Why I love teaching
I teach to inspire students, to help them to think critically about important world issues, and to impart foundational knowledge and communication skills for their future careers.
I aim to engage students to become better consumers of research by providing them with methodological and topical expertise to become well-rounded, thoughtful, and compassionate leaders in the field of environmental health.
But I also get a lot from teaching! Constructing lectures, leading discussions, and having in-depth conversations with students allows me to revisit and examine the key ideas, assumptions, and pieces of evidence that shape my own research. I gain new perspectives and knowledge that inform the ways in which I construct pertinent research questions, collect and analyze relevant data, and communicate my scientific results.
Committment to a diverse, equitable, and inclusive classroom
I am committed to ensuring that all students – of any race, gender, sexual orientation, health status, or socioeconomic status – feel comfortable, heard, respected, and supported in my classrooms. In my courses, I incorporate inclusive and anti-racist pedagogy to create a supportive atmosphere that allows students equal opportunity and access to learning. As a class, we discuss community values and generate community agreements to promote mindful participation and mutual respect. I aim to construct course materials to account for the diverse perspectives and backgrounds of the students in order to overcome any barriers to access students might have. I also ensure that guest lecturers and authors of assigned readings come from diverse backgrounds and provide inclusive points of view.
Approach to mentoring
I practice holistic advising by treating each student as a whole person, rather than relating to them exclusively in the academic context. For each advisee, I aim to understand where they are in their development, their current and past life experiences, and their goals and aspirations. I work to develop meaningful relationships by building trust and maintaining regular and ongoing communication. Overall I am dedicated to the success and wellbeing of each of my advisees and work with them to identify areas of stress or barriers that might be impacting their academic performance and/or experiences. While I might not always have the answers, I make sure that my advisees recieve the academic, financial, social, or personal support they might need.
Teaching record
2020
Guest Lecturer
2021 - 2022
Instructor of Record
PH271G: Global Climate Change and Health
University of California, Berkeley
Environmental Drivers of COVID-19: current understanding and relationship to control and prevention
PH273: Environmental Determinants of Infectious Diseases
University of California, Berkeley
Professor: Justin Remais, Ph.D.
2020
Guest Lecturer
2018
Guest Lecturer
2015 & 2017
Guest Lecturer
2017 - 2018
Guest Lecturer & Graduate Teaching Fellow
2015 - 2016
Guest Lecturer & Graduate Teaching Fellow
From projection to policy: Understanding the methods, interpretations and policy implications of climate projections
PH271G: Global Climate Change and Health (Spring)
University of California, Berkeley
Professor: Justin Remais, Ph.D.
Introduction to Environmental Health
Summer Public Health Scholars Program
Columbia University
Climate Change and Health
Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth Workshops
Columbia University
Atmospheric and Climate Science for Public Health
Environmental Health Sciences
Columbia University
Professor: Jeffrey Shaman, Ph.D.
Water, Sanitation and Human Health
Environmental Health Sciences
Columbia University
Professor: Jeffrey Shaman, Ph.D.