I was born in Austin, Texas, but before childhood could mold me into a spur-wearing cowboy, I relocated to Palos Verdes, a green hilly suburb of Los Angeles. It was there during high school that I developed my interest in physics and the underlying mechanics of the world. Figuring out how to predict the movement of the physical world around me fascinated me and led me even deeper to quantum mechanics and the various fundamental forces. I took that lofty interest and solidified it with the groundbreaking work happening at the newest University of California campuses: Merced. I graduated with my Bachelors of Science in physics with not only a new-found context for how to apply the understanding I had gained, but also skills in teaching physics to others.

During my time at UC Merced, I saw the effect that teachers can have on students’ academic lives by helping students with subjects they find difficult or intimidating. I saw clearly the great disparity between the teachers we all adored and those we did not, and I took those lessons to heart in my own work as a teacher. I enjoy seeing the growth and confidence in my students as they gain mastery over something they previously did not think they could master.

I recognize that every student has different needs, different learning speeds, and different goals. I aim to target each session to my student by working to balance these considerations. Being open to learning is an important first step, and my task is to help students turn this openness into understanding and success, making sure that the foundations are solid and guiding them in the right direction towards mastery. This applies to students taking their first steps into a new subject, or to students looking to shore up challenges from their past academic work.

Outside of tutoring, my time is dedicated to various nerdy activities, ranging from computer games, to tabletop role-playing games, to building and maintaining servers. You’ll also frequently find me jotting down ideas and story threads for a myriad of creative writing endeavors.