Teaching AssistantshipsTeaching was one of the most important and impactful parts of my graduate work. As a Teaching Assistant (TA) I not only instruct and mentor students in geology and biology but also work with faculty to develop curricula and plan courses.
My particular expertise is in introductory geology (ESS 210), physical geology (ESS 211), mineralogy and petrology (ESS 212), sedimentary geology (ESS 213), geobiology (ESS 313), and introductory biology (BIO 200). I was awarded the Earth and Space Sciences Department's Coombs Award for Teaching Excellence in 2019. |
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Outreach and MentorshipI have served as a volunteer, coordinator, instructor, and mentor. My passion for science education began through watching my mother, a 5th grade science teacher for over 15 years. In undergraduate and now graduate school I have developed skills as a science communicator and educator both inside and outside of the classroom.
I develop lessons, lead summer field programming, give classroom lectures, and help with program development for the Discoveries in Geosciences (DIG) Field School. This one of a kind program brings K-12 teachers to northeastern Montana to gain hands-on geology and paleontology experience. Teachers discuss Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and best practices, and take these lessons back to their classrooms with pre-built lesson plans augmented with real data they collected in the fields. Our programming supports geology, evolutionary biology, and other topics. I have assisted with the Girls In Science (GIS) programming for middle and high school girls and have also designed a six week GIS program on botany. We accept young scientists and bring them to the University of Washington campus to participate in research projects and present their findings to friends and family. I served for two years as the coordinator of the Earth and Space Science department's K-12 outreach program Rockin' Out where I volunteered to visit local schools, wrote and developed new lesson plans on geology topics, and worked on funding and program development to expand our impact. In addition to the above roles, I oversee a team of volunteers at the Burke Museum who prepare and catalog plant fossils, have served as a mentor to over ten undergraduate research assistants, and have been interviewed by a team from PBS and the Field Museum for the Prehistoric Road Trip documentary. |