"I graduated from Grinnell College in 2016 with a BA in Chemistry. At Grinnell, I TA’d for organic small-group tutor sessions for struggling students through our Science Learning Center. I graduated Phi Beta Kappa and was recognized by the American Chemical Society, receiving the Division of Organic Chemistry Award for the Most Outstanding Senior Undergraduate Organic Chemistry Student. I went on to complete my MS in Organic Chemistry at the UPenn, where I was a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow and served as a TA under several professors. I was recognized for my devotion to teaching with the Penn Teaching Award. I began private 1:1 tutoring for Penn students in organic and have spent hundreds of hours tutoring over 60 students over the past several years. I am currently a medicinal chemist at JandJ.

At its core, teaching is a means of transferring knowledge. But in my view, it is much more entailed than dispensing facts. Information and concepts must be relayed, but while still retaining a sense of discovery such that students learn how to learn. Early in my training, I became a keen observer of the practices my professors and mentors used. I assessed what worked for me and others, and what strategies fell short. In my time as a teaching assistant/tutor/mentor for undergraduate students, I have slowly and deliberately amassed a set of practices and philosophies that work best for a wide range of students.

In my 1:1 sessions, I tailor my approach to the student’s learning style. My paramount beliefs are that my job as a chemistry tutor is to help students reduce barriers to success, build a confidence and accountability, and structure sessions such that problem-solving capabilities naturally develop." less...