My teaching philosophy
Classrooms should be student-centered and build the scaffolding to set students up for success. To do this I focus on two main principles; 1) building a strong sense of a learning community and 2) engaging students through a variety of active learning techniques in my classroom.
My approach in the classroom
I have broad and substantial experience in teaching biology and building student-centered and inclusive classrooms. I have taught courses in evolution, mathematical modeling, biostatistics, and pedagogy. My classes are student-centered, and I actively cultivate productive and safe learning communities across multiple settings, class sizes, student demographics, and educational levels. I connect with students through various methods to help them build a better sense of belonging by creating a learning community. I encourage students to make the classroom a brave space (where they feel comfortable doing hard things, such as addressing potentially triggering topics, asking questions, and learning new skills).
Teaching as research
Multiple classes taught in the life sciences have discussion sections where nearly all of the time is focused on primary literature in the form of student presentations/paper discussions. I hope that a more structured format for a class discussion will not only aid in linking concepts from primary literature to learning objectives in lectures but will also increase the appreciation of discussing primary literature. This intervention has been implemented in the classroom (EEB 185 Spring 2022 and Spring 2023), and I am currently analyzing data to assess how these changes affected students’ learning course content and views in primary literature.
Past Courses
Evolution
UCLA: EEB 120
Quarters: W23
Lecture, three hours; discussion, two hours. Designed for departmental majors specializing in environmental and population biology. Introduction to mechanics and processes of evolution, with emphasis on natural selection, population genetics, speciation, evolutionary rates, and patterns of adaptation.
Evolutionary Medicine
UCLA: EEB 185
Quarters: S23
Lecture, three hours; discussion, two hours. Designed for departmental majors specializing in environmental and population biology and in medicine. Introduction to mechanics and processes of evolution, with emphasis on natural selection, population genetics, speciation, evolutionary rates, and patterns of adaptation. Coverage of fundamental principles of evolution, with special focus on medicine and human health.
Genetics, Evolution, and Evology
UCLA: LS 7B
Quarters: W23 and S23
Lecture, three hours; laboratory, 110 minutes. Principles of Mendelian inheritance and population genetics. Introduction to principles and mechanisms of evolution by natural selection, population, behavioral, and community ecology, and biodiversity, including major taxa and their evolutionary, ecological, and physiological relationships.