Mr Dean Cummins is commencing as Head of Secondary at ISASC in August 2023. He holds a Master of Education degree in Global Learning and has more than 8 years of experience at the Senior Executive Leadership level. He believes that helping young people reach their potential is central to what makes a community strong. Dean has taught across Australia, Europe and the UK and is a passionate educational leader who aims to not only facilitate opportunities for young people to grow but have an impact on their thinking and future pathways. With 20+ years of experience in senior schooling including careers counselling, he can effectively share his knowledge and experience to support all stakeholders alike to flourish as members of our global community. A specialist in Economics, Business, and Individuals and Societies, he holds a passion for quality teaching through applied, authentic contexts that focusses on engaging the individual to reach their potential. He looks forward to sharing and extending his knowledge and experiences, collaborating in a varied and diverse community, and meeting the needs of the ISA Science City International School community.
Timothy Noblett
Deputy Principal Secondary – DP Coordinator
Mr Tim Noblett hails from Melbourne, Australia. He has a Bachelor of Education and a Bachelor of Arts (History and Political Science) from Monash University. He joins ISA Science City as Deputy Principal of Secondary and IBDP Diploma Coordinator. Tim has over a decade of teaching and leadership experience in international education in China, including roles as Head of Secondary and IBDP Coordination. Tim is an experienced educator, particularly teaching exam courses in Geography and History. Tim has a passion for providing students with authentic learning experiences, including outside of the classroom opportunities.
Joseph Hamkari
Deputy Principal of Secondary & Teaching and Learning Coordinator
Joseph is the Deputy Principal of Secondary and MYP Coordinator at ISASC. He has been an educator all over the world for over 35 years and in that time has been a teacher of Biology and Science, Science department faculty chair and Head of Department, Curriculum Coordinator, Diploma Coordinator, MYP Coordinator, IGCSE Coordinator and Secondary Principal. He is focused on students learning and facilitating the best teaching possible. He believes in the power of the students and teachers voices and choices and enabling all students to be skilled and skilful learners. The IB with its focus on students and skills fits very well into his aims. He has worked with teachers from many schools and parts of the world both in schools he has worked in and others as a workshop leader for both MYP and DP and has developed a number of teacher courses for the IB and other organisations as well as being a senior examiner in Biology for IAs, Scripts and Extended Essays. As a lifelong learner Joe has recently completed an MEd and is moving back to China from Weimar in Germany where he was the Upper School Principal.
Katie Cummins
MYP Coordinator & Science Teacher
Ms. Katie Cummins is a British Australian Dual citizen, originating from Nottingham in the UK. After achieving a Master of Science degree in the Biological Sciences field in the UK, Katie travelled to Australia to complete a Graduate Diploma in Education from the University of Melbourne, and has for the past 18 years, dedicated herself to supporting her students to fulfill their potential. As a teacher of the Sciences, specialising in both Biology and Psychology at senior level, she has taught in the various programmes of the IB for the last 14 years. She has maintained various leadership roles across that time including Head of Sciences and has for the last 5 years held the role MYP Coordinator and Personal Project coordinator, guiding many students through the Middle Years Programme and school through its in depth IB Evaluation. She holds strong relationships within the IB organisation and continues to be sought out by the IB directly, to contribute to the direction and development of the Middle Years Framework.
Luke Walker
SY Deputy Principal – Pastoral & PE Teacher
Luke has worked in China for 5 year’s and has been teaching for 12. After graduating from Exeter University in the UK with a degree in sports science, he then trained in the UK to become a PE teacher. He started his educational career in South London and after 4 years moved into a management role in Sao Paulo, Brazil. He arrived in China in 2017 to continue in his previous role as a Director of Sport close by in Shenzhen, where his classes received the best IGCSE and A-level results in China for 3 years running. Luke is currently studying to complete his MA in educational leadership and believes that we should all try to be curious thinkers with a growth mindset, able to adapt to the world around us.
Andrew Macdonald
University Guidance Counsellor
Andrew is the University Guidance Counsellor and IBDP Language and Literature teacher and a member of the boarding House team at ISASC. He has been an educator all over the world for 30 years. In that time, he has been a teacher of English Language and Literature for IGCSE, IBDP & A Level, Senior Resident House Tutor, Director of Guidance, Head of University Guidance and Associate Vice Principal for Higher Education and Careers Counseling. In sport, Andrew has extensive experience teaching and coaching cricket and rugby. In the past, he has also worked as a Boarding House Resident House Tutor in a number of schools, helping school boarders to gain a high level of academic guidance. In addition to his career in education, Andrew received an officer commission in the Royal Air Force as a Flight Lieutenant and ran two large RAF Cadet Sections in the UK, at Lancaster Royal Grammar School and St Columba’s College in St Albans, an independent day school for boys. Andrew looks forward to collaborating with Faculty and supporting our diversely talented student body.
