I am an Associate Instructional Professor of Physics at the University of Chicago and a former lecturer in the Department of Physics at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where I taught core undergraduate physics courses taken by thousands of students across the Institute. I hold a PhD in Physics from the University of Chicago and have over a decade of experience teaching introductory and intermediate physics at the university level. Across my career at MIT and UChicago combined, I...
I am an Associate Instructional Professor of Physics at the University of Chicago and a former lecturer in the Department of Physics at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where I taught core undergraduate physics courses taken by thousands of students across the Institute. I hold a PhD in Physics from the University of Chicago and have over a decade of experience teaching introductory and intermediate physics at the university level. Across my career at MIT and UChicago combined, I have received seven university-wide teaching awards recognizing excellence in instruction, student impact, and contributions to education. At MIT, I was awarded the Teaching With Digital Technology Award in 2021, followed in 2022 by both the James N. Murphy Award for Contribution to Community Life and the Irwin Sizer Award for the Most Significant Improvement to MIT Education.
My instructional approach focuses on identifying the precise point where a student’s understanding breaks down and rebuilding from first principles using clear physical intuition, structured problem solving, and deliberate confidence building. I place strong emphasis on helping students develop a systematic way of thinking rather than memorizing formulas, which allows them to succeed independently across exams and future coursework.
I specialize in working with students who believe they are “not good at physics” due to prior frustration or lack of confidence. Many of my most successful students initially struggled or felt anxious about the subject; through targeted instruction and supportive coaching, they went on to perform at a high level academically and change how they see themselves as learners. My teaching philosophy is grounded in the belief that physics ability is developed, not innate, and my record reflects consistent success in helping students who once felt behind excel.
