Information Box Group

Dr. Kim Dej
INSPIRE 1A03
Dr. Kim Dej is the Vice Provost. Teaching and Learning for McMaster University. Dr. Dej has been at McMaster since 2004 and holds a PhD in biology from John Hopkins University. She is a renowned educator having won the President’s Award for Outstanding Contributions to Teaching and Learning, a McMaster Student Teaching Award and the YWCA Women of Distinction Award for Education and Mentorship. Dr. Dej has previously taught in the Life Science programs and has taught courses in Genetics, Cell Biology and Community Engagement. She is passionate about teaching and learning pedagogical research, curriculum development and peer-mentorship.
Currently Dr. Dej leads the INSPIRE Office of Flexible Learning initative.

Dr. Nick Bock
INSPIRE 2II3
Dr. Nicholas Bock is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour. For several years, he has taught PSYCH 2AP3: Abnormal Psychology to students from across campus with an interest in mental health research. His research focuses on using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to investigate potential neurobiological changes in the brain related to mental illness. He is the co-lead for the neuroimaging platform of the Canadian Biomarker Integration Network in Depression (CAN-BIND).

Sydney Brennan
INSPIRE 3EL3 CO1
Sydney Brennan (she/her) is the Registered Dietitian at McMaster Hospitality Services, where she works as part of the Wellness and Communications team to enhance the student experience through food. Sydney holds a Master’s in Applied Nutrition from the University of Guelph and has a diverse background in retail and community-based dietetics. These experiences have deepened her belief in the power of food as a tool for education, fostering connections, and promoting well-being within our communities and the broader environment.

Liana Bontempo
INSPIRE 3EL3 CO1
Liana Bontempo is the Manager of Strategic Initiatives and Partnerships for McMaster’s Hospitality Services, leading growth initiatives and strategic collaborations. She holds a Master’s in Public Health specializing in Community Nutrition from the University of Toronto (2016) and is currently working towards an MBA. Known for her analytical approach, strategic vision, and passion for community building, Liana believes that food is a tool to educate, connect, and inspire.

Sam Clarke
INSPIRE 3EL3 CO2
Sam holds a PhD from McMaster and works in the Office of the Vice-Provost, Teaching & Learning, supporting teaching innovation and recognizing excellent educators. She is on her way to becoming a Master Gardener, a culmination of her journey from her grandparents’ orderly veggie patch to her own chaotic–beautiful gardens full of strange species, swarms of bees, and ominous décor. Sam supports students’ growth as scholars and humans through active, compassionate, and accessible learning experiences.

Sarah Whitwell
INSPIRE 3EL3 CO2
Sarah is the Educational Developer with the Office of Community Engagement. She is a passionate educator, amateur gardener, and enthusiastic supporter of the arts. Sarah is also lifelong Hamiltonian and completed both her BA (History and Classics) and PhD (History) here at McMaster. As an educator, Sarah is committed to supporting students as holistic human beings, incorporating Universal Design for Learning, Culturally Responsive Teaching, and Trauma-Informed Pedagogy into her teaching practice.

Natasha Sofia Martinez
INSPIRE 3II3 C02
Natasha is a critical scholar whose work bridges political science and digital migration studies. Her research investigates transit migration in Latin America, with a unique focus on Migrant TikTok. She is interested in understanding how migrants share their stories and challenge borders. Natasha is a PhD Candidate in Political Science at York University and is a Research Associate with CERLAC (YorkU). She holds a Master’s degree in Globalization Studies from McMaster University.?

Dr. Rohini Patel
INSPIRE 3II3 C02
Dr. Rohini Patel (she/her) is a Postdoctoral Fellow in Indigenous Studies at McMaster University. She researches and teaches topics in modern histories of science, technology, and empire, postcolonial and feminist STS, and environmental humanities. Patel holds a PhD in History from the University of Toronto.

Maddie Brockbank
INSPIRE 3II3 C03
Maddie Brockbank (she/her) is a PhD Candidate and Vanier Scholar in the School of Social Work at McMaster University. Her research is in anti-carceral gender-based violence prevention with men. Additionally, she has research experience in the areas of social systems, andragogy, and equity. Maddie has been recognized as a recipient of the Young Woman of Distinction Award (YWCA Hamilton), a Wilson Leadership Scholar Award (McMaster University), the President’s Award for Excellence in Student Leadership (McMaster University), a Hamilton Hero award (Hamilton Ticats), a Women Who Rock award (EMPOWER), and a Mary Keyes Award for Outstanding Service and Leadership (McMaster University).

