Physics PhD Specializing in Physics and Mathematics

Kevin H.

I graduated with a Bachelor's of Science in Physics from Villanova University in 2016, a Master's of Science in Physics from Northern Illinois University in 2020, and most recently a PhD in Physics from NIU in 2025.

I have gained a wide range of teaching experiences throughout my academic career, starting as a Tutor for an after-school STEM program, where I taught subjects such as 3-D modeling, engineering with LEGO, and introducing modifications to Minecraft with Java. After starting graduate school, I spent three years as a Teaching Assistant, where I was in charge of teaching laboratory courses, and rewrote many of the manuals for the labs to enhance student learning and comprehension. Additionally, I have occasionally stepped in for the professors that I was TA'ing for and led lectures for their courses.

As a recent graduate with a PhD in Physics, I use math on a daily basis. Specifically, my degree is in theoretical physics, and so I utilize topics such as Algebra, Calculus, and Trigonometry extensively. All this to say that I have a strong understanding of the underlying mathematical language that we use to describe the physical world around us. As an undergraduate student and early in my graduate school career, I found it incredibly important to be able to make the link between the math and concepts that we were covering in physics. This has provided me the passion to help students understand those links and learn how to decipher what the math is trying to tell us.

As a tutor, I enjoy spending time discussing the physical interpretation of what we are covering, rather than just going through problems. While doing problems is certainly important, I find that the ability to understand why we are doing them and what they can tell us about the world is fundamental to success.