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About the Post-graduation Research Fellowship
Our Team
Evgeniya Efremova, Director
Evgeniya is the Director of the Hilary Ballon Center for Teaching and Learning at NYU Abu Dhabi. She brings a data-informed, student-centered approach shaped by her cross-cultural experience in Russia, China, and the U.S., and her background in cognitive science, multilingual education, and faculty development.
Previously, she served as Director of the Center for Teaching and Learning at NYU Shanghai, where she led interdisciplinary faculty initiatives such as Teaching Excellence Workshops, the Teaching and Learning with GenAI Lab, and the annual Education in the Age of GenAI Showcase. Her recent work explores AI-aware pedagogy and the interplay between students’ motivation, foundational skills, and academic readiness, with a focus on how GenAI use influences learning, particularly among linguistically diverse learners.
Evgeniya co-founded Global Ambassador, an international education institute and online platform serving over 1,500 students annually across 30+ countries, where she developed programs in ESL, academic writing, university readiness, experiential learning, and teacher training. She also conducted research on student motivation at Ural Federal University and taught graduate-level research methodology in cognitive psychology.
She holds an Ed.M. in Mind, Brain, and Education from Harvard and a B.A. in Economics and Chinese from Mount Holyoke College. She is currently pursuing an Ed.D. in Leadership and Innovation at NYU Steinhardt.
Jamie Whelan, Associate Director
Jamie is the Associate Director at the Hilary Ballon Center for Teaching, the Associate Program Head for Undergraduate Success in Chemistry and a member of the chemistry faculty at NYUAD. Jamie’s research spans materials science, petroleomics and education, with publications in Chemistry of Materials, Energy & Fuels, Journal of the American Chemical Society, Journal of Chemical Education and Wiley Encyclopedia of Management, amongst others.
As an NYUAD faculty member, Jamie’s role primarily involves teaching students in the Foundations of Science 3-4 chemistry lecture and laboratory courses. Jamie’s lectures incorporate a range of different pedagogies including problem-based learning, groupwork and flipped classrooms. In the laboratory, students learn through the use of innovative experiments connecting chemistry to real-world problems.
Prior to joining NYUAD, Jamie worked in several other teaching and research-related positions in the UAE, Canada, and Ireland, with teaching experience covering high-school through to university. Jamie is active in outreach, helping to bring high-school students to experience science here at NYUAD, as well as showcasing NYUAD's research efforts to students in schools and events throughout the UAE.
Jamie holds an MSc (Chemistry), an MBA (Strategy), an MA (Education), and is completing a PhD from UCL on teamwork and team creativity.
Post-Graduation Research Fellows
Shayan Ahmad
September 2025 – August 2026
Shayan Ahmad is the 2025–2026 Tamayyuz Research Fellow at the Hilary Ballon Center for Teaching and Learning. Under the mentorship of Dr. Dania Zantout, he is leading a mixed-methods research study on implementing an AI-powered flipped classroom model in NYU Abu Dhabi’s Precalculus course. This research examines how blending modular AI tutors into the course design framework can improve student learning outcomes.
He also supports faculty development initiatives under the guidance of Associate Director Jamie Whelan, contributing to programming on AI integration, assessment design, and teaching innovation.
Shayan graduated from NYU Abu Dhabi with a double major in Computer Science and Mathematics. His broader research interests lie at the intersection of AI and education, with a focus on creating equitable and personalized learning systems.
Student Assistants
Faizan Ahmed
Faizan Ahmed is a sophomore from Pakistan double-majoring in Chemistry and Theater. He is passionate about improving teaching and learning methods, and is eager to participate in programs that allow him to share his skills with the HBCTL. As a student assistant, he hopes to develop engaging and effective pedagogy and to contribute to future projects and research in the field of education.
Kareem Elsenosy
Kareem is a freshman from Egypt planning to major in Computer Engineering with a strong interest in integrating AI and technology into education. He is the founder of Digital Minds Hub (DMH), an initiative dedicated to teaching programming and soft skills to children. As a student assistant at HBCTL, Kareem hopes to contribute to research and projects that enhance teaching and learning methods, particularly through innovative technology and AI-driven approaches. He is eager to support faculty development, create engaging content for the Center, and explore ways to make learning more inclusive and impactful for students.
Jahan Farjana
Jahan is a senior from Bangladesh majoring in Social Research and Public Policy with a minor in Behavioral Institutional Design. She is passionate about education policy and the role of technology in addressing learning gaps, with an interest in the use of AI to make learning more inclusive and effective. She is currently exploring these topics through her capstone on the use of AI in education and learning gaps. As a student associate at HBCTL, She hopes to support projects related to educational innovation, digital pedagogy, and equitable learning practices while gaining further experience in the education sector.
Vlera Mehani
Vlera is a senior from Kosovo majoring in Interactive Media with a minor in Applied Mathematics. She is passionate about Human–Computer Interaction, specifically its applications in accessibility and educational technology. She is currently a Research Assistant at NYU CREATE Lab (Consortium for Research and Evaluation of Advanced Technologies in Education). As a student associate at HBCTL, she hopes to contribute to projects that enhance teaching and learning.
