PhD Biomedical Engineer, Specialized in Science and Math Tutoring

Michaela P.

I graduated summa cum laude from California Polytechnic State University of San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly SLO) with a bachelors in Biochemistry and a masters in Polymers & Coatings Chemistry. In 2021, I graduated with a PhD in Biomedical Engineering at Texas A&M. I am currently a Postdoctoral Associate in the chemistry department at the University of Minnesota.

I have 9+ years of tutoring and teaching experience in science and math. At Cal Poly SLO, I became involved with the Athletics Department as a tutor for biology and chemistry. The following year, I became a TA for the general chemistry courses, attending weekly seminars to discuss techniques to help students better learn chemistry. After that I moved up to become a workshop leader for general chemistry courses. I attended lecture and then created worksheets and practice exams for students who signed up for my evening workshop, teaching me how to develop helpful example problems for general chemistry during one-on one sessions. At Texas A&M, I was the Instructor of Record for Polymeric Biomaterials and also TA'd for the lab class.

My favorite thing about tutoring chemistry is any time I get to witness what I like to call a "lightbulb moment." Chemistry is notoriously tough for students and many times students get frustrated and think they just can't get it. I love when I get to see them answer a question on their own (that they previously would've felt stumped by) and I can see them make that "aha I got it!" look. It makes me so happy to help students realize that they themselves really are capable of mastering difficult concepts.