Katherine Nico

Biography

If you told my 15-year-old self that I would eventually get a PhD in the biosciences, I would have never believed you. Despite my love for it, science and math did not come naturally to me at first. But fortunately, I learned how valuable good tutors and teachers can be throughout my experience as a student. In turn, I developed a passion for teaching and education, and I aim to instill all my students with the tools and information they need to pursue their dreams, just like I was able to pursue mine.

I was born and raised in Burlingame, California. I received my B.A. in Biochemistry (and French!) from Washington University in St. Louis, then went on to complete my PhD in Immunology at Stanford University. I found science, especially biology, fascinating from an early age. I remember reading a biography of Marie Curie until the cover wore off. When I began applying these topics in more advanced classes during high school, I had to learn not only the material itself, but also effective study strategies and confidence in my own ability to succeed.

In addition to working at AJ Tutoring, I am an adjunct professor of Cell Biology at West Valley College in Saratoga. I greatly enjoy teaching science fundamentals, helping students cultivate their own passions in STEM, and reducing barriers to STEM education. As I reflect on my own experience and observe my students now, I see how important it is to promote confidence and engage students with a variety of teaching strategies.

With 1-on-1 tutoring, I enjoy the opportunity to really meet students where they are and tailor sessions to individual curiosity and needs. Providing examples of real-world applications or crafting analogies that pertain to a student’s personal interests is always fun (and effective!) for learning. Additionally, I can select different pedagogical approaches, and adjust them frequently, depending on the student’s goals. On one hand, employing a student’s preferred study strategies builds confidence and mastery of the material, while incorporating more unfamiliar approaches helps develop resilience and maintain a fresh perspective. I love watching students grow and succeed, and tutoring is an exciting, rewarding way to do so.

In addition to many topics in chemistry and biology, I have also taught and tutored reading, writing, and math. One of my favorite classes I’ve taught was on fantasy worldbuilding, where students learned about different aspects of cell biology and used their knowledge to write a science fiction or fantasy short story about a new, unique life form. These skills transfer well to standardized tests like the SAT, which can be so important for a student’s experience in education. I know that scoring well on the SAT was a major reason that I was able to attend my first-choice college and subsequently learn from amazing professors that sparked my training in teaching and pedagogy. In turn, I am always excited to pass these skills on to more students and help them with both test topics and test-taking strategies.

In my free time, I enjoy reading, cooking, and cheering on several Bay Area sports teams (especially the Sharks, Giants, and Valkyries).