Allen Lee
English Teacher
Allen Lee is Chinese-Canadian teacher with a degree in English and Cultural Studies from McMaster University. He has a decade of experience in both Canadian and International curricula. He is currently the IBDP Language and Literature instructor at ISA Science City. Over the years, Allen's teaching career has presented him with continuous opportunities to simultaneously learn and teach. He believes that "the only constant in life is change", dedicated to bringing relevant and accessible content into the classroom. He strives to create a learning space that has content variety and student autonomy. In his personal time Allen enjoys reading, cycling, and taking care of four cats.
Alvin Chen
Chinese Language Teacher
A Chinese native, Alvin was born in the northeast of the country. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Pedagogy and is fluent in Mandarin, Thai, and English. Alvin has been teaching Chinese for 7 years, 3 of them in Thailand. He was recognized by the Han Ban and Confucius Institutes as being an excellent Chinese teacher and a member of an excellent management team. For the past four years, he has been teaching IB Chinese Language and Literature in Guangzhou. Alvin has participated in IB workshops and conferences on Chinese teaching and learning to constantly improve his skills.
Arshad Hussain
Science Teacher
ISA Science City welcomed Arshad as an IBDP (Physical Sciences) Teacher in 2021. His academic and professional qualifications were earned at world-renowned universities like the University of Toronto, the University of California, and Harvard University. Over the past 27 years, he has taught a wide range of courses such as IB, A-levels, and AP in several foreign schools in China such as Nanjing Foreign Language School, BASIS International Shenzhen, Beijing Royal School, among others. Arshad encourages his students to engage in scientific practices, including asking questions, gathering and analyzing data, and presenting arguments. Through practical applications, he brings abstract concepts of the physical sciences to life. Arshad believes that students look up to teachers and may model their own behavior and work ethic after the teachers. Due to this driving force, Arshad is completing his Master in STEM degree at California University of Pennsylvania.
Catherine Zou
Chinese Language Teacher
Catherine earned her Bachelor’s Degree in teaching Chinese as an additional language at Southwest University in Chongqing, China, and she completed her Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership at Framingham State University, USA. Having taught at Yew Chung International School of Chongqing since 2008, Catherine has over a decade of experience teaching Chinese to additional language learners across a range of ages, language levels and cultural backgrounds. In this time, she has grown and developed her practice and gained expertise delivering varied curricula including IBDP Chinese B HL and SL, IBDP Chinese Mandarin ab initio, IGCSE Chinese Foreign Language as well school-based adapted curriculum which feed into these external programs at both Lower Secondary and Primary school levels. In addition to her established strengths in the classroom, Catherine has taken the opportunity to challenge herself through a series of leadership positions including Primary Chinese as an Additional Language Lead Teacher, and most recently as IBDP CAS Coordinator and Service-Learning Leader at her schools.
Craig Swift
Science Teacher
Soon after graduating from the University of Melbourne with a Bachelor of Science (Degree with Honours), Craig came to China where he has been teaching science for 6 years, having developed extensive knowledge and experience in AP, IGCSE and A Level Chemistry and Biology. Craig obtained his International Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCEi) from the University of Nottingham during his time, elevating him in being recognised as an outstanding teacher at his previous school. He has also coached students in academic competitions such as the British Biology Olympiad and HOSA, helping several students achieve high-level awards.
Dani Marais
Drama Teacher
Dani is the founding Arts Coordinator for ISA Science City. She is also a drama teacher. The South African native has a Bachelor’s degree in Drama and English from Rhodes University. She completed her teaching degree at the University of Nottingham.She has worked for the South African Schools Festivals of English, Drama, and the Arts since graduating from university, as well as an acting skills lab for disadvantaged communities. Additionally, she collaborated with a number of community organizations and organized events such as WordFest: a celebration of books and the Centre for Social Development’s first annual conference. During her free time, she created a number of shows which premiered at the Grahamstown National Festival, one of which toured South Africa and ended at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland, UK. In the role of Arts Coordinator, she hopes to help build – a programme that will stimulate talent and create community through a wide-range of art programmes for students of all abilities and interests.
Daniel Sousa
Business and Economics Teacher
Daniel is from Hong Kong, China. He has graduated from the University of Kent in the United Kingdom (UK) where he majored in Business Studies. He also attended the Beijing Cultural and Language University in Beijing China where he completed a one-year Chinese Language Course. He completed his teacher training at the Institute of Education (IOE) at the University College of London (UCL) obtaining his Postgraduate of Education (PGCE) in Business Education with Qualified Teacher Status (QTS). Daniel has been teaching Business and Economics for 3 years. He has taught GCSE, IGCSE, A-Levels and International A-Levels in the UK and Hong Kong, China. Daniel also has 4 years of professional working experience at two leading accounting firms in Hong Kong, China serving clients in Singapore, China, Macau, Vietnam and Hong Kong. Daniel believes in the development of the whole-child using a holistic approach to education. Daniel brings his previous industry experience of the business world to his students. Daniel is also a Committee Member for a Portuguese Charity which is aimed at supporting underprivileged and elderly members of the Portuguese Community in Hong Kong. In his free time, he enjoys yoga, weightlifting, cooking and traveling.
