Niko Eng

As a lifelong learner, I feel a real joy and purpose in helping others grasp and understand difficult material.

I was born and raised in the East Bay, where I attended Dorris-Eaton and College Preparatory school in Oakland. I developed a deep love for mathematics and science that propelled me to study biomedical engineering at Johns Hopkins University. While there, I studied a wide range of coursework: science, film, philosophy, literature, mathematics, computer science, and engineering. I became involved in research as an undergraduate and pursued graduate school at UCSF, where I studied neuroscience and epigenomics. After graduating with an M.S., I worked at a start-up in the biotech space as a computational biologist focused on developing new drug treatments for inflammatory disorders. Throughout my journey, I have benefited from brilliant teachers and mentors that propelled me to new heights.

I began my teaching in college. I was a student leader in a peer-led team learning program. I facilitated weekly meetings of a team of 6-10 students to develop their understanding of vector calculus. Later, I had the opportunity to work as a teaching assistant for a core biomedical engineering class in models and simulations. Many of my students were stressed about their grades and performing well, and I learned to encourage them to believe in their abilities to learn. 

I love math because of its infinite applicability and natural beauty. I developed a passion for math at an early age because it was fun and it opened new ways of understanding beautiful concepts that I still love to ponder today, such as 0, infinity, and the nature of change. While working with students, I find that by providing greater context to topics that can seem pedantic, there is a noticeable shift in perspective that leads to greater appreciation for what they are learning.

I utilize a non-judgmental holistic tutoring approach: I like to get a full picture of the interests and personality of my students. My philosophy is to utilize “bad habits” as “secret talents” and transform these qualities to make them work for the student instead of hindering them. 

Beyond teaching, you can find me hiking; practicing meditation and yoga; spending time with friends, family, and my cats; and learning Chinese medicine and acupuncture.