Sophia Damianakes

Growing up in the Bay Area, I developed my love of the outdoors hiking East Bay trails, snowboarding, and camping on the coast. As a curious kid, I was always asking “why?”, and in high school I was able to channel this into a love of science. This led me to pursue my Bachelor of Science in biology at Oregon State University. After taking a wide range of science courses in my first two years, I realized what really interested me was studying the complex interactions between humans, plants and animals, and the environment. I switched my major and graduated with a BS in environmental science with a focus option in applied ecology.

After graduating, I worked as an energy analyst before pivoting to working in a disease testing lab. Notably, through both these positions I realized that I had a skill for translating complex and technical concepts to clients and breaking down problems into manageable parts. Wanting to continue my learning and expand on my passion for saving the planet, I moved to Brisbane, Australia, where I obtained my master’s in environmental management from the University of Queensland.

I was first introduced to teaching while working as a summer science camp and after school program instructor working with kids ages 5-12. It was truly rewarding to play a part in sparking a love of science in younger kids and watching students make connections and develop problem solving skills while working through experiments. Later, in Australia I had the opportunity to run the postgraduate peer assisted study for the Environmental Management program at my university. I aided and supported over 25 postgrad students from 13 different countries as they sought to understand course materials and excel in their programs. 

As a tutor, I pride myself on being a skilled active listener and meeting a student where they are. In working with students preparing for the SAT, I strive to create a space where students can develop confidence in their problem solving skills to reach their goals inside and outside of the classroom!

In my free time, my favorite things to do are waterski, hike with my dog, peruse the aisles of half-price bookstores, hunt for new albums for my vinyl collection, and search for the cutest coffee shops.