David Phillips
PE Teacher
David holds a Bachelor’s degree (B.Sc Hons) in Sports Science, a PGCE in Physical Education and his NPQSL Senior Leadership qualification from the UK as well as his Masters (M.S.Ed) in Educational Technology from the US. He has been a PE Teacher for 27 years of which 23 of these have been in International Schools in countries ranging from UK, China, Italy, Qatar, Vietnam, Malaysia and Saudi Arabia. He has taught a range of national and international curriculums including the British National Curriculum and IGCSE, IB MYP and IB DP, the Cambridge International Curriculum and IPC and IMYC. David believes in a philosophy of “The Joy of Sport for All”; where we can inspire the best from our students, irrespective of their skill or experience and that we can develop students that have a lifelong passion for physical activity. David has held the positions of Director of Sport, Head of PE, ECA Coordinator and CAS Coordinator in leading international schools. David competed in Field Hockey to County level, played Football and Swimming to club standard and holds national coaching qualifications in a wide variety of sports.
Deepak Tyagi
Design & Math Teacher
Deepak has been working in international schools for almost 18 years. Prior to joining ISA Science City, he worked for Vanke Meisha Academy Shenzhen as MYP Design Technology and Computer Science teacher with additional Role of STEAM Department Chair and IB DP coordinator. Before moving to South China, he worked with Beijing No4 High School, Beijing BISS International School and Beijing Daystar Academy. His areas of expertise include setting up STEAM spaces, Robotics (FRC & DJI), and Programming modules for Middle school and High school. Deepak holds a Master’s degree in Computer Science, M.Ed. from University of People USA and an Advance diploma in Software Engineering from APTECH USA. He is fluent in mandarin and enjoys his life in China.
Georgina Richardson
Visual Arts Teacher
Georgina has over 17 years teaching experience in GCSE/A Level Art and Design. Georgina is expert in providing students a broad and individual education in Art ranging from painting, drawing, 3D works, ceramics, creative textiles, printmaking and mixed media work. Previously worked as the Head of Art & Design in both boarding school and state funded school in UK. She also served as a form tutor overseeing UCAS applications, apprenticeships and future career plans. Georgina obtained her bachelor’s degree from Loughborough University (ranked 5th in the UK for Art and Design), and a PGCE in Art and Design from the University of Brighton.
Humera Jozi
Math Teacher
Dr. Jozi has been teaching science and math for over 13 years at different international schools across China and Canada. She holds a Ph.D. degree in Processing Engineering. From her work during university to when she first started teaching, Dr.Jozi has experienced the true breadth of education by teaching students of all ages. The ISA values of one team, one dream, are very important to her and she values creating an environment that offers her students and colleagues alike opportunities for exchange of diverse perspectives in an atmosphere of compassion and respect. As a compassionate and caring educator, Dr. Jozi aspires for all students to be successful learners and strives to create an environment that stimulates, encourages, and adapts to the different needs of every student. As the mother of two adult children, she appreciates and understands the challenges faced by students. She is passionate about experiential learning and is experienced with the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS).
Jody Urbas
Drama Teacher
Jody Urbas (Master of Music, Southern Oregon University) is excited to join ISA as a Drama Teacher in the upcoming school year. Jody brings over 23 years of teaching experience to ISA including 7 years at international schools in China and Vietnam. In addition to her experience teaching drama, Jody has served in administrative, student life, and school support leadership roles including Head of Department, Registrar, Dean of Students, and Technology Coach. As a lifelong learner, Jody continues to pursue further education, most recently completing the University of Toronto’s Certificate in International Education for International Baccalaureate. Jody is passionate about supporting students as autonomous learners in pursuit of maximizing their creative and academic potential.
Juan Jose Zuniga Soto
Visual Arts Teacher
Juan is a Costa Rican designer and artist living in China for 8 years. He is passionate about creativity and aesthetics. He has taught art, coached students, and managed a team of 3 to 17-year-olds for 4 years. Juan holds a Postgraduate Degree in Graphic Design and Artistic Education from the Hispano-American University. He has worked on a wide range of projects, including art, fashion, and design, on five continents. It is his vision to create an environment where self-expression and individuality are encouraged without boundaries or restrictions, resulting in a deep appreciation of details and anything that reflects a person’s personality. His work has been featured in both lifestyle and art magazines and he has collaborated on unique pieces and projects for many brands, including Coca Cola, Bank of America, and Vogue Magazine. In addition to teaching and coaching, Juan is also a mentor.
