I hold a PhD in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences and an MS in Optical Sciences from the University of Colorado Boulder and the University of Arizona, along with a B.S. in Physics from the University of Arizona. For over twenty years, I have worked as a research scientist and engineer building calibration systems for Earth-observing satellites, which means I use physics every single day in my professional life. I also hold a B.A. in Music Production and Engineering from Berklee College of...
I hold a PhD in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences and an MS in Optical Sciences from the University of Colorado Boulder and the University of Arizona, along with a B.S. in Physics from the University of Arizona. For over twenty years, I have worked as a research scientist and engineer building calibration systems for Earth-observing satellites, which means I use physics every single day in my professional life. I also hold a B.A. in Music Production and Engineering from Berklee College of Music, so I understand firsthand what it is like to balance analytical and creative thinking.
Teaching has been a consistent thread throughout my career. For more than thirteen years, I have mentored and instructed students through the NASA Colorado Space Grant at the University of Colorado Boulder, guiding teams of high school through graduate-level students in physics, remote sensing, and engineering projects, many of whom were first-generation or nontraditional students preparing for careers in aerospace and STEM. Earlier in my career, I worked as a physics tutor supporting Division I student-athletes one-on-one in algebra and calculus-based physics, and I taught undergraduate physics laboratory sections at the University of Arizona, where I led demonstrations and supported students who were new to the subject. In 2016, I was honored as a Beacons of the Photonics Industry Educator by Photonics Media for my work in STEM education.
My approach to tutoring centers on discovery: rather than asking students to memorize formulas, I walk through where equations come from and build intuition through visual reasoning and real-world connections, so concepts feel logical rather than arbitrary. I like to keep sessions active and conversational, asking questions that help students think out loud and identify exactly where their understanding breaks down. I am especially passionate about helping students who feel anxious about physics realize that they are capable of thinking like scientists.
