Faculty and Staff

Educational Background

PhD in Biology, New York University, New York City, United States of America
MS in Molecular Biology, Lebanese American University, Byblos, Lebanon
BS in Biology, University of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

Biography

Ms. Chen is the SET Departmental Administrative Assistant. She is responsible for the management of the day-to-day operations of the department. Prior to joining Montgomery College, Ms. Chen taught preschoolers for 10 years . She has a Master’s degree in Early Childhood Education from the Notre Dame of Maryland University.                                 

Biography

Ms. Zhelezinskaia earned her Ph.D. in Geology from the University of Maryland. She has returned to Montgomery College (MC) as a lab coordinator on the Germantown Campus having previously served on MC Rockville Campus. In her role, she oversees laboratory equipment for the engineering, physics, and geoscience programs and manages the Germantown Innovation Center.

Educational Background

BS, Physics, Catholic University of America
MS, Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences formerly Meteorology, University of Maryland

Biography

Dr. Iraida Cabrera Carnero, associate professor of physics at Germantown, earned a bachelor of science degree in physics, summa cum laude, from the University of Havana in Cuba, a diploma in high energy physics from the International Centre for Theoretical Physics in Italy, and a doctorate in theoretical physics from the Theoretical Physics Institute at the State University of Sao Paulo in Brazil. She has taught physical science courses—ranging from astronomy to physics at universities, colleges, including Montgomery College, Northern Virginia Community College, The George Washington University, and the State University of Mato-Grosso, Brazil. She has incorporated technology into the instructional process through virtual demos, online assignments, Blackboard, and automatic student response systems. Dr. Cabrera has published in the Journal of Physics A, Nuclear Physics and Journal of High Energy Physics, among other journals, and has received international awards and fellowships, including the Spanish Research Council's "Torres Quevedo" Fellowship and International Atomic Agency Fellowship.

Educational Background
BS, Physics, University of Havana, Cuba
Diploma High Energy Physics, the “Abdus Salam” Centre for Theoretical Physics, Trieste, Italy
PhD, Theoretical Physics, Theoretical Physics Institute, State University of Sao Paulo, Brazil

Biography

Monica A. Mellini is a registered professional engineer since 1994 and has been Professor of Physics and Engineering at Montgomery College since 2012. She is currently a Level 5 advisor and member of the Germantown counseling cadre. In her professional life, Monica has had several life changing experiences which have shaped her academic and professional directions, including her service as a 2018 Montgomery College Smithsonian Faculty Fellow. Monica is a graduate student at Virginia Tech working toward a PhD, in the interdisciplinary field of Science, Technology, and Society. At home, she studies genealogy, which has led to some fascinating discoveries, and restores 1990s vintage automobiles. Monica was recognized as “Engineer of the Year” by the District of Columbia Council of Engineering and Architectural Societies in 2014 and received a 2013 IEEE MGA Achievement Award for fostering engagement and collaboration in the world’s largest technical professional society.

Educational Background

AAS, Automotive Technology and Automotive Emissions, Northern Virginia Community College
BS, Mechanical Engineering and Electrical Engineering, Texas A&M University
MES, Electrical Engineering, Lamar University
MS, Science and Technology Studies, Virginia Tech
Engineering Education Graduate Certificate, Virginia Tech