2023-24 UMSI Outstanding Graduate Student Instructors announced

Aparna Ananthasubramaniam and Xinran Cao have been named recipients of UMSI’s 2023-24 Outstanding Graduate Student Instructor Award. The annual award recognizes overall exemplary performance as a GSI, including dedication, impact and instructional skills. Recipients are selected based on course evaluations and nominations by faculty, students and peer GSIs.

Aparna Ananthasubramaniam is a two-time doctoral recipient of the award. She was a GSI in SI 301: Models of Social Information Processing. 

Ananthasubramaniam’s research interests include computational social sciences, complex systems, natural language processing and social policy. Prior to beginning her PhD, she worked in the social sector for several years, including as co-founder and co-director of Heart and Home Collaborative Women’s Shelter. Ananthasubramaniam continues to collaborate with nonprofit partners on research and capacity-building projects. She is a 2022 recipient of the UMSI Award for Impact in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and a 2023 recipient of the Outstanding GSI Award.

Xinran Cao, who was a GSI in the course SI 579: Building Interactive Applications, is the master’s student recipient of the Outstanding GSI Award. A recent graduate of UMSI, where he pursued the user-centered agile development track, Cao is passionate about creating user-focused software solutions.

Nominees highlighted the enthusiasm, commitment and deep expertise Cao and Ananthasubramaniam showed their students, as well as the support they provided when students encountered challenges. 

The following GSIs were nominated for this year’s award by students, faculty or fellow GSIs who noted their passion, commitment, patience and more. Congratulations to these nominees: 

• Alyssa Sklar, SI 544: Introduction to Statistics and Data Analysis 
• Angela Schopke-Gonzalez, SI 410: Ethics and Information Technology
• Anirudh Kundu, SI 482: Interaction Design Studio and SI 487: User Experience Final Project
• Anna Vento, SI 564: SQL and Databases and SI 568: Introduction to Applied Data Science
• Coulton Theuer, SI 305: Introduction to Information Analysis and SI 602: Mathematical Foundations for Applied Data Science
• Damon Carucci, SI 658: Information Architecture 
• David Parker, SI 320: Graphic Design and SI 520: Graphic Design and Visual Communications
• Divya Jahagirdar, SI 501: Contextual Inquiry and Consulting Foundations
• Emily Cao, SI 311.150: Special Topic: Laws of UX and SI 307: Introduction to User Experience Design
• Haoting Gao, SI 559: Introduction to AR/VR Application Design
• Jingyi Zhao, SI 388: Putting the H in HCI: Human Perception, Cognition and Mental Processes and SI 422: Needs Assessment and Usability Evaluation
• Jinkui Chi, SI 507: Intermediate Programming
• Julia Mendelsohn, SI 544: Introduction to Statistics and Data Analysis 
• Lindsey Forche, SI 504: Servers, The Shell, and Git and SI 564: SQL and Databases
• Maxwell Rosenzweig, SI 482: Interaction Design Studio and SI 429: Online Communities: Analysis and Design of Online Interaction 
• Sheza Munir, SI 504: Servers, The Shell, and Git
• Stephanie Preda, SI 542: Introduction to Health Informatics
• Travis Jones, III, SI 302: Introduction to Information Ethics
• Woosuk Seo, SI 582: Introduction to Interaction Design

“You have all done outstanding work that benefits our educational mission,” said Cliff Lampe, associate dean for academic affairs. “We appreciate your efforts for your students, the attention you’ve paid to such a core part of our mission and your dedication to teaching.”