Andrey Rikhter

When I was going to school, I often found myself asking my father for help. Although he had finished school long ago, he seemed to know how to solve every problem I threw at him. I wanted to develop similar problem-solving skills, so I went into a similar field: physics. 

I completed my bachelor’s degree at UC Berkeley, and my passion for the subject led me to earn a doctorate degree from UC San Diego. Before my graduation, I worked as a teaching assistant, helping students in college-level physics courses. For over five years, I supported students by holding office hours and discussion sections tailored to the material discussed in the textbooks and lecture notes. I also set up and taught an introductory physics course to familiarize students with college-level physics and to prepare them for the complex mathematics they would face in higher-level courses. I enjoyed working with students to connect previous coursework to new material and to form a comprehensive picture of the material presented in the class.

Although I enjoyed teaching larger courses, I always found it more enjoyable and rewarding to work with students in a one-on-one environment, as I can tailor my teaching skills and experiences to each student’s individual needs. In addition, I believe that connecting with students on a personal level is integral to developing a passion for the subject and for academic excellence in general. I love helping students understand how the material they cover in their current classes applies to the real world and how it is used in current cutting-edge research.

Aside from reading older physics textbooks in my free time, I enjoy fixing early 2000s cars and bothering people with my attempts at singing and piano playing in my spare time.