I earned a B.S. degree in Biology from Wake Forest University and a Ph.D. in Cell
Biology and Molecular Genetics from the University of Maryland. In addition to my full
time research responsibilities as a graduate student, I served as a teaching assistant for
undergraduate Microbiology and Cell Biology laboratory courses. My scientific research
background is in cell biology and genetics, and as such, these areas are my favorite
subjects to teach. I am available to teach general high school biology, as well as more
advanced upper level high school and undergraduate biology courses. In my
experiences teaching a diverse student population, I have come to realize that a fear of
learning difficult material is a major roadblock to successful science learning for many students. I strive to
improve science education by making science seem more accessible to students and
reinforcing the “big picture” of a particular lesson before delving into the fine details. I
am confident that this approach will lead to long term success in retaining scientific
knowledge and foster critical thinking skills. I am an avid runner and general sports
enthusiast, and spend as much of my spare time as possible partaking in outdoor
activities.