"Greetings, my name is Karthik! My undergraduate major was in math and physics at Northeastern University. Currently I am working on a master's in data science through the University of Colorado at Boulder, and I will be beginning a master's in medical physics at the University of Kentucky in the fall of 2024 — intended to lay the foundation for my long-term career. It may then not be too hard to believe that I've always been a curious person, but my penchant for self-motivated learning was kick started by an experience I had in middle school. It was a 3-week summer program called VAMPY within which I learned to self-study on account of the math classes consisting primarily of studying out of a textbook, working problems, and taking exams — with the professors and TAs only there to facilitate our learning but not to lecture or assign work outside of the exams. I did Algebra 2 the first time and Calculus 1 & 2 the second time, after which I was distinctly prepared to tackle more advanced material (e.g., linear algebra, real analysis, topology, and quantum mechanics). Before I ever started tutoring formally, it was not uncommon for peers to remark that I taught better than the teacher whenever I helped them with their work.

I started tutoring formally in undergrad via a mix of online tutoring and university sponsored peer tutoring, later taking on responsibilities as a student grader and TA. I was the president of the math club and vice president of our chapter of the Society of Physics Students. While at first I was prone to lecturing due to my assumption that others found theory as elucidating as I, my sessions are now dominated by working through problems provided by either the student or me. Also software visualization is a boon whenever my drawing skills don't pass muster. Ultimately, my purpose is to cultivate disciplined learning and excellence in STEM, whether that be for a class or purely out of curiosity/passion, so please do not hesitate to reach out if you think I can help you achieve your goals." less...