Samantha (Sam) Graff
Sam Graff is the Academic Technologist for Learning Innovations and Universal Design for Learning (UDL). Her responsibilities include using UDL to support faculty in developing equitable courses. She will also support pilot projects with emerging academic technologies.
Before making the switch to being an Academic Technologist, I taught biology courses at a technical college, and a small university in the Twin Cities. I obtained my B.S. in biology from the University of New Hampshire, the state where I was born and raised. In 2014, I started my M.S. in biology with electives in education from the University of Minnesota. I worked as a graduate assistant in an active learning classroom, which inspired my master’s thesis on active learning in the sciences. Recently, I finished my Ed.D. in Education with specialties in curriculum and instruction from Capella University.
Babi De Melo Lemos
Babi De Melo Lemos joined ITS in July as our Assistant Hardware Asset Manager, focusing mainly on computer setups and deliveries. She graduated from Carleton in June of 2021.
Babi is our educational associate who, like many of us, did not graduate in computer science. She, oddly referring to myself in third person, is a Political and Environmental scientist with a minor in Cross-Cultural studies. Her passions include glitter, her home country Brasil, advocating for indigenous rights and environmental ethics, interculturality, and fostering animals. This sounds a little like the personal ad in the Pinacolada song but I prefer Moscow mule hehe.
Emerita (Em) Palencia
Emerita (Em) Palencia is joining us as an Academic Technologist. Her responsibilities include Moodle and Reclaim support, to build deeper support for Carleton’s mission-critical learning management system and to support faculty, students and staff in their project or course-based use of WordPress, Omeka and other web-based applications.
My name is Emerita Palencia, but I go by Em. I have worked in Instructional Technology for about 3 and a half years during my college career. I have a B.A. in Elementary Education with a math endorsement. I also hold an MN Teaching License in Elementary Education (K-6) and Mathematics (5-8). I have taught learners of all ages from early elementary students to tenured faculty members about a variety of subjects. I have a tremendous passion for teaching and for technology, so what better way to combine my passions than Instructional Technology.
Before joining Carleton, I’ve had experience in the food service industry, customer service, instructional and information technology, education, and finance. All these experiences have helped me grow personally and professionally, building the person I am today.
I am Salvadoran-American. And I can also speak two languages fluently: English and Spanish. Spanish is my native language; however, English has become my dominant and most proficient language. I love learning about languages — there is so much rich history and culture embedded in language. I hope to become fluent in more languages soon.
My hobbies include dancing, cooking, and singing in the shower. I am a mom of 3 (fur babies). I have 1 cat and 2 dogs. I’d be happy to show pictures of them anytime — I have a ton.