Teaching

Teaching Philosophy

My teaching approach emphasizes building intuition and understanding foundational concepts, particularly for students from diverse academic backgrounds. I believe in creating accessible learning materials that bridge theoretical concepts with practical applications, while maintaining academic rigor appropriate to the course level. In laboratory settings, I prioritize hands-on learning, safety, and the development of experimental skills critical to engineering practice.

Teaching Experience

Statistical Inference (STAT 201)

Role: Teaching Assistant | Students: 200+ | Level: Undergraduate

A mandatory statistics course serving students from diverse majors and backgrounds, requiring tailored pedagogical approaches to accommodate varying levels of mathematical preparation.

Responsibilities:

• Curriculum Development: Created comprehensive tutorial materials and teaching modules that became the standard for subsequent course offerings
• Examination & Assessment: Designed and graded exams and assignments for over 200 students per semester
• Tutorial Instruction: Conducted weekly tutorial sessions, focusing on building intuitive understanding for students without strong mathematical backgrounds
• Technical Training: Developed and taught modules on statistical software tools (R and JMP) for data analytics applications
• Online Learning Adaptation: During COVID-19, transitioned to remote instruction including recording lectures and creating online course materials
• Student Support: Provided extensive support to students from non-quantitative majors, using intuition-based explanations and detailed conceptual breakdowns

Key Achievements:

• Developed reusable curriculum materials adopted by subsequent course sections
• Successfully taught complex statistical concepts to students with minimal mathematical background
• Managed large-scale course logistics with diverse student population

Heat Transfer (MEEN 641)

Role: Teaching Assistant | Level: Senior Undergraduate / Graduate

An advanced technical course in thermal sciences requiring rigorous understanding of heat transfer principles and their engineering applications.

Responsibilities:

• Office Hours & Student Support: Conducted regular office hours to assist with complex problem-solving and conceptual understanding
• Assessment Development: Created and graded assignments, exams, and course projects with advanced technical content
• Tutorial Instruction: Led tutorial sessions covering advanced heat transfer topics
• Guest Lecturing: Substituted for professor when necessary, delivering lectures on course material
• ABET Assessment: Conducted program accreditation assessments in compliance with ABET standards
• Advanced Problem Support: Provided guidance on complex assignments appropriate for senior and graduate-level students

Key Skills:

• Managing technically rigorous coursework at advanced undergraduate/graduate level
• ABET accreditation documentation and assessment
• Balancing theoretical foundations with engineering applications

Heat Transfer Laboratory (MEEN 461 Lab)

Role: Instructor (Independent) | Level: Undergraduate

A hands-on laboratory course where I served as the sole instructor, with full responsibility for course delivery, safety management, and student assessment.

Responsibilities:

• Independent Course Instruction: Sole instructor with complete responsibility for all aspects of course delivery (no faculty involvement)
• Instructional Material Development: Created comprehensive lecture slides and notes explaining experimental theory, significance, and procedures
• Lab Manual Creation: Developed detailed laboratory manuals for all experiments corresponding to MEEN 461 course chapters
• Experimental Demonstrations: Performed live demonstrations of experimental procedures and equipment operation
• Safety Management: Ensured strict adherence to laboratory safety protocols and proper handling of expensive experimental equipment
• Equipment Stewardship: Supervised the safe operation and maintenance of costly thermal science laboratory apparatus
• Group Management: Facilitated effective team dynamics within student groups of 4-5 members
• Assessment: Graded laboratory reports and exams, evaluating both technical understanding and experimental proficiency

Key Challenges Addressed:

• Full instructional autonomy requiring comprehensive preparation and subject mastery
• Balancing educational objectives with critical safety requirements
• Managing group dynamics and ensuring equitable participation
• Teaching practical experimental skills alongside theoretical concepts
• Maintaining expensive equipment while enabling hands-on learning

Laboratory Experiments:

Experiments aligned with heat transfer theory covering:

• Conduction experiments (steady-state and transient)
• Convection measurements (forced and natural)
• Radiation heat transfer
• Heat exchanger performance analysis

Skills Developed Through Teaching

Pedagogical Skills:

• Curriculum development and instructional design
• Adapting teaching methods for diverse student backgrounds
• Online course delivery and remote instruction
• Large-scale classroom management (200+ students)
• Laboratory instruction and experimental demonstration
• Independent course leadership

Technical Skills:

• Statistical software instruction (R, JMP)
• ABET accreditation processes and assessment
• Advanced engineering problem-solving instruction
• Experimental equipment operation and troubleshooting
• Laboratory safety protocols and risk management

Leadership & Management:

• Group dynamics facilitation
• Safety compliance and enforcement
• Equipment stewardship and resource management
• Autonomous course delivery

Communication:

• Translating complex technical concepts into accessible explanations
• Building conceptual intuition for mathematically challenging topics
• Providing effective feedback through grading and office hours
• Demonstrating experimental procedures clearly and safely