Teaching Experience

My teaching philosophy is shaped by my experience as a science communicator, mentor, atypical learner, and diversity advocate. In every course there is a story. My classroom is an interactive experience in which students engage with material through a compelling narrative. I lean on current media trends and information transit modalities to create modern teaching materials, and I highlight the relevance of biology in students' lives to craft appealing access points. Through both my attitude as an instructor and the type and style of material I present, I connect with students and make my classroom an environment where persons from all backgrounds can thrive.

Click here for a summary of my teaching evaluations.

Undergraduate Teaching

Lecturer

Marine Biochemistry, SIO 181
Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego
Spring 2023, 137 students

As the sole instructor of record, I gave lectures, prepared course materials, wrote exams, and oversaw Teaching Assistants. For this upper-division undergraduate course, the learning objectives were:

• Explain the biochemical mechanisms underlying energy metabolism, aerobic and anaerobic metabolism, acid-base regulation, osmoregulation, and nitrogen metabolism.

• Describe how the above processes support physiological adaptations to the marine environment. 

• Identify species-specific mechanisms related to feeding, defense, and locomotion.

• Analyze the impact of natural and anthropogenic environmental modifications on marine physiology.

• Recognize the role of marine organisms in discovering foundational information about biochemistry and animal physiology.

Adjunct Professor

Introduction to Cellular Processes, BIOL 225
Department of Biology, University of San Diego
Fall 2014, 14 students

As the sole instructor of record, I gave lectures, led discussions, prepared course materials, and wrote and graded exams. For this lower-division undergraduate course, the learning objectives were:

• Describe and integrate the basic structure and function of major biological macromolecules, cellular membranes, cytoskeleton and organelles.

• Relate chemical properties of molecules to determinants of biological function.

• Apply kinetic and thermodynamic principles to describe enzymes and cellular processes.

• Explain the harvesting, transformation and utilization of energy by cells.

• Describe the relationship between gene expression and cellular function.

• Apply general knowledge about cells and macromolecules in novel situations.

Students recommending instructor overall

Overall instructor rating from students

Adjunct Professor

Introduction to Cellular Processes Laboratory, BIOL 225L
Department of Biology, University of San Diego
Fall 2016, 21 students

As the sole instructor of record, I gave pre-lab lectures, led laboratory exercises and discussions, prepared course materials, and wrote and graded exams. For this lower-division undergraduate course, the learning objectives were:

• Utilize good laboratory technique (e.g., pipet accurately, calculate and perform accurate dilutions, use basic instruments) and safety practices.

• Organize data in Excel and display results in graphs and tables.

• Analyze results, evaluate data, and draw appropriate conclusions.

• Present experimental results and discuss their meaning coherently in a laboratory report written in a scientific journal format.

• Relate experimental results to basic biological concepts and cellular function.

Overall instructor rating from students

Teaching Assistant

Pollution, Environment, and Health, SIO 189/289
Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego
Fall 2013, 53 students
Course Professor: Amro Hamdoun

I led informal discussions, responded to student questions, prepared review materials, graded assignments and exams, and wrote and taught two lectures on Endocrinology and Endocrine Disruption. For this upper-division undergraduate course, the learning objectives were:

• Evaluate the scope and consequences of the pollution problem.

• Understand the basic properties and fate of chemicals in the environment.

• Understand the biological mechanisms, particularly those operating at the cellular level, that determine accumulation and toxicity of chemicals.

• Develop a basic toolkit necessary for evaluating complex information on the effects of pollutants on human and environmental health and an appreciation of the factors that shape our dependence on them.

Overall TA rating from students

Undergraduate Curriculum Design

Created an undergraduate laboratory for the Marine Biology major core curriculum at Scripps Institution of Oceanography.

This lab is part of the upper division course SIO 136, Marine Biology Laboratory and is titled Sea urchin fertilization.

Created an undergraduate laboratory that is in preparation for publication in Methods In Cell Biology Volume 150 Part A.

This lab capitalizes on the robust chemical protection mechanisms of sea urchin eggs to teach students to collect, quantify, evaluate, and interpret data on transporter activity and embryonic chemical vulnerability. In a two part laboratory, students expose eggs and embryos to a fluorescent model toxicant, use quantitative imaging to analyze protective transport activity, and conduct a modified version of the Environmental Protection Agency's sea urchin gamete toxicity test. Students gain an understanding of cellular protective mechanisms, value and limitations of standardized toxicity assays, and data collection, analysis, statistical evaluation, and interpretation.

Reproductive and Oncofertility Science Academy

This college-level program for high school girls focuses on the science of reproduction and fertility following cancer. Students gain hands-on experience in labs across UC San Diego in a summer training program for future scientists and physicians. Watch news coverage of students working with our team here.

Faculty Instructor for ROSA High School program at UC San Diego. 2011-2015, 2018

I created and taught a lecture and lab exercise in fertilization, early development, embryonic protection, and chemical vulnerability.

Associate Teacher Lead for ROSA-Teacher Academy, High School teacher training program at UC San Diego. 2018

I am training high school teachers to develop 5E lesson plans and implement ROSA modules in their classrooms.

High School & Middle School Teaching

Instructor, March of Dimes High School Science Day at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies. 2016

Guest Laboratory Instructor, Biology. 2010-2014
     Helix High School, La Mesa, CA
     Steele Canyon High School, Spring Valley, CA
     High Tech High School, San Diego, CA
     High Tech Middle School, Chula Vista, CA