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Who's Who @ the PTC?
Director
Naomi Nemtzow, Director, built the current PTC program starting in 2001 with a small but dedicated group of peer tutors and writing consultants. Previously, Naomi taught writing in the Humanities Department and the EG Program, and she still enjoys helping students with their writing. Naomi is convinced that NYU-Poly students are the best! She is always interested in speaking with students about tutoring services, as well as other strategies for success at Poly. When she's not at Poly, Naomi is a visual artist whose paintings and collages often depict NYC.
Tutors
Brian Buckleman, Physics Tutor, is a junior Civil Engineering major at Poly. Originally from Blue Point, NY, Brian studied architecture for a year before coming to Poly. In his free time, he is usually reading, at the gym or just roaming the streets of Brooklyn. He enjoys working at the PTC because he gets to meet new people while being helpful to other students.
Ka fung Chin, CS Tutor, is a senior Electrical Engineering major and a Brooklyn native. Working at the PTC for two years, Ka loves that sudden look of realization and understanding that students get while at the Center. In his spare time, he likes to play games and handball as well as catch up on some reading.
Liu Di, Math Tutor, is an undergraduate Computer Engineering major originally from Shanghai. He is a math tutor at the PTC who enjoys being able to communicate with and assist Poly’s hard working students. When not at the PTC, Di can be found playing basketball, going to the gym and visiting all the great restaurants New York City has to offer.
Alex Feygin, CS Tutor, is a third year Mathematics major at Poly. Originally from the Ukraine, Alex is at the PTC tutoring Computer Science. Although the PTC is a professional place, Alex enjoys the friendly, almost family-like, feeling of the center. If he is not working, he likes to go to the Lounge and listen to other students tell stories of their adventures – and misadventures – at Poly.
Helen Han, Math Tutor, is a third year Electrical Engineering major from China. Even though she can play piano, Rubing can usually be found at the library when not working. At the PTC, she likes the fact that she can be influenced by the other great tutors – all of whom make the world a better place!
Elad Hood, CS Tutor, is a junior at NYU-Poly where he is working towards a BS/MS in Computer Engineering and Computer Science. Eventually, he would like to open his own high tech company. Elad enjoys working as a tutor because, as he says, “It enables me to more fully understand the subject matter and helping people makes me feel useful.” In his free time, like likes to read, play chess, shoot hoops and travel.
Mark Huang, Math Tutor, is a senior Electrical Engineering major working towards a career as an Engineer. In addition to tutoring and studying, Mark's hobbies include playing tennis, watching movies, reading and sleeping. His favorite actor is Al Pacino. And make no mistake - he does not eat eggs!
Andrew McFague, CS Tutor, is a senior CS major originally from Roanoke, VA. He has been working at the PTC for over three years, and keeps coming back because of the strong sense of accomplishment he gets when he sees students come back not just for answers, but for learning. He enjoys playing computer games and likes to watch “Heroes” and “Journey Man” in his time off.
Yijing Meng, Math Tutor, is a third year Electrical Engineering major originally from China. While not working with students on their calculus quandaries, she can be spotted at the library or a café. A friend to everyone, she feels that t PTC is a “big, warm family” and encourages others to stop by and visit her!
Viswakanth (Visu) Mula, Math Tutor, is a CS graduate student originally from India. He has been a math tutor for several years already, and came to the PTC to continue to help and encourage students in their studies. When he is not working at the PTC, Visu is usually spending his free time learning new computer languages.
Karthik Muthukumar, Math Tutor, is a BS/MS student working towards a BS in Electrical Engineering and a MS in Computer Engineering at Poly. Originally from Chennai, India, Karthik lives in Bay Ridge surrounded by other NYU-Poly students. He enjoys working at the PTC since not only does he constantly get to meet new people, but helping others keeps the material fresh in his mind! When he finds free time, he hangs out with friends and plays around on his computer.
Shivani Patel, Math Tutor, A fourth-year Civil Engineering major, Shivani's goal in working at the PTC is to share her knowledge and desire to help with students who are having trouble. She is a soccer fan and her favorite movies include the Thirteenth Floor and Clue.
Willis Thai, CS Tutor, is a Brooklyn native and a third year Computer Engineering Major at Poly. He has been working at the PTC for one semester lending his expertise tutoring Computer Science. He enjoys the fact that at the PTC you are able to make new friends and learn new things as you work. While not at the Center, he may be at the lounge completing his homework, watching movies and maybe even getting in some much needed rest.
