During my time at UTC since Fall 2022, I have taught several courses: PHYS2300 (FA22, FA24), INST3200(SP24,SP25) PHYS2310(FA25), PHYS1030L (FA22, FA23, FA24), PHYS1030(SU23), PHYS1040(SU23, SP25), PHYS4300 (SP23,SP25), PHYS4300L(SP23, SP25), ASTR1010(FA22, SP22, FA23, SP24), U3630R (SP24), PHYS2320L(SP24) and PHYS/CHEM1250(FA23, FA24, FA25). During this year, I continued to improve my teaching style by following the recommendations made for the committee and students evaluations. These recommendations included improving the positioning of myself in relation to teaching aids to improve visibility of materials, improve slides with better examples, creating additional opportunities for student engagement, and implementing a more challenging grading structure which better reflects the efforts of students. For lectures, I now incorporate a laser pointer with a slide changer to avoid being too close to the screen. I have added pauses during my lectures, problems without solutions are now presented to be solved in class and included experimental demonstrations in each lecture. Also based on the course evaluations I included more information about how to complete labs, establish the grading scale on canvas, and improve the lecture material.  For the coming semester SP26, I am planning to include surveys every two weeks to evaluate the progress of the students and have meeting one and one to improve their grades.

As a pre-med advisor in the biophysics program. I participated in INTS3200 (SP23 and SP25), a unique class for MCAT review where I provide a review of MCAT physics and problem-solving approaches. I intend to continue participating this session on SP26. Also, I will plan a MCAT Physics Bowl (FA24), in which students played a jeopardy game to see how many physics equations they could recall. 

I received a second UTC Walker Center High Impact Practices (HIP) Grant ($4,911) and a College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) AI grant ($1,500) to enhance instructional materials and redesign the PHYS 2310 lecture course. The HIP grant supports the purchase of materials required to build an atomic force microscope (AFM), providing students with authentic, hands-on experience in experimental physics. Students enrolled in PHYS 4300L, PHYS 2320L, PHYS 1040L, and PHYS 3380 will participate directly in assembling and testing the AFM, strengthening their understanding of nanoscale measurement, instrumentation, and data analysis.

In parallel, the CAS AI grant was used to redesign PHYS 2310 by incorporating interactive activities, animations, and real-world examples focused on electricity and magnetism. These instructional enhancements are designed to improve conceptual understanding, student engagement, and active learning in the classroom.

In addition, I designed and submitted a proposal for a new course aimed at students interested in medical physics. The course, PHYS 3380: Introduction to Medical Physics, explores how radiation, sound, and light are used in the medical field for the diagnosis of a wide range of illnesses. Students are introduced to the physical principles underlying medical imaging and diagnostic technologies, with an emphasis on real-world clinical applications.

I am currently a faculty member in residence at Decosimo. This allows me to provide additional office hours for students who require assistance in Physics, Astronomy, and even Spanish.

Finally, I serve as an advisor for the biophysics program. I continue to assist students in navigating degree requirements, locating research opportunities, teaching assistantships, and meeting the criteria for medical school or other post-graduate options. 

Here are some helpful links:

• Philosophy of Teaching 

• Course Learning Evaluations 

• Courses Taught & Syllabi 

• Peer evaluation 

• Honors College Proposal