blog posts

• Ashish Gaur

  Nov 27, 2025 1:30 pm1 views

  Ashish Gaur is a research scholar in Philosophy of Education whose work focuses on developing ethical principles for AI tools in education. His experience as both a teacher and an EdTech product developer informs his interest in the ethics of technology in learning environments. His current research also explores themes such as educational freedom as attunement, pedagogical tact as the essence of teaching, and first-principle approaches to assumptions in educational technology design, using interpretive & qualitative methods.

  Advisor: Dr. Nicolas Tanchuk

  Expected Graduation: 2029

  • Educational Background:

  • Ph.D. in Education Policy, Organization & Leadership | Concentration: Philosophy of Education, University of Illinois Urbana–Champaign (In progress)

  • Master of Arts in Education | Concentration: School Organization, Leadership and Management, Azim Premji University, Bengaluru

  • Postgraduate Diploma in Educational Technology | IGNOU, Delhi

  • Bachelor of Science in Physics | University of Delhi

  LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/ashish-gaur-profile

• Naomi Simmons-Thorne, PhD (She/Her)

  Sep 12, 2023 9:45 am208 views

  Naomi Simmons-Thorne is a PhD Student in Philosophy of Education at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Naomi serves as an instructor, graduate research assistant, and Doctoral Fellow of the Graduate College. 

  Her research interests include moral and political philosophy, black education, black feminism, Africana philosophy, decolonial thought, Marxism, and critical theory/pedagogies. 

  Advisor: Rebecca Taylor

  Anticipated Graduation: 2028

  Education

  • PhD (2028), Philosophy of Education, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
  • MT (2023), English Education, University of South Carolina
  • BA/BS (2020), Philosophy and Sociology, University of South Carolina
  • AA/AS (2018), Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College