Peer Advisors

Prince Essiaw is a PhD student in Curriculum Studies at the University of British Columbia (UBC). His doctoral research examines how history curriculum resources, teachers, and students engage with African agency, historical responsibility, and reparations for the transatlantic slave trade. He holds degrees from the University of Cape Coast and the University of Education, Winneba, in Ghana. At UBC, he is a research assistant on The Historical Thinking Project. He also serves as project lead for an EDID-funded initiative that builds teacher capacity to teach the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade in Canadian schools. Previously, he developed history curriculum materials for Ghana’s National Council for Curriculum and Assessment. His interests include difficult histories, curriculum development, textbook analysis and historical thinking. 

Hyoju Jeong is a Master of Arts student in Curriculum Studies at the University of British Columbia. With a BA in English education, her academic interests include second language learning, artificial intelligence (AI) in education, the social and political dimensions of education, and questions of identity and inclusion. Her current research explores how North Korean refugees are represented—or omitted—in South Korean curriculum, reflecting her broader interest in marginalized voices and experiences in education. 

Before coming to UBC, Hyoju worked in university administration, with experience in academic programs and curriculum development.

Outside of academia, Hyoju participates in community-based beach and street cleanups and values these small, collective actions as a way of caring for the places and communities we share.

As a Peer Advisor, she hopes to contribute to a supportive EDCP community where students from diverse backgrounds can connect, share their experiences, and learn from one another.

Hi there, I am Tamanna, and I am doing an MA in Curriculum Studies at EDCP. My thesis explores how climate change is represented in British Columbia’s Social Studies 9 and 10 curriculum, with particular attention to land, Indigenous knowledge, responsibility, power, and justice. I am a teacher, and before coming to UBC, I taught linguistics courses at universities in Bangladesh for many years. At UBC, I have had the opportunity to work as a Graduate Teaching Assistant and Research Assistant. I am currently working on two research projects in EDCP: Maximizing Impact – a faculty mentoring program, and Arts-Based Educational Research (ABER). I have also previously worked with the UBC Sustainability Hub on climate education projects. Outside academia, I am a mother of two teenagers. I love travelling, movies, poetry, and music. 

Minyoung is an MA student in Curriculum Studies at the University of British Columbia and a former elementary school teacher from South Korea. Her research interests focus on gender and sexual diversity, inclusive education, and creating more supportive learning environments for children and educators. Her current work explores how gender and sexual diversity are represented in elementary education policy, curriculum, and teacher resources. She is particularly interested in developing practical resources that support educators in having conversations about gender and sexuality in schools.

Balraj Rathod is a Ph.D. candidate in Curriculum Studies, researching how post-secondary student communities seek active and hopeful approaches to engaging imaginations for collective climate action, which addresses issues such as food security, sustainability, and climate justice. He collaborates with such groups to understand the evolving role of students as non-formal educators, influencing issue-based curriculum development and creative pedagogical practices that expand broader public climate engagement. Previously, he has conceptualized research projects in chemistry, chemistry education, educational technology, science and environmental education, drawing from methodologies such as design-based research. Outside of academia, he works as a beekeeper, enjoys solving 5x5x5 Rubik’s Cube on the bus, plays blitz Chess, attends classical music concerts, and maintains an 1800+ day Duolingo streak.

Hi there! I’m Kabula, a second-year Master of Education (M.Ed.) student in Mathematics Education. I hold a Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) from UBC, along with a background in Business Administration. My teaching and research interests center on using math to examine real-world issues, integrating technology-infused learning, and discovering creative ways to unlock new possibilities in every student. Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to teach across both public and independent school systems in mathematics, business, and computer science, alongside IB programs and serving as a provincial numeracy exam marker. As a Peer Advisor, I’m excited to support fellow graduate students as they navigate their academic pathways, access campus resources, and build a strong, collaborative, and welcoming community together.