Preparing Future Faculty Seminar

In June 2026, I took part in this selective, intensive 5-week seminar hosted by the Center for Research on Learning and Teaching (CRLT), designed for graduate students in the final stages of completing their doctoral program. The seminar demystified transition process between graduate students to beginning faculty member. Differences in faculty roles--from lecturers to tenured faculty members--at the wide array of US institutions of higher education were shared, which allowed me to find where my strengths could shine brightest. Key deliverables for this program were a statement of teaching philosophy and a syllabus crafted with backward course design elements for a course of my choosing.

UM Graduate Teacher Certificate

In January 2026, I earned the UM Graduate Teacher Certificate, consisting of five separate areas designed to learn how to teach as well as reflect and enhance one's teaching. I deliberately chose to learn how matters of accessibility arise in teaching and how to mitigate barriers to make my classes open to everyone. These were helpful in shaping how I conducted my final project, designing the Naked-eye Astronomy course and running it myself as instructor of record. Being my first time as instructor of record, relecting with more experienced professors in the department highlighted ways I could improve my approach to pedagogy the next time.

EDUC 591: Learning How People Learn

In the Winter 2025 semester I took this course, designed as an introduction to modern theories of learning and how they have been (and continue to be) applied in classrooms and beyond. This was formative, in that it provided much of the theoretical framework to explain why certain teaching methods are effective or not. I took the opportunity in the final project to connect with Dr. Tom Rice to discuss how he approaches education, pedagogical tools he employs in his classrooms, and how he supports other educators in his role at the American Astronomical Society. It was a perfect complement to the experience I had and was continuing to gain as a GSI.

Course taught | Institution | Role | Term(s):

ASTRO 115: Introductory Astrobiology | UMich | Grader | Winter 2026
ASTRO 361: Astronomical Techniques | UMich | GSI | Fall 2022, Winter 2025, Fall 2025
ASTRO 127: Naked-eye Astronomy | UMich | Instructor of Record | Spring/Summer 2025
AST 1001: Exploring the Universe | UMN | Teaching Specialist | Fall 2018, Spring 2019
AST 4002: Galactic Astronomy | UMN | Grader | Fall 2018, Spring 2019

Mentoring

I have also had the pleasure of one-on-one mentoring experience at the graduate and undergraduate level. With the Grad Buddy Program run by UMich department graduate students, I have been paired with a lower-year graduate student and met with them to help them make the transition to being a PhD student. I did this with advanced undergraduate students as well, while also helping other undergraduates conducting research in the same area as me. Regardless of student level, I strive to meet each student where they are, actively listen to their struggles and concerns, and work collaboratively to advance them towards their goals.