Published May 01, 2023
By Christine Reed
The School of Energy Resources (SER) is pleased to welcome Helen Qin as a senior office associate to help support the outreach efforts and academic programs in the department.
Originally from Heilongjiang, China, Qin has dedicated much of her professional expertise to higher education and brings with her a diverse educational background that will help build upon SER’s excellence in teaching and research.
In her new role, Qin will predominantly be working with SER Academic Director Kami Danaei and will also help support the outreach and community engagement events led by SER Director of Outreach Christine Reed.
“We are very excited and grateful to have Helen on board,” says Danaei. “With the expansion of our degree program to include a minor, two certificate programs and our 3+3 quickstart program with the College of Law, we are experiencing a significant amount of growth in our student body. The timing of Helen’s arrival could not be better. She is extremely knowledgeable and the depth and versatility of her talents will be a great asset to the entire team at SER. We look forward to integrating her further and utilizing all she has to offer.”
With an abundance of experience in both the public and private sectors, Qin has served in many important support and leadership capacities throughout her career.
After completing her bachelor’s degree in Journalism from the Harbin University of Commerce in China, she subsequently earned her an LL.M. from Hefei University of Technology, and an M.S. in Educational Research and Evaluation from Northern Illinois University before finishing an Ed.D. in Curriculum and Instruction.
Prior to joining SER, she worked as a research assistant in the Office Research, Evaluation and Policy Studies at the University of Northern Illinois, and later worked as an engineering curriculum developer for Lamanna Engineering Consultants, LLC in Richmond, Ken., where she helped to develop curriculum and outreach programs at the K-12, undergraduate and graduate levels. Most recently, she served as the director of education at Kellynkai Corp.
“I am excited about being a part of the team,” says Qin. “I look forward to contributing to the overall goals of SER, working directly with the students, and helping to further develop the outstanding academic program. It is very exciting for me to be a part of such a collaborative entity that works so hard for the benefit of the state. I am thrilled to engage with the community and grow into this position to promote the success of the research.”
