Teaching Philosophy
My teaching philosophy incorporates effective communication and practical application. Students best understand the material when it is communicated effectively and are then given opportunities to actively engage with the content by applying what they have learned. Moreover, students demonstrate their comprehension when they can effectively communicate content to others. Through my teaching and science communication experiences, I am confident in my ability to present the lessons and design engaging activities. I aim to translate these experiences in my classroom.
Teaching Assistant Appointments:
Organisms to Ecosystem, UC Irvine
Undergraduate introductory course for biology majors covering the patterns of diversity, ecology, and evolutionary biology (184 students).
Years: 2021, 2023
E118 Ecosystem Ecology, UC Irvine
Upper-division undergraduate and graduate course on ecosystem process, nutrient cycling, and plant-microbe interactions. Also covered ecosystem roles in environmental change (59 students).
Year: 2021
DNA to Organisms, UC Irvine
Undergraduate introductory course for biology majors on cell biology, biochemistry, genetics, and organ systems (80 students)
Year: 2020
Pedagogical Trainings
California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) Pre-Professor Program (PREPP) Fellow
The PREPP program is an immersive program designed tosupport prosepective faculty members at a comprehensive university. I received direct mentorship from CSULB faculty member, Dr. Niloofar Bavarian. As a part of the curriculum, I attended workshops on student support, faculty development, and teaching practices. Additionally, I observed classes and one-on-one research mentoring meetings. I also completed the Advancing Inclusive Mentoring Workshops and earned certificate. Furthermore, I prepared lecture material and presented one class session for an upper division undergraduate bioinformatics course.
Division of Teaching Excellence and Inclusion Course Design Certificate Program, UC Irvine
During this certificate program, I learned and applied the Bloom’s Taxonomy to create active-learning assignments. Furthermore, I designed an upper division undergraduate Microbiomes Course, as well as developed a syllabus with student learning outcomes and clear expectations on the course policy
Preparing for Future Faculty Careers Certificate Program, UC Irvine
Through this certificate program, I gained insight on faculty positions in different institutions, the academic job search process, and how to successfully transition to faculty career.
Invited Lectures
Comparative Genomics. BIOL 474-574: Bioinformatics. CSULB. Long Beach, CA. (2023)
Concept Maps. BIOL 493: Genes to Ecosystems. University of Alaska Fairbanks AF. Virtual (2023).
Comparative Genomics. BIOL 474-574: Bioinformatics. CSULB. Virtual (2021).