Bio Forthcoming

Bio Forthcoming

Bachelor in Geology (University of Geneva, Switzerland)

Master in Environmental Sciences (University of Geneva, Switzerland)

Scientific collaborator, Water Management Office (State of Geneva, Switzerland)

Bike shop employee, Atelier la Combine (Geneva, Switzerland)

Task officer, Geo2X (Geneva, Switzerland)

Primary school teacher, Education Nationale (Haute-Savoie, France)

What are you most looking forward to at Swiss Semester?

Sharing my passion for adventure and mountain sports with the students while educating them to the beauty and complexity of our planet.

What one place would you like to travel to that you have not been to? Why?

Among the many countries I still want to explore, Iceland is very high on my list, mainly for its untamed and raw nature (volcanoes, glaciers...).

What are you most passionate about outside of education?

I love to travel in unconventional ways (no planes or hotels, spontaneous trips with very little planning).

In 2021, I went on a 6’000 km solo bicycle trip from Switzerland to the North Cape (Norway), the northernmost point in Europe.

What might someone be surprised to learn about you?

I am also a keen musician: I play the saxophone in a brass band, I sing and dance in musicals, and can play the piano and the guitar.

Education:

B.A., University of Notre Dame, Corporate Health Initiatives Intern, Centene Corporation (St. Louis, MO USA), Summer Associate and incoming 2023 Associate, Boston Consulting Group (Chicago, IL USA), Incoming English Teacher, Swiss Semester (Zermatt, Switzerland).

What are you most looking forward to at Swiss Semester?

My two sisters and I all attended Swiss Semester when we were sophomores. I am so excited to return as a teacher and help create the experience that was so memorable for my sisters and me.

What might someone be surprised to learn about you?

I was a boxer in college! I was part of Baraka Bouts, the Notre Dame women's boxing team, and during my senior year I made it to the finals of our tournament.

This fall marks Russell’s third time working at Swiss Semester, and he is elated to be returning to the alpine meadows and peaks of Zermatt. He has a BA in English from Skidmore College and is currently working towards a master’s degree in English Literature at Middlebury College’s Bread Loaf School of English. Most recently, Russell worked for three years at the Williston Northampton School as an English teacher, dorm parent, advisor, Sophomore Class Dean, and alpine ski racing and lacrosse coach. Outside of his work as an educator, Russell has traveled extensively throughout Europe, Asia, and Oceania, studied fine furniture-making, and skied as much as possible.

What are you most looking forward to at Swiss Semester?

I am thrilled about returning to Swiss Semester for the unique opportunity to create experiential learning in the classroom and the mountains. As an educator, getting to know my students in these settings make for a richer (and more fun) learning experience. As a bonus, I am also looking forward to sampling as many of Zermatt’s coffee shops as possible.

What are you most passionate about outside of education?

I am extremely passionate about learning, long-distance backpacking, reading, cycling, travel, skiing, and being a beginner.

Education:

Vanessa C. Mucivuna holds a degree in Geography from the University of Cruzeiro do Sul, a degree in Geosciences and Environmental Education from the University of São Paulo, a master's and a PhD in Geosciences from the Institute of Geosciences of the University of São Paulo, Brazil.

Work experience: Assistant Professor, University of Cruzeiro do Sul (São Paulo, Brazil); Geography Teacher, State Secretary of Education of São Paulo State, Municipal Secretary of Education of São Paulo City and Castelo Branco School (São Paulo, Brazil); Assistant professor, University of São Paulo (São Paulo, Brazil); Scientific member, Centre for Research Support on Geological Heritage and Geotourism (São Paulo, Brazil); Reviewer, FTD publisher (São Paulo, Brazil); and Voluntary reviewer, Finisterra, Quaestiones Geographiceae, Geoheritage, Frontiers in Earth Science, and Applied Sciences (Portugal, Poland, Germany and Switzerland).

What are you most looking forward to at Swiss Semester?

I am looking forward to exploring the Swiss Alps with the students during the Geology Labs, especially identifying the geological and geomorphological features and processes that will allow us to interpret how the geological history of Zermatt has evolved.

