Teaching & Mentoring
Student-Centered Approaches to Scientific Training
Philosophy
"I became a researcher because I wanted to help people, but I almost became a physician instead. After completing preclinical medical training, I realized I could have a broader impact by developing devices and materials that reach patients on a larger scale. That decision shapes how I approach mentoring: I understand what it means to change course, and I know that supporting students sometimes means helping them discover that their path lies elsewhere."
My teaching style relies heavily on active learning. I use a flipped classroom model where students review basic material before class, allowing us to spend class time solving problems, discussing, and doing hands-on demonstrations. I use polling tools to check understanding in real time and adjust as needed.
The most effective teaching connects abstract concepts to things students already understand. When I explain polymer chain dynamics, I talk about pasta—how cooked noodles tangle and slide past each other, and how the sauce and temperature change their interactions. Students tell me these analogies stick with them long after the course ends.
Teaching Experience
Courses & Preparation
Teaching Assistant Experience
- Introduction to Polymer Science (2014-2016) — Case Western Reserve University
- Introduction to Biomaterials (2015) — Case Western Reserve University
- Polymer Engineering (2019-2020) — Case Western Reserve University
Research Mentoring Courses
- Introduction to Research EMAC 125 — Designed and supervised experiments for first-year students
- Research EMAC 325 — Guided multi-semester independent research projects
- Senior Capstone EMAC 398 — Supervised thesis-level research culminating in papers and presentations
Prepared to Teach
- Polymer Physics & Soft Matter Mechanics
- Biomaterials & Biomedical Engineering
- Materials Characterization
- Biomimetic Materials (new course development)
- Electron Microscopy (new course development)
Mentoring Approach
"My mentoring philosophy is straightforward: I prioritize the student. While research productivity is important, it should not come at the cost of a student's well-being and growth."
One of my proudest mentoring moments has nothing to do with research output. A student went into engineering because she wanted to support her disabled sister—an admirable goal. But over months of working together, it became clear her passion was in sociology. We discussed what that shift would mean for her family, her finances, and her sense of identity. She changed majors, and last I heard, she's thriving. Even though she was no longer in engineering, she continued to work in the lab with me. I consider this exactly what mentoring should be.
Lab Culture
My lab holds weekly group meetings where students present their work, troubleshoot problems together, and practice scientific communication in a low-stakes setting. I pair graduate students with undergraduates in structured mentoring relationships, which develops leadership skills for senior students while providing undergraduates with meaningful guidance.
This includes regular one-on-one meetings where we discuss career goals alongside research progress, and Individual Development Plans that reflect what a student truly wants—whether that's a faculty position, a career at a national lab, industry leadership, or something in between.
Outcomes I Value
The students I train will leave my lab with technical expertise in polymer science, materials characterization, and experimental design. But I hope they'll also leave with something harder to quantify: the confidence to ask good questions, the judgment to know when they need help, and the understanding that a career in science is a marathon, not a sprint.
Some will become professors. Others will lead R&D teams in industry or shape policy at national labs. A few might decide, like I once did, that their path lies somewhere unexpected. I consider all of these outcomes a success.