok, Thailand. I love learning about everything geography, history, and cartography related, playing Super Smash Bros with my friends (especially curb stomping Kaden), and making way too many Hamilton references. You'll probably find me rec loungemaxxing, so come talk to me about how Parkour Civilization is the best movie of all time or why you should join Survivor: Northwestern!
Job Titles:
- Campus Minister at Sheil Catholic Center
Tim is a Campus Minister at Sheil Catholic Center. Tim enjoys taking service trips with students to places such as New Orleans, Border of Mexico and Arizona and Detroit. He enjoys getting to know students at fellow/student lunches at Sargent, at Slivka and cultural events.
Job Titles:
- Associate Professor of Instruction, Department of Computer Science
Vincent is teaching faculty in Computer Science, and he's very pleased to consistently have a solid Slivka contingent in his classes. When he's not teaching, he loves music, cooking, biking, geeking out about any of those, and writing in the third person. He's a firm believer that taking oneself seriously is overrated, and still has not figured out, how to use commas, properly.
Job Titles:
- Associate Dean for Undergraduate Engineering
- Professor of Chemical and Biological
Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering Associate Dean for Undergraduate Engineering in the McCormick School of Engineering Faculty Chair of Slivka Residential College of Science and Engineering, 2015-2016
Wesley R. Burghardt is an Associate Dean for Undergraduate Engineering, and as such, he is responsible for McCormick's undergraduate education program, including "the curriculum, professional development, and personal development." Burghardt joined the Northwestern faculty in the 1990s, and has in the past served as chair of the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, in which he is now a professor. His research interests seek to understand the dynamics of complex fluids during flow, and he has developed pioneering optical and X-ray scattering methods for studying the structural dynamics of polymers. He has been honored with teaching awards, including being named a Charles Deering McCormick Professor of Teaching Excellence in 2011.
Hey! I'm Zahra Nathani (she/her/hers), a Chemical Engineering major from Niles, Illinois, and part of the Class of 2027. Outside of my studies, I enjoy baking, crossword puzzles, gardening, and exploring new music. As your Fellows Chair, I'm here to help you connect with professors, find research opportunities, and make the most of campus resources. Feel free to reach out anytime-I'm looking forward to meeting you!