Josie Han

I was born in a small town in Korea, spent a couple of years in Japan, and completed my elementary and middle school education in San Diego before graduating from Cupertino High School. I earned my bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from UC San Diego and plan to pursue my master’s in mechanical and computational engineering. My professional experiences include working on innovative projects in the medical field with companies like Illumina and collaborating with otolaryngology surgeons.

My interest in tutoring calculus and physics stems from a transformation in my own relationship with mathematics. While I initially found math tedious due to rote memorization, my perspective shifted in my Algebra 2/Trigonometry class in high school. The application of math in real-world scenarios, particularly in calculus and physics, sparked my passion and eventually led me to become a mechanical engineer. Today, I find joy in guiding students through the challenging learning curves of these subjects, witnessing their logical thinking evolve and their problem-solving skills flourish.

As an educator, my journey includes receiving the gold President’s Service Award for teaching Korean to children, tutoring various subjects for six years, and serving as a teaching assistant for English as a second language, precalculus, and college application essays during college. From my own experiences, I can empathize with students navigating the complexities of studying, managing burnout, and overcoming the hurdles test taking.

I tailor my sessions to the individual needs of each student. For those with confidence, I enjoy challenging them with advanced problems and fostering connections between different concepts. For students who need to develop their confidence, I provide step-by-step guidance and encouragement to build their self-assurance.

Beyond tutoring, my interests include playing music (I was formerly a competitive flute player), enjoying walks and playtime with my neighbor’s dog Zoey, and indulging my passion for travel.