The Gelfand Global Fellowship enables Case Western Reserve engineering graduate students and researchers to leverage their technical expertise and creativity to help make the world a better place through STEM education. The Fellowship includes travel to sub-Saharan Africa to collaborate directly with project partners. The Fellowship includes full tuition and a stipend.
Current and Previous Gelfand Global Fellows
Veronique Gre Douniama-Lonn, Ph.D
Dr. Lonn is a Gelfand Global Fellow while serving as a Visiting Assistant Professor of Chemical Engineering at Case Western Reserve University. Drawing on her expertise in agro-resource chemistry and her passion for STEM outreach and science communication, she is leading an ambitious program in the Republic of Congo that trains 2,000 high school students to transform Africa’s natural resources into higher-value products, rather than simply extracting and exporting them in raw form. Her goal is to inspire students to discover the many dimensions of science, to empower them to explore the value-addition potential of their local resources, and to create sustainable livelihoods through innovation.
Ruvarashe Mutasa (2023-2025)
Ruvarashe served as a Gelfand Global Fellow while completing her masters degree in chemical engineering at Case Western Reserve. She feels grateful for the chance to give back and make a difference in STEM education in her home country of Zimbabwe. Ruvarashe says, "Drawing from the profound impact of being raised by inspiring teachers who shaped my own journey, my goal is to pay forward the invaluable lessons I learnt creating a positive impact on the future generation while exploring the dynamic world of Chemical Engineering."
Tabitha Manibe (2022-2024)
While earning her master’s degree in chemical engineering at Case Western Reserve, Tabitha embraced the opportunity to become a Gelfand Global Fellow, combining her studies with a passion for making an impact through STEM education. This fellowship has given her a unique opportunity to combine her expertise in program implementation with her passion for STEM education. As part of the Fellowship, she spent a summer teaching local high school students in South Sudan the science behind making soap at the STEMpower STEM center in Juba. Her goal is to inspire and empower more young people to explore the potential of value addition of their resources and create a sustainable livelihood.
Zemene Tegegn
Zemene is a Gelfand Global Fellow pursuing his PhD in chemical engineering at Case Western Reserve. Zemene shares that "As a Gelfand Global Fellow, I am having a direct impact on my old high school in Delo Mena, Ethiopia. Students previously had no chance to do hands-on experiments. We have now implemented engineering labs that integrate with the school STEM curriculum, while connecting science with entrepreneurship and economic development."
Ivy Petsinger (2020-2021)
Ivy, a chemical engineer, became a Gelfand Global Fellow after spending two years in the Peace Corps, where she taught high school math in a rural village in Tanzania. Ivy loves sharing her passions for math, science and engineering in hands-on, applicable ways with students around the world!
Blaire Volbers (2019-2020)
Blaire participated as a Gelfand Global Fellow during her MS studies in chemical engineering at Case Western Reserve. Blaire previously taught English in Uruguay as a Fulbright Scholar, and taught high school chemistry in the US for five years before entering graduate school. Blaire shares that, "I was drawn to this project due to the unique intersection of engineering and education that it offers on a global scale. It has been a truly unique graduate experience."
Andrew Wang (2019-2020)
Andrew was a Gelfand Global Fellow during his PhD studies in chemical engineering at Case Western Reserve. Prior to his fellowship, Andrew carried out research in sustainable energy at the University of Botswana, and in environmental science at Lanzhou University (China). Andrew shared, “the Fellowship was a great complement to my traditional research-based PhD in chemical engineering. A highlight was a workshop in Ethiopia where I networked with science museum leaders from all over the world.”
Learn More
Contact Daniel Lacks, Director, Gelfand Global STEMpower Initiative and C. Benson Branch Professor and Chair of the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, at djl15@case.edu to learn more about the Gelfand Global Fellows Program at Case Western Reserve University.