Zareth Ramos
Zareth Ramos Cervantes is a senior at NYU Abu Dhabi from San Luis Potosí, Mexico, majoring in Social Research and Public Policy with a minor in Psychology. Her academic focus is on early childhood development, driven by a deep interest in how young children learn. She is particularly fascinated by different educational methodologies, such as the Montessori system, and enjoys researching the best ways for tutors to be involved in a child's developmental process.
Lujza Reova
Lujza is a senior from Slovakia majoring in Political Science with minors in History and Social Research and Public Policy. Her work at the HBCTL focuses on how global education components at NYUAD shape student experiences and learning outcomes. She is passionate about exploring the social and political dimensions of education and contributing to projects that foster inclusive and globally minded teaching practices.
Moonis Usman
Moonis is a junior from Pakistan pursuing a major in Computer Science. His enthusiasm lies in investigating the convergence of technology and education, particularly in how artificial intelligence and digital resources can improve teaching and learning by making the classroom a more inclusive environment. In his role as a student assistant at HBCTL, he aims to participate in innovative initiatives, assist faculty and fellow students in creating effective teaching methods, and acquire research experience in the domain of learning and technology.
Past Student Assistants
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Hallelujah Abe
Hallelujah is a freshman from Ethiopia planning to major in Economics. She is passionate about improving teaching and learning methods, and is eager to participate in programs that allow her to share her skills with the HBCTL. As a student assistant, she hopes to develop engaging and effective pedagogy and to contribute to future projects and research in the field of education.
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David Ho
David Ho is a Social Research and Public Policy junior from Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. He is passionate about education, specifically how to bring high-quality education to developing countries like Vietnam. His research interest is how higher education institutions could help prepare the workforce for the demands of the future economy. David has had much experience working in the education sector, from an education start-up in New York, a consulting firm in Washington DC to the Hilary Ballon Center for Teaching and Learning at NYUAD. He looks forward to working with faculty to further NYU Abu Dhabi's mission of creating the next generation of global leaders that will unite the world.
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Minseo Park
Minseo is from South Korea and is a junior majoring in Economics. As an HBCTL Student Assistant, she will work on researching teaching and learning methods for educators. Minseo will also contribute to research and expand the new HBCTL website. She hopes to gain experience in the field of education as well as telling the story of HBCTL.
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Mira Schlotter
Mira is a freshman from Hungary, planning to major in Art History. As a student assistant, she hopes to contribute to the HBCTL’s various projects and research working towards a more inclusive and comprehensive learning experience. She is excited to gain more insight into the world of education, as well as to find out more about interdisciplinary learning and the ways in which arts and creativity can be used in different educational fields and methods.
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Asri Asfera
Asri is from Ethiopia and is majoring in Economics.
As an HBCTL Student Assistant, she is supporting website content development, generating new ideas for improving the teaching and learning experiences from the student perspective, and contributing to education research. She enjoys learning about the education field, how pedagogy works, and the research methods used to produce evidence-based best practice.
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Ahmed Farrukh
Ahmed is a sophomore from Pakistan majoring in Mechanical Engineering. He has been interested in education and teaching since a very young age and looks forward to learning more about higher-education pedagogy through HBCTL. He hopes to gain experience to supplement his long-term goal of working for the education sector.
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Bianca Mandapat
Bianca Mandapat is a student assistant from Benguet, Philippines. With the concepts and skills she acquires as a Social Research and Public Policy major, she hopes to contribute to the center's expanding body of research and resources, aiming to enhance the learning experience of students from diverse backgrounds. She is interested in the intersection of education, community development, and evidence-based policymaking, particularly within Global South contexts. She looks forward to the mentorship and collaborative learning opportunities with the HBCTL team and all who find themselves at the center.
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Mohammed Muqbel
Mohammed is from Jordan and is majoring in Social Research and Public Policy. As a student assistant Mohammed will work on further developing the HBCTL website, crafting videos that deliver quick tips on teaching and learning for all NYU Abu Dhabi’s educators. He is also contributing to ongoing pedagogical research related to grade-free learning, research-led teaching, and more. IN this student assistantship he looks forward to learning more about writing and publishing research papers and developing effective teaching pedagogies of his own.
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Sojin (Gloria) Noh
Sojin is from South Korea and is majoring in psychology and minoring in peace studies and anthropology. As a student assistant at the HBCTL, she will support the center and its goals by assisting with education-related research and content that aims towards making teaching and learning resources more easily accessible for faculty. She enjoys exploring the connection between psychology and education and hopes to enhance students' educational environment in a globalized setting.
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Sara Vuksanovic
Sara is a sophomore from Serbia, pursuing a double major in Business Organization & Society, along with Psychology. As a student assistant, she will be working to improve teaching and learning methods through aiding in research and resource creation for educators. She enjoys finding ways in which psychology and effective management can aid in developing education systems where students thrive.
