Incoming Grad Student at John's Hopkins

Willian O.

I studied Astrophysics at Rutgers University with a minor in Mathematics and was accepted into the Master of Science in Applied Physics program at Johns Hopkins University. My academic background includes calculus-based physics, modern physics, electromagnetism, quantum mechanics, thermal physics, linear algebra, differential equations, partial differential equations, computational astrophysics, cosmology, and stellar physics. My research and independent projects have also given me experience with Python, MATLAB, LaTeX, numerical methods, data analysis, scientific visualization, and technical writing.
During my undergraduate studies, I regularly helped classmates prepare for examinations and understand difficult material in mathematics and physics. Although this was informal peer tutoring rather than a formal teaching position, it involved one-on-one and small-group explanations, reviewing practice problems, identifying where students were getting stuck, and breaking complicated calculations into manageable steps. I learned that students often benefit from seeing both the mathematical procedure and the physical meaning behind it, so I focus on explaining why a method works and where it comes from rather than asking students to memorize formulas.
My tutoring approach is patient, structured, and adapted to each student’s current level. I begin by asking the student to explain what they understand, then work through examples with them before asking them to attempt a similar problem independently. I am most prepared to tutor high-school and introductory college mathematics, physics, astronomy, and beginner scientific programming. My goal is to help students become more confident problem solvers who can recognize the principles behind a problem and apply them independently.