Nan Jiang
Teaching Assistant
Nan is a teaching assistant at ISA Science City International School. She graduated with a bachelor's degree in 2017. Nan worked in the library for several years, during which she participated in a large number of children's reading promotion activities. During that period, Nan met many children. She believes that students are independent individuals. She respects the independence of students and encourages them to face difficulties, continue to learn, and grow to be a lifelong learner. Nan believes that education is a happy encounter. Becoming a good teacher with a lifelong learning and a benevolent heart is her goal. She believes that in her teaching, children can feel the warmth of family and the joy of learning, and grow to be outstanding talents.
Ken Chan
Design&Technology Teacher
Ken is originally from Hong Kong but for the last 5 years before joining ISA Science City, he worked in BASIS International School, Hangzhou. He believes that Design is a both practical and versatile subject and sees a lot of opportunities linking to daily lives and other subjects. He personally enjoys the subject and he obtained his bachelor in education degree from the Hong Kong Education University, in which he studied Design and Technology, Science and Art. He has been teaching STEAM subjects for more than 17 years across different year levels. He has planned and taught Engineering, Design and Technology lessons inline with various learning themes for kindergarteners and primary students, he has taught secondary school Design, Technology and Science subjects, and he has guided final year students through IBDP and HKDSE Design and Technology examinations.
Kyle Riebeck
Science Teacher
Kyle earned his Bachelor of Science in Education degree in 2020 from the University of Michigan, with majors in biology, chemistry, and history. His studies focused on the MYP and DP Programmes, and he taught at Huron High School in the United States after completing his teacher training. Upon finishing his degree, Kyle worked at ISF Academy, one of the top IB schools in Hong Kong, as a Science and Mathematics Teaching Fellow, where he focused on improving the school’s MYP program. Kyle is an innovative young teacher who infuses his classroom with fresh perspectives on learning and teaching.
Luke Fisher
Individuals and Societies Teacher
Luke has nineteen years experience in the classroom. He holds a Bachelor of Education (History/English) from Queensland University of Technology. Following time teaching in Australia he moved to the United Kingdom where he spent 11 years. He is in his sixth year of teaching in China. During his time in education, he has served as Head of Department, Head of Year and Assistant Head, as well as coaching many sports teams and leading domestic and international trips. As an educator he has experience with IB, British National Curriculum, IGCSE, A-Level and Australian Curriculum. He believes that the key to success in the classroom comes down to building positive relationships built on trust and that getting out of the classroom allows students to develop essential life skills.
Kyoung Ae Kim
Korean Teacher
Kim hails from South Korea. She began teaching Korean in 1999. As a Korean public-school teacher, she passed the National Public Teacher Recruitment Examination in 1999. She received the First Grade Certificate in Korean Language teaching in 2003. For the last four years, she taught Korean at ISA Tianhe. Kim teaches Korean as a mother tongue and supports the Korean community. During her career, she has helped Korean students who wish to return to Korea to study to gain entrance into top Koran universities.
Mandy Xiao
ELA Teacher
Mandy received her master’s degree in Foreign Language Education from Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey with Chinese and ESL certificates. She has worked as a Chinese teacher and co-advisor at Montclair Kimberley Academy in NJ, the United States for more than four years, where she instructed her students in participating and earning the second and the third prizes in the Chinese Bridge Speech Contest for American Students held by Han Ban and Confucius Institute. Before joining ISA Science City, Mandy taught high school English at Guangzhou New Oriental School and was recognized as the “Most Welcomed Teacher”in the English department. In addition to her passion for teaching languages, Mandy has extensive experience teaching students with diverse ethnicities and backgrounds and applying educational technology to teaching. She believes in teaching in accordance with students’ aptitude and helps each of them to achieve their fullest potential to learn.
Marcela Villa
Visual Arts Teacher
Marcela is originally from Cali, Colombia, where she studied Fine Arts and began her career as an artist and an art educator. While living in the United Kingdom, she gained a qualification as an art teacher and together with her husband began raising a family. Her husband and she have worked in different countries in Asia and Europe for the last 13 years. She previously worked in Xian in 2015. In addition to working in different countries, she has taught A-Levels, GCSE, IGCSE, MYP, and DP Visual Arts in the UK, Kazakhstan, Qatar, China, Japan, and Germany. Marcela believes that art enables students to develop skills that can be transferred to other subjects such as critical thinking, analytical skills, and communication skills, in addition to developing values so that they can understand empathy, be principled, and be flexible. Skills and values like these are crucial for a better future.
Matthew Liu
Mathematics Teacher
Matthew holds a master’s degree in International Education specialising in International Baccalaureate from the University of Melbourne and a bachelor’s degree in Computer Engineering from the Nanyang Technological University of Singapore. He also holds a postgraduate certificate in Education (Mathematics) from the prestigious National Institute of Education of Singapore. He has taught Mathematics at all levels in various educational institutions in Singapore, Thailand and China (Beijing). He has conducted workshops in Singapore Math and Science for parents and teachers during his teaching career in Beijing and Thailand. Matthew is an experienced, passionate and dedicated educator, with a heart for his students. He believes in encouraging students to adopt a growth mindset, a continuous reflective nature and be resilient when facing challenges in learning or in life. During his more than 20 years of learning and teaching with students, he has served as a Vice-Principal, various Head of Department positions, Mathematics teacher as well as an Examination coordinator and a Co-Curricular Activities coordinator.