The Writing Center
Lexie Bryan is pursuing a degree in Linguistics at NYU where she has explored a broad range of tutoring opportunities, especially with international students, through NYU's College Learning Center. Since joining the team at PTC, Lexie has learned countless new things from the office staff, the other writing consultants, and all her students. While not helping students with papers or facilitating their discussions at the Conversation Cafe, Lexie enjoys knitting, theater, and lattes.
Arda Collins earned her MFA at the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, where she studied poetry. She has taught writing courses and creative writing workshops in Iowa and New Zealand. When she isn’t at NYU-Poly or at City Tech, where she also teaches writing, she edits the online poetry journal GutCult. Her own work has been published or is forthcoming in The New Yorker, The American Poetry Review, A Public Space,andothers. She likes working with the students at NYU-Poly because they make her think about writing and language in new ways.
Mara Goodman has a background in Speech and Language Pathology and Literacy as well as Theater. For the past 5 years she has been teaching ESOL here in New York. She enjoys learning new languages. Mara is also a singer of classical and folk music and songs of peace and justice, both on her own and with her a cappella group, Harmonic Insurgence. Her choice to join us at NYU-Poly reflects her desire to work closely with students to help them express their own opinions and feelings.
Holly Halmo is a graduate student at NYU where she is working on two master's degrees—one in Gender Politics and the other in Library and Information Science. Before coming to the PTC, she was a writing tutor and the Learning Coordinator at NYU's College Learning Center. She enjoys working with NYU-Poly students, both on their writing and with their conversational English during the Conversation Cafe. NYU-Poly students never cease to amaze her with their interesting perspectives, diverse backgrounds, and unyielding work ethic. When she is not working at Poly, she can be found teaching reading, browsing old bookstores, and crocheting in coffee shops.
Denise Ivanoff has a master's degree in piano and is a professional piano and voice teacher as well as a vocal coach/collaborative pianist. She especially likes working with students who are new to the country. In her free time, she enjoys going to plays, traveling, photography, playing with web sites and databases, and spending time with friends. Her guilty pleasures are Bette Midler and Barbara Streisand!
Michael Laderman received his BFA from SUNY-Purchase and DMA from SUNY-Stony Brook, both in music performance. He is currently a Professor of Music at NYU-Poly as well as a teacher at the Preparatory Center for Performing Arts at Brooklyn College. Despite his busy schedule, Michael makes time for the PTC Writing Center because he says he likes knowing he was able to help someone. He especially enjoys working with international students. He has spent time living in Malaysia, France, and Italy and he knows what it's like to be a foreign student and learn a foreign language.
Elliot Markson was born in the Bronx and graduated from the Bronx High School of Science, where he majored in biology and loved physics. Elliot got his B.A. from the City College of New York. He then wrote advertising copy for Prentice-Hall Publishers, Paterson & Lawrence, and other agencies, winning awards for his print ads and TV commercials. Elliot went on to earn his M.S. at Brooklyn College and taught science in New York City public schools for 14 years. At the Writing Center, Elliot specializes in EG Lab Reports as well as Humanities assignments. He rides his bicycle daily to and from NYU-Poly and does the 5-Boro Bike Tour, the NY Century, the Tour de Bronx, and Tour de Brooklyn.
Office Staff
Ting Lu, Conversation Café Assistant, is a second year Digital Media major hailing from Chengdu, China. She has been at the PTC for one semester, where she enjoys how everyone is always so friendly and eager to help others. While not working, she likes to watch movies, take walks and pictures around the city and simply hang out in the dorm. Fresh to New York City, she is constantly fascinated with all the City’s different cultures that can be experienced in only the space of a few blocks! She is also a Badminton athlete and piano player.
Alison Riccardi, Tutor Coordinator, is a New Jersey native Clinical Psychology Master’s student at Columbia University’s Teacher’s College. While not at the PTC, she is most likely either feeding her obsession with Reality TV, walking in Riverside Park, reading, writing or cooking. She has been at the PTC for a year, and loves all the friendly people she gets the chance to meet here.
Tina (Qian) Wu, Conversation Café Assistant, has been at the PTC for one semester, meeting new people, making friends and feeling comfortable while learning a new language. She is a second year Technical Communications major from Chengdu, China. An outgoing, talkative and passionate person, she enjoys chatting with others and studying at the library while not helping out with the weekly Conversation Cafés.
Danny (Deng Yi ) He likes PC games, basketball and reading self-help books. He works in the PTC office helping to coordinate conversations groups and the Conversation Cafe.
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