Since high school, I've always had a passion for both teaching and mathematics, and the more I learn about both the more passionate I become. I was inspired by my high school math teacher, Mr. Byan, who displayed such a love of learning and teaching that it became infectious, and I hope to spread his joy for the subject and the appreciation of mathematics' profound beauty. I've been teaching since my first year of undergrad, and ever since I've looked for ways to continue -- through my personal and professional life. I think that the standard education system does a horrible job at teaching mathematics and often leaves students feeling like they're memorizing formulas. However, I feel strongly students should rarely have to memorize anything, and the ideas presented to students should always be motivated and explained so they understand the why and the what. I've found in my own experience teaching, too, that motivating the answer to a problem gives students a greater desire to learn as well as a deeper understanding, and it develops critical thinking skills.

Math is not just my professional or educational interest, it is also a very personal interest. I spend a lot of my free time outside of the classroom continuing my education to places like YouTube or MIT's OpenCourseWare to learn even more about the wide variety of topics in math. I also love to challenge myself and try to solve contest math problems from famous contests like the AIME or Putnam.