Lewis College Welcomes Four New Faculty Members
Lewis College of Science and Letters is proud to introduce four new faculty members who join their respective departments ready to make a lasting impact on their students and advance their fields of research.
Joining Lewis for the 2024–25 academic year are Associate Professor of Humanities Clarissa Busch, Assistant Professor of Psychology Arryn Guy (M.S. PSYC ’17, Ph.D. ’20), Assistant Teaching Professor of Physics Goni Halevi, and Assistant Professor of Biology Matthew Smith.
Clarissa Busch
Busch joins the Department of Humanities after earning her Ph.D. in Philosophy from the University of Pennsylvania. Her research centers on environmental and climate ethics, along with the philosophy of social science and ethics in regards to artificial intelligence and data science.
She was originally drawn to philosophy because of the wide range of important topics that it delves into and the interdisciplinary nature of the field.
“I wanted to work at a university and in a department that values interdisciplinary research and collaboration,” Busch says of coming to Illinois Tech. “I enjoy collaborating with other researchers, especially across disciplines. In the teaching context, I really like being a writing coach for my students and seeing their writing skills improve.”
Originally hailing from Germany, Busch is excited to explore a new region of the United States. Outside of teaching a course on the ethics of technology, she can be found touring on her bike, singing, and making violins.
Arryn Guy
Arryn Guy returns to the Department of Psychology—where she earned her M.S. and Ph.D. in clinical psychology in 2017 and 2020, respectively—after working for more than four years at Brown University’s School of Public Health. Her work primarily focuses on community-based participatory research with queer and trans communities, with ultimate goal being to heal negative psychological effects from stigma, support addiction recovery, increase access to gender affirmative care, and reduce HIV health inequities.
“I’m so happy to be back at my alma mater,” says Guy. “Illinois Tech feels like home, and is a great place to do research that supports the health and well-being of LGBTQ communities in the Chicago area. I’d like my community-engaged research to have a positive impact on the Chicago community, as well as at LGBTQ-affirming community organizations across the U.S.”
When she’s not teaching courses and mentoring students in the clinical psychology Ph.D. program, Guy can be found trying out new restaurants in the city or making a fresh loaf of homemade sourdough.
Goni Halevi
Halevi joins the Department of Physics following a fellowship at Northwestern University’s Center for Interdisciplinary Exploration and Research in Astrophysics. She earned her Ph.D. in Astrophysical Sciences from Princeton University in 2023, and her primary area of research is in high-energy astrophysics, the endpoints of massive stars, and black hole formation and growth. She also co-developed the first lab-based physics course in a United States correctional facility, which was highlighted in Physics Today.
“I love nurturing an interest in astrophysics and mentoring students with diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and experience levels,” Halevi says. “I am excited about Illinois Tech’s students above all, and being able to increase opportunities for engagement with astronomy on campus.”
In addition to cycling along the lakefront and exploring the Adler Planetarium, Halevi often spends her free time teaching yoga and practicing film photography.
Learn more about Matthew Smith on the Illinois Tech News Hub.
Photo (from left to right): Associate Professor of Humanities Clarissa Busch, Assistant Professor of Psychology Arryn Guy, and Assistant Teaching Professor of Physics Goni Halevi.
