The Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) is pleased to recognize this year’s cohort of International TA Liaisons for CTL. This CTL initiative offers experienced international graduate teaching assistants (ITAs) a significant leadership role in their colleges and the opportunity to create a support network among their peers. 

Creating this partnership with international TAs is an extension of the hub-and-spoke model that CTL created with the Provost Teaching & Learning Fellows (PTLFs) and the Graduate Teaching Fellows (GTFs).  “The program is strengthening the voices of ITAs on campus and giving visibility to the diversity and contributions they bring. We’ve made some valuable connections between CTL and the Colleges through the ITA Liaisons,” says Sarah Kegley, ITA program manager for CTL.

The 2022-2023 cohort represents four colleges--Design, Computing, Engineering, Ivan Allen, and Sciences-- eight schools, and various national backgrounds. In addition, eight of the ITA liaisons have completed CETL 8802, Special Topics in ITA Development, and all have already successfully served as teaching assistants.    

“ITAs can support each other and incoming ITAs in distinctive ways that may not occur to others,” says Ximena Pizarro, a Ph.D. student in Public Policy.   

Along with their collaboration within the cohort, ITA Liaisons are engaging as leaders in their own schools. Each member of the cohort is working on something that addresses a specific need that they have chosen to highlight.    

Tinomutenda Chikate, a graduate student in Cybersecurity, adds that “By contributing our diverse experiences…, we have an opportunity to lay a conducive foundation with relevant tools for prospective ITAs.” She reminds us of an African proverb: “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”

Congratulations to the following ITA Liaisons for CTL!  For more information, please see https://ita.ctl.gatech.edu/your-liaisons-2022-23

• Tinomutenda Chikate, Cybersecurity
• Zhaoxin Li, Aerospace Engineering, Robotics
• Abdulaziz (Aziz) Qwbaiaban, Electrical & Computer Engineering
• Ximena Pizarro Bore, Joint PhD Public Policy
• Nadya Pramaputri, School of City & Regional Planning 
• Sijian Tan, Aerospace Engineering
• Chang Ding, Earth & Atmospheric Sciences
• Selim Tekin, Computer Science (SCS)
• Genaro Soto Valle Angulo, Electrical & Computer Engineering
• Sourabh Kumar Choudhary, Industrial Systems & Engineering