What one place would you like to travel to that you have not been to? Why?

I would like to travel to the West of the USA to visit the Yellowstone and Grand Canyon National Parks. For me, these parks are significant not only because of their historical character as one of the first National Parks in the world, but because of their geological importance for understanding part of the Earth's geological history.

What might someone be surprised to learn about you?

When I am not working, I love going for walks and taking photos. In addition, I travel to new places whenever possible to learn more about other cultures and landscapes. Despite loving hiking in the mountains, Vanessa has never been skiing before.

Education:

Bachelor in Physics from the University of Ioannina, Greece.

PhD in Theoretical Particle Physics, University of Oxford, United Kingdom, and Diploma in Secondary Education (Science), University of New South Wales, Australia

Work Experience:

Postdoctoral Research Associate at Los Alamos National Laboratory (Los Alamos, New Mexico, USA)

Postdoctoral Research Associate at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley, California, USA)

Private Tutor & Owner at Sydney Science Tutoring (Sydney, New South Wales, Australia)

Science and Engineering Tutor in Statistics, Mathematics and Physics at Kaplan International College London (London, United Kingdom)

Mathematics Teacher at Swiss Semester (Zermatt, Switzerland)

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What are you most looking forward to at the Swiss Semester?

Sharing my knowledge of maths with the students while enjoying the diverse activities of the school and the local area, in general.

What three words would your best friend use to describe you?

I think a friend told me once that my most significant attribute is "being extremely persistent". Probably true.

What one place would you like to travel to that you have not been to? Why?

I would like to explore more South America and in particular Patagonia for its extraordinary beauty and people.

What are you most passionate about outside of education?

I like a few sports and the outdoors, film and cinema, and cultural events.

What might someone be surprised to learn about you?

Up to roughly the 9th grade, I was doing better in humanities or social science subjects rather than in maths.

What do you remember most about your 10th-grade high school education?

I remember I had a great teacher in maths and school and my uncle made math accessible and fun for me, which helped me immensely in my later studies and career.

Foreign Language Teaching Credential, Universidad del Valle de Guatemala. B.A. in English & Spanish and M.A in Spanish Literature, CSU, Fullerton, California.

Taught high school Spanish in Mission Viejo, California for over 20 years.

Leading a healthy and active life is always a priority. On any given week, you’ll find me horseback riding, hiking, cycling, working out at the gym, or doing some other physical activity.

My volunteer work has taken me abroad. Whether in Argentina, Mexico, Guatemala or Costa Rica, my personal life and teaching skills have been enriched in so many ways.

One of the most rewarding experiences of my life was spending a year at a Swiss school when I was a teenager. Being away from home, making new lifelong friends, travelling through Europe and learning a new language made me grow in ways I had never imagined. Life has brought me back to Switzerland where I’m looking forward to working with high school sophomores; I can’t wait to see them smile with every new experience they’ll go through during their time at Swiss Semester.

Bio Forthcoming

Bio Forthcoming

Bio Forthcoming

Bio Forthcoming

Education Bachelor and Master in Mathematics (University of Catania, Italy)

School of Advanced Studies in Experimental Sciences (Scuola Superiore di Catania, Italy)

Teaching Diploma in Mathematics & Physics (University of Catania, Italy)

PhD in Civil & Environmental Engineering (EPFL, Lausanne, Switzerland)

Work Experience

Maths & Physics teacher, “G. Verga” high school (Adrano, Italy)

Researcher and Teaching assistant (EPFL, Switzerland),

Sustainability Data Analyst (Earthworm Foundation, Switzerland),

Maths teacher (Swiss Semester 2021&22, Zermatt),

Maths Teacher (International School of Milan, Italy)

What three words would your best friend use to describe you?

Curious, creative, emphatic.

What are you most passionate about outside of education?

Sustainability, Playing music, Aikido and Japanese literature.

What might someone be surprised to learn about you?

One of my favorite places where I feel at home is my vineyard in Etna, Sicily where I produce my own wine since my childhood.