Derek Updegraff

I was born and raised in the lovely and nationally important Washington, DC. For college I attended the University of Maryland, College Park, with a double major in Physics and Astronomy. There, I discovered my love for teaching through spending countless hours helping fellow students understand difficult material.

I have always had a very broad array of interests, from math and science to history and economics, which I’ve pursued both academically and otherwise. Physics and math are particularly interesting to me because I love gaining insight into the world around me. Even as a small child, I enjoyed watching Star Trek and trying to understand the technobabble, or gazing up at the moon through my mom’s binoculars whenever the sky was clear enough.

After college, I worked on nuclear security issues at the American Association for the Advancement of Science. One of the most enjoyable aspects of the work was educating colleagues one-on-one about complex and difficult issues.

My goal with tutoring is always to try and match a student’s learning style as much as possible, tailoring my approach to what works for him or her to better understand the material and capture the imagination. It is extremely satisfying when a concept that has been tricky for someone suddenly clicks. These moments are sources of empowerment for students, who suddenly realize the mental leaps they are capable of, and how rewarding the learning process can be.

I spend my spare time teaching myself what I can, exploring new places on my bike, and writing.