Columbia Univeristy Biochemistry Student/ Cancer Researcher

Jean C.

I am a biochemistry and neuroscience major at Columbia University, currently completing coursework in general and organic chemistry, biology, and introductory neuroscience as part of a pre-medical track. My academic foundation includes an independent research project on Chlorella vulgaris as a biofuel source, which advanced to the finals of the Texas Science and Engineering Fair in biochemistry, along with hands-on laboratory work in mass spectrometry and fluorescence spectroscopy conducted at Stephen F. Austin State University, along with being a Summer Scholar in Cancer Research at the University of North Texas Health Science Center. This research background has given me a strong grasp of the chemistry and biology concepts that most students struggle with in their coursework, since I had to master them well enough to design and defend original experiments rather than simply pass exams.

My teaching and mentoring experience spans both structured and informal settings. At Columbia, I currently participate in the S-HEAL mentoring program, teaching high school students in New York City on health equity topics, which has given me strong foundational skills in teaching. Additionally, I served as an SFASU iMAS LittleJacks STEM Camp Counselor, giving me the ability to also teach ages K-5.

Across these experiences, my approach to tutoring is to first identify where a student's understanding breaks down rather than starting from the beginning of a topic every time, and to connect abstract concepts to concrete examples, since that is how I taught myself difficult material during my own research projects. I am comfortable working one-on-one and adjusting explanations in real time based on a student's reaction, whether that means slowing down, using a different analogy, or working backward from a problem's answer to identify the gap in reasoning.