2026 ASEE Annual Conference & Exposition

WIP: Faculty Preparation: ECE Graduate Students’ Experience in a Teaching Fellowship Program

Presented at Electrical and Computer Engineering Division (ECE) Poster Session

This work in progress (WIP) explores the experiences of current Ph.D. students in an Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE) graduate program who are participating in a teaching fellowship program designed to prepare future faculty. The fellowship program is a three-semester commitment, including structured pedagogical training and mentorship. By the end of the program, fellows receive a teaching certification and have served as instructors of record for an ECE course, allowing them to apply evidence-based teaching strategies in a discipline-specific context.

This work presents the reflections from the authors – Ph.D. students at various stages of the fellowship program. The cohorts selected for the fellowship range from those with no teaching experience to those with teaching experience. Additionally, students in the program also have varied professional goals, from tenure-track positions, industry positions, and teaching-track positions. The students describe their growth in the program, changes to their professional outlooks, and the impact of the pedagogy learned and cohort experience.

Through participation in the fellowship, students explore their own interest in teaching, increase their confidence in teaching, and are better prepared for their faculty applications. This work highlights the transformative impact of a structured program designed to develop graduate students as educators.

Authors

Zachary Brumbach Georgia Institute of Technology
Davide Balzerani http://orcid.org/https://0009-0003-4172-5120 Georgia Institute of Technology [biography]

Davide Balzerani received his Bachelor of Science in Electronics Engineering from Sapienza University of Rome in 2020. He earned a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology and a Master of Science in Electronics Engineering from Sapienza University of Rome in 2022. He served as a teaching assistant for two semesters for an Instruments & Electronics Lab, as a learning mentor in Fall 2025, and he is currently an instructor of record for an ECE course on Circuits and Electronics.
During his graduate studies at Georgia Tech Lorraine, Davide began conducting research in III–V compound semiconductors and microfabrication. He was awarded the Premio Frank Silvio Marzano for Best Master’s Thesis in Electronics Engineering at Sapienza University of Rome (2021–2022) for his work titled “Microfabrication and characterization of micro-opto-fluidic devices infiltrated with liquid crystal for photonic applications”.
Now, as a Ph.D. student in the School of ECE and the Center for Compound Semiconductors, his research focuses on developing gallium nitride–based, high sensitivity UV solid state photon counting devices. In addition to his research, Davide is an ECE Supporting Teaching ExpERience (STEER) Fellow and is pursuing a Georgia Tech’s Tech to Teaching Certification through the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL).
Ellie Madeline Pond Georgia Institute of Technology [biography]

Ellie Pond is a PhD student at the Georgia Institute of Technology in the Electrical and Computer Engineering department. Her focus is on the implementation of new teaching strategies and course designs.
Pranav Oommen Mathews http://orcid.org/https://0000-0002-2818-9410 Georgia Institute of Technology [biography]

Pranav Mathews received the B.S. degree in electrical engineering from The University of Texas at Dallas in 2021 and the M.S. degree in electrical engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology in 2023, where he is currently pursuing the Ph.D. degree with the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, with a focus on floating-gate, analog, and neuromorphic systems.
Suman Ghosh http://orcid.org/0009-0002-3256-7469 Georgia Institute of Technology [biography]

Suman Ghosh received the B.Tech. degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering in 2022 from Vellore Institute of Technology, India, and the M.S. degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology in 2023. He is currently pursuing the Ph.D. degree in Electrical and Computer Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology, where he builds on his prior research foundation. His interests include technical problem formulation, research development, and engineering education.
Dr. Lakshmi Raju http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2450-8856 Georgia Institute of Technology [biography]

Lakshmi Raju is the Director of Student Engagement and Well-Being, and a faculty member in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology. Her focus is on initiatives and programs that foster a welcoming and inclusive student community while expanding their academic, professional, and personal development.

Note

The full paper will be available to logged in and registered conference attendees once the conference starts on June 21, 2026, and to all visitors after the conference ends on June 24, 2026

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