Meg Chen
University Guidance Counsellor
With more than 16 years of professional experience as a school-based counsellor, Meg offered professional college counselling services for more than five hundred students as the first school counselor in a local reputable U.S. curriculum high school. She successfully guided students to be accepted by the world's top colleges, including the University of Pennsylvania, Stanford University, Princeton University, Yale University, Columbia University, the University of Chicago, Cambridge, and Oxford. She is an IACA-certified Advanced Career Advisor, a certified school counselor in 2011 by the College Board, and achieved an International College Advising Certificate awarded by the University of Pennsylvania. She is entitled an Outstanding Educator by the University of Chicago, 2018-2020.
Michael Allen
Music Teacher
Michael is the founding secondary music teacher at ISA Science City. He hails from Chicago, USA, and has worked as a music educator in several countries including the U.S., Haiti, the Philippines, and China. Michael holds a Bachelor of Music in Music Education from Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin, USA. He is a professional cellist and an active chamber musician. As a cellist, Michael’s path led to Orchestral Conducting and Strings Instrument Education. Hefei was Michael’s first China education experience and Shanghai was his last. He has had the honor of working with musicians such as Lyle Lovett, Antonio Brico, Claudio Abbado and Harvey Shapiro.
Michael Collins
Mathematics Teacher
Michael studied Economics, Business, and Accounting at Brunel University in the United Kingdom after attending Dover Grammar School for Boys. Michael worked for 10 years in London and the Middle East in sales and customer relations, with a focus on the banking and finance industry. He was a member of the founding team for two firms in the Middle East. In 2008, he decided to rethink his career path and retrained as a Mathematics teacher in 2012. He worked in both private and state schools in the United Kingdom for five years. Michael’s second teaching job included responsibilities both as a mathematics teacher and as a boarding and housemaster, as well as coaching various sports. It was here that he developed a keen understanding of the advantages of a holistic approach to education. Michael left the UK in 2018 to begin his first overseas teaching position at the Bali Island School where he taught IB Mathematics.
Moony Feng
Chinese Language Teacher
Moony earned her Bachelor’s Degree at Beijing Normal University, and she completed her Master’s Degree at City University of Hong Kong. Moony taught in universities for four years before starting her career in international education. In 2016, the Chinese government sent her to Sydney, Australia, as an expatriate teacher. For two years, Moony taught Chinese in a local government high school in Sydney. She returned to China in 2018. Since then, she has worked at three different international schools in Guangzhou and Shenzhen. Now Moony teaches Chinese language and literature at ISASC’s Secondary School, as well as Chinese language acquisition. Besides Mandarin and Cantonese, she is also fluent in English.
Neera Tyagi
Mathematics Teacher
Neera has been working in China with international schools for the last 18 years. She is from India, and she earned her Postgraduate Certificate Education (International) (PGCEi) from University of Nottingham, UK, in 2017. During her years of teaching career, she has taught Mathematics, worked as IB Mathematics examiner and the Grade Level Leader. Over the past 18 years, she has taught a wide range of courses such as MYP, IB DP, A-levels, and AP in several internationalschools in China including Beijing Huijia (IB) private school, Renda Fu Zhong-Beijing (The High school affiliated to Renmin University of China), and Vanke Meisha Bilingual School (Shenzhen). She thoroughly enjoys working with children and encourages creative expression. She can speak Chinese for daily routines and enjoys exploring local culture.
Rachel Luo
University Guidance Counsellor
Rachel Luo joins ISA Science City as a University Guidance Counsellor, familiar with various main international curricula not limited to IB. She obtained her Master’s degree from Durham University (UK). Rachel worked as a school counsellor in a local reputable international high school, guiding hundreds of students to be accepted by top universities from various regions, including Oxford University, University of Cambridge, Northwestern University, Carnegie Mellon University, The University of Hong Kong, University of Toronto, etc. Rachel is especially good at utilising data analysis to give students more accurate and constructive advice. She equally treats each student with an open mind and is committed to providing personalised guidance according to student characteristics, helping students find the best-fit universities by guiding them to self-recognize and self-explore.
Radha Samikannu
English Teacher
Radha has more than 10 years of teaching experience in Singapore and Indonesia. She focuses on developing both academic and social-emotional aspects of her students as her teaching philosophy is to teach the ‘whole’ child. Her main strength is curriculum planning where she is merges pedagogy with character development. With diplomas in primary and secondary teaching; and a degree in secondary teaching, Radha started her career in primary where she taught English, mathematics and social studies. She eventually specialised in teaching iGCSE and IBDP English. In addition to her teaching, Radha was the Head of Department of Student Development in Indonesia.
