Teaching

The core of my teaching philosophy is based on my experience as a scientist and researcher: 

• Failure is inevitable, but you don't learn if you don't try: I give students multiple attempts at assignments, with the requirement that re-submissions come with a reflection of what went wrong. This is a habit that students should develop for their life-long learning, but I implement it in a way that rewards students for showing that they are going through these steps.

• Science (and learning science) is a process: I rarely, if ever, give students equations from the start. Instead, I show them where the equations and concepts come from and helping them "discover" it themselves. The hope is that engaging with the process showcases the limits of the equations (what assumptions did we have to make?) and shows students that they are a part of the scientific process.

• Knowledge builds on knowledge: It is easier to learn things if it builds on something you already know. I try to start from concepts that students should have seen in previous classes as a starting point -- though it is up to the students to speak up if they weren't taught it.

• Science doesn't exist in a vacuum: I use case studies and real-world problems whenever possible to show how various topics from class are applied. Similarly, I show how skills from non-STEM courses they take -- close reading, ethical thinking, oral communication -- are still relevant in a STEM context.

Courses at University at Buffalo: Civil, Structural, and Environmental Engineering

Guest Lectures