Maggie Cockburn
INSPIRE 3AR3
Maggie Cockburn (She/ Her) is a Project Coordinator in the Faculty of Science, working on advancing strategic initiatives related to Equity, Diversity and Inclusion. Maggie graduated from McMaster with an Hon. BSc degree in Biology, completed her Bachelor of Education at Brock University and a master’s degree in Professional Education at Western University. She has worked in various roles at the University, in Student Wellness Education and Human Resources Organizational Development, as well as in the Athletics and Recreation Department, in the Pulse Fitness Centre, David Braley Sport Medicine Clinic, as Sport Fitness School Camp Director and most recently as the (interim) Camps and Clubs Coordinator.

Stacy Creech
ABLD 3CD3, LATAM 2A03, 3A03
Stacy A. Creech de Castro is an Afro-Dominican PhD Candidate and Teaching Fellow in the Department of English and Cultural Studies at McMaster University. Specializing in Transatlantic literature in the long eighteenth century and beyond, her current research examines British, Caribbean, and American Gothic literatures and Black Feminist Theory. Stacy is co-founder of the Latin American Network at McMaster University (LANMU), and her background is in medicine, pedagogy, linguistics, English, and Comparative Literature. Areas of research: Caribbean Studies, Latin American & Latinx Studies, Black Diaspora Literature and Theory, Black Feminist Theory, Transatlantic Studies.

Kojo Damptey
ABLD 3BA3
Kojo Damptey is an interdisciplinary scholar-practitioner, musician and decolonial advocate. His work revolves around communication, music, African culture, African politics, International Development and social movements. Born in Ghana, he moved to Hamilton in 2001 to pursue a degree in Chemical Engineering at McMaster University. He is working towards a Master of Arts at McMaster University in Cultural Studies and Critical Theory, studying African Political Thought for the 21st Century and beyond. He has also received an Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies from Royal Roads University.

Katie George
INSPIRE 3MP3
Katie has been working in higher education for over 16 years, teaching everything psychology has to offer. Equipped with a background in psychological concepts and over a decade of experience in the field of brain injury rehabilitation, Katie offers a new lens with which to view education and learning. Currently she is the Program Manager for the McCall MacBain Postdoctoral Fellows Teaching and Leadership Program at McMaster University. A program that has been developed by Dr. Joe Kim to train the next generation of superstar postdocs to teach and lead, both in academia and beyond.

Renata Hall
INSPIRE 3II3 C04
Renata lives all things social justice! With an educational background in Psychology and Biology from Dalhousie University, a Bachelor and a Masters Degree in Social Work from McMaster University, and now a PhD Candidate in the School of Social Work, Renata looks to shake the room through her love of building community connections, challenging the status quo, and amplifying the voices of the margins. Professionally, Renata is a registered social worker and equity has always been at the forefront of her professional pursuits. Currently, Renata is situated at McMaster University as the Manager of Inclusion and Anti-Racism Education Programs within the Equity and Inclusion Office.

Dr. Joe Kim
INSPIRE 3MP3
Joe Kim is an associate professor in the Department of Psychology, Neuroscience and Behaviour at McMaster University, where he has three major roles: Director of the Education and Cognition Lab; Factulty Director of McCall MacBain Postdoctoral Fellows Teaching and Leadership Program; and principla instructor for the innovative McMaster introductory psychology program. A common link across his numerous roles and career is a desire to implement evidence-based practices that promote life-long learning. As an Applied Cognitive Psychologist, He is interested in understanding how the mind works. How do processes like attention and memory help us to make decisions form judements, and build a network of associations that allow us to learn and interact with the world?

Dr. Rodrigo Narro Perez
LATAM 2A03
Rodrigo Narro Pérez is an interdisciplinary scholar that has a foundation in earth and environmental sciences. His PhD research looked at using glacial sedimentology and geomorphology to understand glacial hazards and the impacts of climate change in the Peruvian Andes. He is one of the Co-Conveners for McMaster’s Race, Racialization and Racism (R3) Working Group, and is a member of the inaugural Board of Directors for the Hamilton Anti-Racism Resource Centre (HARRC). He focuses his interdisciplinary teaching on anti-racist and decolonial pedagogies where he attempts to combine his scientific training as a geoscientist with his anti-racism community work.

Monica Palkowski
INSPIRE 1PL3 & INSPIRE 3WW3
Monica Palkowski (she/her) is passionate about supporting students as they navigate their personal leadership journeys. As a Living Learning Coordinator with Residence Life, Monica supports student leaders through coaching and mentoring, and through the development and delivery of engaging experiential learning opportunities. Since completing an Honours BA (English) at McMaster, Monica’s own leadership journey has taken her through a variety of fields and experiences, from publishing to health promotion and community engagement.