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Colin S.'s Photo
Colin S.'s Photo Colin S.'s Photo

PhD Candidate in Computational Biology, Experienced STEM Tutor
Colin S.

4.5 (2 ratings)

9 hours tutoring

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Hourly Rate: $80
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About Colin

Bio

Hello there! My name is Colin, and I have seven years of experience tutoring math and science. I am a PhD candidate in the UC Berkeley-UC San Francisco joint bioengineering program. My strong background in STEM qualifies me to tutor math and science up through lower-division college courses. Aside from my academic qualifications, I believe that it is my genuine passion for math and science that makes me an effective tutor for students of all learning styles.

As a tutor, my goal is not to...

Hello there! My name is Colin, and I have seven years of experience tutoring math and science. I am a PhD candidate in the UC Berkeley-UC San Francisco joint bioengineering program. My strong background in STEM qualifies me to tutor math and science up through lower-division college courses. Aside from my academic qualifications, I believe that it is my genuine passion for math and science that makes me an effective tutor for students of all learning styles.

As a tutor, my goal is not to impress students with how much I know. Rather, my goal is to show my students how easily math and science concepts can come to them when they are presented the material in a straightforward way. The late physicist, Richard Feynman, posited that the ability to explain complicated ideas in a simple manner is the true mark of understanding. I agree with this assertion, and I make it my goal each tutoring session to explain even the most complex phenomena in a simple way, so that my student will come away from the lesson with confidence that they grasped the information. Additionally, I emphasize a strong understanding of the fundamentals, because both math and science are heavily inductive disciplines; many of the theorems and laws are founded on other, more fundamental principles. I have personally experienced the discouragement of trying to learn material that is beyond my level of preparedness, and so I can empathize with students who are in that boat. Fortunately, I have learned that the remedy is always a return to, and a strengthening of, the basics. That is the approach I take with students who find themselves struggling in a course.

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Education

B.S., University of California, Berkeley
Bioengineering
Attending University of California, Berkeley
PhD

Policies

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Approved Subjects

Algebra 1

Algebra 1

As an engineer, I use algebra (1 & 2) and higher-level mathematics every day to solve problems. I have been teaching algebra for four years, and with my students I focus on establishing a rock-solid understanding of the fundamentals. Additionally, I teach problem-solve techniques while doing walkthroughs of specific problems in algebra.
Algebra 2

Algebra 2

As an engineer, I use algebra (1 & 2) and higher-level mathematics every day to solve problems. I have been teaching algebra for four years, and with my students I focus on establishing a rock-solid understanding of the fundamentals. Additionally, I teach problem-solve techniques while doing walkthroughs of specific problems in algebra.
Biology

Biology

As a bioengineer I have a strong foundation in biology. In addition to having performed at the top of my general biology courses, I have also taken extensive courses in cellular and molecular biology, as well as immunology, physiology, and systems biology. Moreover, I have been a researcher in the Conboy laboratory in the UC Berkeley bioengineering department since 2015. I was recently was listed as an author on a paper published in Nature Biomedical Engineering, in which we demonstrated effective delivery of CRISPR/Cas9, a bacterial gene-editing system, using gold nanoparticles, by correcting a point mutation in a mouse model of Duchenne's muscular dystrophy.
Calculus

Calculus

As an engineer, I use calculus on a daily basis to solve problems, and this includes multi-variable and vector calculus. Taking a calculus course and knowing the steps to solve a derivative or integral is one thing, but applying calculus concepts to problems in engineering and physics (i.e. biomechanics or fluid mechanics) is the true mark of understanding calculus - something I've learned how to do over many years of applying what I learned in my calculus courses.
Chemistry

Chemistry

As a bioengineering researcher, I use my knowledge in chemistry on a daily basis. I performed at the top of all of my chemistry lecture and laboratory courses in college, and have since been helping others learn and excel in their chemistry courses for the last three years. More importantly, I am passionate about chemistry because it is both fascinating and useful, and my enthusiasm carries into my lessons, making it fun and enjoyable for my students to learn.
Elementary Math

Elementary Math

I have been successfully helping students raise their math grades for the past four years, including Elementary Math. I do this by focusing on fundamentals and helping my students build a strong foundation of basic principles. From my experience, it is not only difficult, but it is downright discouraging when moving on to the next topic if you have not mastered the previous material upon which it is built. I help my students master the fundamental rules of arithmetic, providing them with a rock-solid foundation upon which to build the rest of their mathematics understanding.
Elementary Science

Elementary Science

Science is both my passion, and a tool I used every day to solve problems. As a bioengineer I have studied the physical science in extraordinary depth. I have been tutoring others in elementary science since August of 2017, and have witnessed my students raise their grades and excel in their science classes.
Geometry

Geometry

As an engineer I use geometrical principles to solve problems every day. Many problems in physics require an understanding of and application of geometry. I have been solving physics problems for the last four years, and moreover, in that same time I have been teaching others geometry and how to use it to solve problems as well.
Physics

Physics

As a bioengineer, physics is a major cornerstone of so much of my discipline. Bioengineers are not only concerned with chemistry and cellular biology, but also with the mechanics (stress, strain, bending, torsion etc.) of bone and cellular structures; the fluid mechanics that govern fluid flow and diffusion; the laws and properties of electricity and magnetism that are used in the design of medical devices; the properties of light used in imaging, microscopy, and crystallography; and finally, we are keenly interested in the thermodynamics of biological systems. Physics can be a challenging subject, but when you have a passionate teacher who finds the fun in physics, they can translate that fun into their lessons, making it an enjoyable, and therefore efficient, learning experience.
Prealgebra

Prealgebra

I have been successfully helping students raise their grade in pre-algebra, and prepare for algebra for the past four years. I do this by focusing on fundamentals and helping my students build a strong foundation of basic principles. From my experience, it is not only difficult, but it is downright discouraging when moving on to the next topic if you have not mastered the previous material upon which it is built. I help my students master the fundamental rules of pre-algebra, providing them with a rock-solid foundation upon which to build the rest of their mathematics understanding.
Precalculus

Precalculus

As an bioengineer, calculus is the bedrock of much of the mathematics I use to solve physical problems in biomechanics and fluid mechanics. A rock-solid foundation in pre-calculus is imperative for a mastery of calculus. I have been successfully helping my students raise their grade in pre-calculus for the last four years. I help my students learn pre-calculus by taking the fundamentals approach and ensuring they hold a deep understanding of the theorems upon which pre-calculus is built.
Probability

Probability

I have taken graduate level probability and along with a machine learning course and multiple computational biology courses, for which a solid understanding of probability is critical. Aside from coursework, my research requires a fluid understanding and ability to apply probability theory to real problems.
Trigonometry

Trigonometry

As an engineer, I have to solve problems in physics frequently, and many physics problems require the use of trigonometry. To be able to apply trigonometry to real world problems is a mark of true understanding, and one which I have been helping my my student attain for the last four years. I do this by focusing on helping students develop a deep, practical understanding of the trigonometric ratios and functions.

Examples of Expertise

Colin has provided examples of their subject expertise by answering 10 questions submitted by students on Wyzant’s Ask an Expert.

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Reviews

Knows the material and cares

I liked that Colin could show me how to do chemistry problems. He was patient and made sure I knew the information. He gave me the written information after so I could go over it again if I needed to

Jill, 1 lesson with Colin
Hourly Rate: $80
Contact Colin