Writing Faculty

Professional Writing Consultants

Ryan Lambert

Writing Center Interim Director

Science/Technical/Career Writing, NHV/Composition, Social Sciences, and Speech Composition and Practice
ryandeanlambert@mines.edu

Ryan, a Denver native, holds an MA in English (composition and rhetoric) from the University of Northern Colorado, where he also earned duel  bachelor’s degrees in English and in anthropology & archaeology. He has worked at Mines for eight years as a professional writing consultant and has extensive experience teaching writing and communication across campus. His teaching at Mines includes Nature and Human Values, Professional Oral Communication (graduate-level), Technical Writing, Environmental Communication, and the Chemical and Biological Engineering field session (memo and report writing). With 13 years of experience in higher education, Ryan is eager to support undergraduates, graduate students, faculty, and staff in developing their writing and communication skills. He is also interested in exploring how AI might enhance writing center work. In his free time, Ryan enjoys reading; writing;  spending time with his cat BC; and attending films, plays, and concerts.

Josh O’Brien

Writing Center Program Manager & Consultant

Resumes/CVs, Personal Statements, Humor, Composition Essays, and Technical Writing 
jtobrien@mines.edu

Josh earned his M.A. in English from West Texas A&M University. He has taught courses in Composition, Technical Writing, and Humanities, as well as Developmental English courses. Before moving to Colorado, Josh was the coordinator of Amarillo College’s writing center.  

Gretchen Hack

ESL, Composition, and Communications
ghack@mines.edu

Gretchen Hack graduated from Valparaiso University in Indiana with a B.A. in English and Spanish and from the University of Colorado-Denver (UCD) with an M.A. in English. She has taught Composition at UCD and other area colleges since 1988, including teaching Literature and Advanced ESL Composition classes. She loves helping writers explore and express their discoveries and ideas in coherent prose. In her free time, Gretchen enjoys hiking, observing nature, reading and collecting tenets like this: “To write is to rewrite, . . . One writes for oneself, and one rewrites for others.” (From the character Julián Carax in Carlos Ruiz Zafón’s Labyrinth of the Spirits.)

Undergraduate Writing Fellows

Alison Kantor

Alison is a senior studying Civil Engineering. She is originally from Portland, Oregon. At Mines, she is a member of the Blue Key Honor Society and is actively involved in the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) and the Society of Women Engineers (SWE). For fun, Alison loves to play pickleball and enjoys outdoor activities such as hiking and paddle boarding. In her free time, she likes reading and playing board games. This is her second year with the Writing Center, and she enjoys supporting students as they develop their writing and communication skills.

Erin McGovern

Erin is a sophomore studying Quantitative Biosciences and Engineering. She’s from Arvada, Colorado. At Mines, she’s a violist in Mines Symphony Orchestra. When not at school, she is a Taekwon-do instructor with Maestas TKD and a violist in Soundtrack Chamber Orchestra. For fun, she likes to read, paint, and make costumes and props for renaissance fairs. This is Erin’s first year with the Writing Center, and she is excited to help students grow in their writing skills.

Laura Davey-Philippus

Laura Davey-Philippus is a transfer student majoring in Civil Engineering and minoring in Humanitarian Engineering. After getting a bachelor’s degree in Geophysics, she is studying how we can design infrastructure for disaster resilience. At Mines, she is a part of the Mines Without Borders Club. She enjoys studying philosophy (especially ethics), exploring the outdoors, everything geology and natural disaster related, and listening to and playing Celtic music. This is Laura’s second year working at the Writing Center, and she is excited to learn about the cool coursework, design and research projects and other writing that her classmates are engaged in and help them succeed along the way, whether they need brainstorming help, final proofreading, or anything in between.

William Hollingsworth

William is a junior in Mechanical Engineering. He is from Houston, Texas but spent time in both Balikpapan, Indonesia and Al Ain, U.A.E during his childhood. As a first year he spent time in the Thorson honors program, expanding his view of engineering’s effect on societal structures. In his free time, he enjoys reading, cooking and engaging in his wild hyperfixation with video games made in the 90s. Furthermore, he likes hiking and generally spending time in nature. This is William’s second year as an undergraduate writing fellow and he is excited at the chance to engage with the Mines community and help people expand their ability to communicate.