Teaching Philosophy

Effective teaching must go beyond delivering content, it must foster curiosity, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. My goal is to create an inclusive and engaging learning environment for undergraduates, where pupils can answer "Why am I studying this?" and connect fundamental science to real-world applications. Through active learning, interdisciplinary approaches, and mentorship, I strive to empower students to think independently, collaborate effectively, and develop a lifelong passion for discovery.

With over 12 semesters of teaching experience, I have worked across multiple disciplines, including chemistry, polymer science, materials science, mechanical engineering, and biomedical engineering. My teaching expertise spans lab instruction, course development, assessment design, and student mentorship, with a strong focus on active learning and interdisciplinary collaboration.

As a Lead Graduate Teaching Assistant at Virginia Tech (MACR 5015 & 5016), I developed instructional materials, syllabi, and lab experiments for first-year Ph.D. students. I supervised polymer synthesis and characterization labs and designed assessments, including journal-style lab reports, poster presentations, and proposal-based exams. My experience as a Graduate Teaching Assistant (CHEM 1046, ME 4015/4016) involved teaching General Chemistry Labs for two sections of 25 students and mentoring senior design teams on industry-sponsored projects.

Previously, I served as Instructor on Record for CHEM 113 at Catholic University of America, where I independently developed course materials, conducted pre-lab lectures, and designed final project sessions. Additionally, I have mentored undergraduate and first-year Ph.D. students, training them in wet lab techniques, experimental design, and biological safety protocols.