My name is Clare, and I am a physics PhD student at the University of Oregon. I graduated Summa Cum Laude from Hamilton College with a degree in physics in 2024, and am currently pursuing a PhD in physics at the University of Oregon. I specialize in computational astrophysics research that emphasizes both my mathematics and computer science skills. Unlike many of my peers, I did not grow up knowing that I wanted to be a physicist, nor did I even know what physics was! It wasn't until I had a...
My name is Clare, and I am a physics PhD student at the University of Oregon. I graduated Summa Cum Laude from Hamilton College with a degree in physics in 2024, and am currently pursuing a PhD in physics at the University of Oregon. I specialize in computational astrophysics research that emphasizes both my mathematics and computer science skills. Unlike many of my peers, I did not grow up knowing that I wanted to be a physicist, nor did I even know what physics was! It wasn't until I had a high school teacher who showed me the joy of problem solving that I realized I wanted to do math for the rest of my life. It was around this time that I also started my first tutoring business, where I taught students from ages 8 to adult in just about every high school class imaginable: English, history, calculus, biology, physics, and more. I specialized in helping students pass their classes if they had fallen behind, and provided extra practice for students who wanted to get a head start on mathematics skills. During my Bachelors degree and PhD, I worked as an introductory physics and quantum mechanics teaching assistant for both undergraduate physics majors and pre-med students. In total, I have about 6 years of experience!
My teaching philosophy is to find which skills or tasks interest my student, and then venture further out of their comfort zone. My absolute favorite part of teaching mathematics and physics is using analogies to understand more theoretical problems. I prefer to teach in a one-on-one setting, and am willing to meet with professors or teachers if necessary. Currently, I am specializing in mathematics and physics at the high school and undergraduate level, but I will not say no if my students bring work from other courses! I approach each session with empathy, patience, and curiosity, and give 100 percent to the success of my students.
