Teaching

My teaching philosophy is to use hands-on interactive learning to motivate diverse students in the areas of Environmental Sciences and Biometeorology. In the Anthropocene age when human activities have largely changed our environment, our younger generations not only need to understand the current knowledge, but are given the opportunities and potential tools to face an uncertain and changing world. As an Environmental Scientist, I believe that the education of Environmental Science plays a central role in shaping our society’s response to ongoing and future climate change. I aim to educate, support, and challenge my students in three main aspects:

Theory – Critical Thinking: I believe students should not only understand the existing theories but also be able to challenge their strengths and weakness. Biometeorology—which I was trained for years—is very interdisciplinary itself. It embraces theories from micrometeorology, soil physics, physiological ecology, ecosystem ecology and biogeochemistry. The nature of multidiscipline enables us to bridge knowledges from diverse areas and to tackle complicated environmental problems from a multifaceted approach. On the other hand, such interaction among disciplines also feedbacks and even challenges theories from each scientific silo, and motivate the progress and evolution of science. As an instructor and teaching assistant in introductory and advanced courses in Environmental Sciences, I often encouraged and led discussions on a series of questions like ‘Why?’, ‘But Why and How?’, and ‘What Else?’.

Measurement – Learning by Doing: Environment Sciences deal with real world problems and that requires students to engage and be familiar with the real environment surrounding us. Measurements always play a key role in understanding our surrounding environments. Over the last 10 years, I learned from, worked with, and trained a number of scientists and graduate students through intensive field measurements. At U Toledo, I taught four semesters of introductory Environmental Sciences labs, in which I instructed undergraduate students the knowledge of environment and environmental problems through hands-on measurements and experiments. Both experiences have taught me that hands-on experience where students are highly engaged is an influential teaching tool. 

Modeling – Problem Solving/Hypothesis Testing: Students learn more effectively through interactive problem solving processes. Mentoring experiences have taught me that independent research projects are a powerful strategy for teaching and research. I have mentored and supervised several undergraduate students during my time at U Toledo and UC Berkeley. Each of them has been encouraged to form a small research project, in which they learned through the scientific process of asking questions, collecting/processing data, testing hypothesis, and presenting results. As an Ecosystem Ecologist, I also strongly believe the powerfulness of advanced statistical modeling and machine learning in helping us tackling and deciphering complicated ecosystem processes and environmental problems.   

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

Student Mentor

Graduate Committee

Instructor

Invited Lecture

Discussion Leading

Coordinator

Teaching Assistant