Rimma Fatkhutdinova
ELA Teacher
Rimma is a ELA Teacher and a founding member. Having spent most of her life teaching, she has a great passion for the profession. Her view of students is that they are individuals with unique personalities and learning styles. Those values, along with patience and integrity in the classroom, continue to guide her today. She has taught in various countries and institutions since 1996. She holds a Bachelor ’s and Master ’s degree in education and is pursuing a second master’s degree in education (TESOL) at the University of North Dakota, USA. Born in Russia, she taught in Turkey before moving to China with her family. She has taught kindergarten and primary classes at an IB school. Her experiences have enabled her to learn Turkish and Mandarin, which she now speaks along with English, Russian, and Tatar. She has two children aged 10 and 16. Rimma is constantly inspired by her students’ positive energy, and she looks forward to watching them grow academically and personally.
Rosario Missanelli
Music Teacher
Rosario is originally from Italy, he holds a Post Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) from Trinity College Dublin (Ireland), a First Class Bachelor of Arts in Music Performance (honours) from the Conservatoire of Music “L. D’Annunzio” Pescara (Italy), a Master Degree equivalent recognized by the Ministry of Education in Beijing. Rosario holds Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) in three countries: the UK, Ireland, and Italy. Before joining ISA Science City International School Rosario taught in Ireland, in the UK and in China where he also worked as Head of Performing Arts. He has more than 16 years of teaching experience and he has organized a range of music events and activities including orchestras, brass bands, pop and rock bands, school choirs, and musicals. Prior to moving into education roles, Rosario worked as a professional trumpet player at the San Carlo’s Opera house in Naples (Italy) which is the world’s oldest uninterruptedly functioning opera house. He worked with several orchestras touring Europe and Asia, including Malaysia with Luciano Pavarotti, and the Italian International Orchestra in Thailand, China and Japan. Rosario worked three years with Nicola Piovani who was an Oscar Prize winner in 1999 for the soundtrack of the movie “Life is beautiful”. In his free time Rosario enjoys cooking, soccer, running, yoga, and watching Moto Grand Prix.
Ross Nendick
Innovation Centre Coordinator&Design and Technology Teacher
Ross holds a PGCE in Computer Science from Leeds Trinity University and a BA in Economics from the University of Leeds. In total, he has over ten years of teaching experience, having taught in England, Suzhou, Shenzhen, and Guangzhou. Previously, Ross taught MYP Design, PYP Y5 Homeroom and Maths at ISA Tianhe for two years. As an educator, he has extensive experience in a wide range of programmes and subject areas, such as: MYP, PYP, iGCSE, A-Level, and Canadian Nova Scotia.
Ruth Seo
Learning and Korean Support Teacher
Ruth has more than 30 years of educational experience, of which 20 years she worked in public schools in Korea, and 14 years also in international schools in Tianjin, Beijing, and Xi'an China. She graduated from the Teachers' College of Kyungpook National University, obtained a teacher’s certificate G1, and won the Superintendent of Education Award. She also has experience as a representative teacher of the city. Since 2017, she has worked as a learning support teacher at PYP and MYP, supporting students' learning based on her various educational experiences. She believes that good teachers are lifelong learners and can wait while helping students think and grow independently. Her experience and competence have played a very beneficial role in the education and growth of students.
Ryan Tan
Individuals & Societies Teacher
Ryan is from Singapore. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics from the Western University and a B.Ed. from McGill University, Canada. He has more that 20 years of diverse international school teaching experience in cities such as London, Jakarta , Riyadh, Almaty and Singapore. During his years of teaching career, he has also taught mathematics and business besides economics in programmes such as the IBMYP, IBDP, IGCSE, GCE ‘O’ Levels and A levels. He looks forward to sharing his experiences and perspectives in class with his students in an increasingly polarised world.
Serena Zheng
Chinese Language Teacher
Serena has been teaching Chinese to K-10 students for eight years. For more than five years, she worked at the ISA Tianhe campus. She previously taught Chinese at Top10 Bilingual School in Thailand. Serena has a Bachelor’s degree from Normal University, and she is working on her Master’s degree at People’s University. In her current role as a Chinese teacher at ISA Science City, she encourages students to reflect on how they learn through self-evaluation. She guides students to be more disciplined in their learning and collaborate with their peers in order to incorporate ATL skills and objectives when planning work units. As an educator, she incorporates spiritual growth and personal development into her teaching. Over the past eight years, she has actively participated in international workshops and shared teaching experiences with her peers. She has presented at numerous conferences, including ACAMIS Chinese Conference Global Education Forum, and the Second Innovative Chinese Teaching Conference among others.
