Isabella Johansson

Biography

I’m a physics and math tutor with a research and teaching background led by an unconventional path into science. I grew up in Sweden but my academic career started at Santa Barbara City College (SBCC) as a first-generation college student, where I discovered I had a strong interest in physics. As a sophomore I volunteered to research with a professor at UCSB, where within a year I authored a research paper on planetary defense using an orbital laser system (called DE-STAR). I then completed my degree in Physics at Columbia University and pursued graduate school and research in cosmology at USC, focusing on computational research on dark matter.

My experience as a tutor began in Santa Barbara where I worked at the on-campus MATLAB as a math tutor. At Columbia I was hired as the (only) calculus 3 tutor for the School of General Studies. And at USC I taught physics lab to pre-med students in addition to offering drop-in physics tutoring to all undergrads on campus. Through this work, I have learned that the core to understanding and solving difficult physics problems isn’t memorization—it’s visualization. My approach to tutoring is straightforward: I emphasize having a good mental picture of the physics. I focus on translating problems into clear pictures and diagrams. This is the fundamental skill that makes solutions obvious and builds lasting confidence. Now based in the Bay Area, I apply this same principle to tutoring students at all levels.

When I’m not tutoring, I’m often exploring local foods, taking Pilates classes, or finding new activities to explore with my kids.