I have been involved with teaching and mentorship most of my life. My mother was a teacher and I caught both the nature and nurture aspects of that. I grew up as a camp counselor and lifeguard, my job always involved making sure others were safe and had fun. Those responsibilities have helped me immensely going forward and helps me take accountability in every role. I have experience developing and teaching curriculums in and out of the classroom, and highlight some of my teaching experience below.
I joined the Catalina Island Marine Institute (CIMI) on Catalina Island, California after college. I was responsible for:
- Planning and teaching classes centered around environmental science, ranging from astronomy to shark biology.
- Coordinating with school teachers, chaperones, and fellow instructors to make sure we met the California standards for education (while having fun)
- Lifeguarding on the beach front, responsible for the safety of up to 60 students in the coastal ocean.
- Improving myself as an educator, iterating each class and figuring out what we could have done better.
Following my work on Catalina, I worked as an Environmental Educator for Christodora, a non-profit based in New York City.
- For the spring and fall months, NYC students would take a field trip with us up to the Berkshire Mountains in Mass. to learn about forest ecology and environmental stewardship. This was a delicate balance of taking them out of their comfort zone while also making them feel safe and curiouss about the world while they learned about succession, ecology, and more.
- For the winter months, we brought the science to them! I developed a marine biology curriculum, crafted to ensure it met NYC education standards. I focused on physical and behavioral adaptations and what you can learn about an animal just from looking at it, developing critical thinking and reasoning skills.
During my time at the University of Georgia I have taken every opportunity to mentor and teach others, formally and informally.
- Teaching Assistant for the College of Engineering undergraduate Fluid Mechanics course and the Dept. of Marine Sciences graduate Physical Oceanography course. These two courses gave me a unique perspective on this type of physical science; taught to two very different groups with a variety of backgrounds, I worked with the Professor to make sure everything was clear and made sure I met the students where they were without assuming a certain background or comfort level.
- Lab Instructor for the College of Engineering Hydrology course. Developed and taught hands-on labs centered around practical knowledge of engineering principles. What power pump will we need? What size baffle is most efficient for this type of flow? When does cavitation occur? By the end of the semester, I ensured the senior level students could answer these questions about their scenario.
- Capstone Project mentor. I was approached by two engineering rising juniors about their work in creating an acoustic system to deter algae growth for their senior capstone project. I helped them model the sounds for their environment and troubleshoot the frequency and intensity of their outputs. They have since won multiple design awards including top prize at the UGA Entrepreneurship Program, and their product is now on pool-supply shelves in Georgia.
- MATE ROV Engineering Judge. MATE ROV is a robotics competition for students. Teams ranging from 6th grade all the way to college are challenged to build a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) to accomplish tasks in the pool, simulating real-world requirements. I have served three times as a judge in their regional competitions and enjoy it every year.