Shahid Rahman
Science Teacher
For almost 18 years, Shahid has worked at international schools overseas. He was the head of science and an AP physics teacher at Dalian American International School before joining ISA Science City. He formerly held high school science teacher positions at Shanghai United International School, Shanghai, and Xi'an Gaoxin No. 1 High School in Xian, China, before relocating as an AP and IBDP physics teacher. Additionally, he spent 12 years as the head of science and a math and physics teacher for the IGGCE O-Level and GCE A-Level at BIS-Dammam in Saudi Arabia. Before that, he held positions at two prominent international schools in his home country as well. After finishing his 4-year Bachelor of Physics and Master of Science in Nuclear Physics degrees, he started teaching in 2005. He is an expert at helping students get excellent exam results.
Shane Kennedy
Drama, ELA and ToK Teacher
Shane holds an Honours degree from Memorial University of Newfoundland both in Theatre Arts and in Secondary Education. With a background in English Language and Literature, Drama, DP Theatre, and Theory of Knowledge, he has 20 years of experience teaching. Among his teaching experience is teaching at top schools in Canada, Korea, China, and the Middle East. Shane previously worked as a Head of Year and Pastoral Care teacher, as well as a Theory of Knowledge and DP Theatre Arts teacher at a leading school in Guangzhou.
Tapas Chattopadhyay
PSHE Teacher
Tapas joins ISA Science City as a teacher of health and physical education. After receiving his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in sports science from India’s premier physical education university (LNUPE), he completed his pre-doctoral (MPhil) thesis in sports-biomechanics and human movement. Additionally, he holds a high-performance coaching certificate from Cricket Australia. For eight years, Tapas also served as Head Coach and Strategic Cricket Development Planner for the national board of Saudi Arabia in addition to his 19 years of teaching Health, Physical Education & Sports. Currently he holds a UK teaching license, Hawaii Standard Board, and QTS from the UK department of education. At the all-India university level and at the junior national level, Tapas played cricket, football, and athletics. Before joining ISA, Tapas worked in a few other international schools in China. The belief and understanding of the coaching strategies Tapas has will allow the students to reach their highest potential.
Terry Dip
Individual and Societies Teacher
Terry has been an educator for over a decade. He is glad to be back in Guangzhou, where he lived when he was starting his journey as a teacher. Other Chinese cities where he has worked include Tianjin, Suzhou, and Shenzhen. In addition, he has also taught in Oman, Azerbaijan, and Russia. At ISASC, he is an Individual & Societies teacher, which was also his assignment at his immediately previous school in Shenzhen. Other than IB, he also has experience with US Common Core, IGCSE, and A-Levels. A number of his IGCSE History and Geography students received A-stars. Many of his former students are now attending renowned universities around the world. Terry believes that education is an active, two-way pursuit that relies on not only dedication from all parties involved but also a delicate balance between what is desired and what is necessary.
Tim Kim
Korean Teacher
Mr. Kim has 30 years of teaching experience, including 13 years of teaching at IB schools. He taught MYP and DP Korean language&literature at the Canadian International School of Beijing, BISS International School of Beijing, and Xi'an Hanover International School. He taught in a public school in Korea for 20 years. He received a bachelor's degree in education from Kangwon National University and a master's degree in linguistics from Nankai University in China. And he believes that according to Bruner's theory of the structure of knowledge, the content of a subject is structured, and if presented correctly, it can be effectively taught at any stage of development of students. The future we predict is all different, and in fact, we can only predict what the future will be, but we can't know exactly. However, if teachers let students learn the structure of knowledge, he believes that they will have the ability to solve any problems.
Tina Tong
Chinese Language Teacher
Tina received a Master of Education and IBPYP, MYP, DP certificates in teaching and learning from the University of Hong Kong. She also obtained a Master of Arts in Chinese Studies and Postgraduate Diploma in Education(PGDE) from the Education University of Hong Kong. She has rich experience in teaching IB Chinese Language at secondary schools and is fluent in Mandarin, Cantonese, and English. She believes that Education is not the learning of facts, but the training of minds to think.
Tingjing Wan
Chinese Language Teacher
Wan has a master's degree in teaching Chinese as a foreign language. She has six years of teaching experience. For the first two years, she taught Chinese in Malaysia and Brazil with students of various ages. Then she returned to China, teaching Chinese language and Chinese acquisition in an international school in Shenzhen for nearly four years. She is good at interdisciplinary teaching, encourages students to explore real and challenging problems through in-depth learning, and achieves core knowledge reconstruction and thinking transfer. With her excellent professionalism, she helps students improve their ability to express opinions, communicate and cooperate, think and solve problems, learn Chinese culture. Besides teaching, Wan likes traveling, exploring new knowledge and learning different cultures.
Todor Imsir
PE Teacher
Bachelor’s degree of Health and Physical Education/Fitness. Graduated from the best Sport and physical education university in Serbia, University of Belgrade. A PE teacher of 2 and a half years of experience in Serbia and a basketball head coach of 3 years of experience in China. Skilled in physical education, fitness, health, nutrition, basketball, swimming, boxing, football, volleyball and personal training.
