An understanding tutor specialized in general chemistry & biochem

Katie L.

For the past 10 years, I have been working towards a bachelor’s degree and then a PhD in chemistry with the goal of teaching students chemistry. My main focus was on learning how proteins work (Biochemistry/Analytical Chem). Along the way, I greatly enjoyed helping students gain a new understanding of confusing topics and mentoring younger students. I’ve taught the lab courses for both General Chemistry 1 and 2 at two different colleges. Here, I taught chemistry concepts in a short lecture-style classroom setting as well as tutoring students individually. A big focus of these courses was to teach students dimensional analysis and help them become more comfortable with math-based chemistry problems. I’ve earned teaching awards for my kind and helpful spirit during college and PhD. I also mentored ~10 students in my research lab. There, I helped guide them towards being able to independently plan and execute experiments. Sometimes that was teaching them new lab techniques. Sometimes that was helping them with the math needed for a new experiment and reminding them of previously learned concepts. Sometimes it was chatting with them about career goals.
I aim to bring patience and understanding to every interaction with a student. Every student brings their own unique background and perspective and goals. I want to meet the students where they are at in learning and get them to their goals. Chemistry is a subject that many people dislike. That’s the first thing everyone says when I share my career direction with them. It is a hard subject, mainly because it requires more than just memorization. It requires deeper understanding of the concepts and math-skills (that students are not always prepared for). I hope to help students grasp the concepts of chemistry, build the skills needed for success, and understand the connections of chemistry to the world.