Tracey Harslett
Mathematics Teacher
Tracey Harslett has twenty years experience in education, teaching mathematics to secondary school students in regional Australia before commencing the role at ISA Science City. She holds Bachelor’s degrees in Education and Mathematical Science from the University of Queensland, and a Graduate Certificate of International Education from the University of Melbourne. Tracey builds a culture of collaboration and kindness in her classroom, where students are supported to take risks and ask questions in a safe and supportive space. She nurtures each of her students to achieve at their potential, and encourages their appreciation of the beauty, power and relevance of mathematics for the 21st century. Tracey also brings in a business owner's perspective to her teaching, with experience co-managing a large family-owned vegetable farming operation, and developing a successful campground on the same 200-hectare property.
Vivienne Li
ELA Teacher
Vivienne serves as an EAL teacher in ISA Science City International school. She received a Bachelor’s degree in Asian Study from Rutgers University, USA. She also holds a Master’s degree in TESOL from New York University, USA. Before coming back to China, Vivienne has been teaching bilingual language classes in the USA for 5 years with students across diverse settings, ranging from elementary school to middle school. Vivienne began her IB journey in 2019. She taught various subjects in an IB international school in New Jersey as a MYP homeroom teacher. She is passionate about inquiry-based teaching，and has completed many IB training and workshops. Vivienne believes every student is unique. Her role as a teacher is to create a safe and caring environment where students can meet their potential, take risks, and blossom in growth.
Zixin Yang
Chinese Language Teacher
Zixin earned a Bachelor's degree from Northeast Normal University and a Master's degree in Comparative Literature from University College London. She previously taught Chinese language and literature at Guangdong Country Garden School • Huizhou and briefly worked in the news industry. Therefore, Zixin underscores the connection between literature and the real world in her teaching, guiding students to integrate their knowledge with practical applications. Driven by her dual passion for education and literary research, Zixin encourages students to actively explore their unique perspectives in interpreting texts, aiming to foster a profound understanding of the subject. Her cross-cultural educational background allows her to anchor Chinese language teaching in a global context, striving for a cross-cultural and interdisciplinary teaching approach. Throughout her prior teaching experiences, Zixin prioritized understanding each student's learning needs and characteristics. She endeavors to create a positive and interactive teaching environment to cultivate students' comprehensive qualities.
Ada Li
Teaching Assistant
Ada serves as a teaching assistant at ISA Science City International School, where she works with Secondary students. Before joining ISA Science City, she had worked as a teaching assistant in a different international school for more than 7 years. Ada has obtained the Cambridge Teaching Knowledge Test Certificate, Chinese and English bilingual teaching certificates, and has always been passionate about teaching languages and cultures. Her experience includes both working in American and British schools. Because of these rich experiences, she became familiar with the education system and teaching methods in international schools. Ada enjoys working in education, and she believes that teachers can make a profound difference in students’ lives, and she has always served as a role model for students. Ada believes that both teachers and students should become life-long learners to become well-rounded global citizens so that we can explore and experience this world.
April Chen
Teaching Assistant
April works as a teaching assistant at ISA Science City. After graduating from Newcastle University, UK with the combined Bachelor Degree in Education and Japanese, she continues to attain her Master Degree in TESOL at University of Warwick. She also spent one year for Japanese language learning in Hitotsubashi University, Japan as part of her undergraduate degree. Having worked as a teaching assistant in ISA Wenhua Guangzhou Foreign Language IB Programme, she obtained a relatively comprehensive understanding of the IB pedagogy and values prioritising holistic education. She believes that having students engaging with the society and developing a multicultural appreciation is one vital goal for education. Her international education experience and multilingual capacity (fluent in Mandarin, English and Japanese) have also cultivated her multilingual awareness and intercultural communicative competence, which allows her to embrace a more inclusive language teaching pedagogical knowledge under the global context.
Savi Liu
Teaching Assistant
Savi serves as a teaching assistant at ISA Science City. She has worked as a high-school English teacher for nearly five years, so far, in the city of Guangzhou, holding a high school teaching certificate. She has great interests in the pedagogy of IB system, and values the balanced ISA education emphasis that we are devoted to a 'holistic approach' - intellectual, physical, emotional and social development. With the abundant experiences of teaching and accompanying with students in the past，along with her caring and patient nature when facing students，she believes she will make every effort to help students and the faculty, to fully achieve the cultivation goal of ISA Science City.
Sue Tan
Lab Technician
Sue became a member of ISASC in August 2023 as a Lab Technician. In 2020, she received a Bachelor’s degree in Food Science and Engineering from Zhongkai University of Agriculture and Engineering. After graduation, she worked as a testing engineer in a testing organization, mainly responsible for the experiment of inorganic projects. She will strive to contribute with her professional experience and passion to ISASC.
