Professional Experiences

Much of my paid work has been in education or academic policy. Both play to my strengths of clear communication, interdisciplinary research, and highly collaborative projects. In 2016 I founded Tiny Science Club as a way to continue my education outreach activity while transitioning in and out of academia.

The best thing about learning something new is sharing it with others. Given my varied interests, I've been able to tutor students in a broad range of subjects (STEM and Humanities) and acting as a writing coach.

As a Teaching Assistant and Instructional Assistant at UC San Diego I taught chemistry and “DEI in Human Biology” to undergraduate students, usually to a class of 120 students. I love being able to engage students and help relate abstract concepts (like molecular orbitals) to something they understand and care about (like fluorescent glow sticks). 

I’ve been awarded the "Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award" multiple times by different programs at UC San Diego, most likely because I think science should be less serious and more silly.

My experience as an Academic Coach/Graduate Advocate at PATHways to STEM at UC San Diego has shown me the importance of identify affirmation in STEM, and the need for psychosocial support throughout a student’s life.

    • Facilitated student-centered active learning of complex topics in biological sciences, bioethics, sociology, and cognition.

    • Teaching performance consistently rated as “would recommend” by 100% of students (40 students per class). Evaluations emphasized excellent communication, preparation, and individual support.

  • Co-Founder

    Tiny Science Club is a small education service offering 1:1 and group tutoring in life sciences subjects.

  • Co-Founder, Student Intern (2022)

    The Holistic Safety Center was founded to address the need for transformational safety in academia

    • Gathered community leaders and stakeholders to create Bullying & Harassment Advisory Committee, charged with developing a trauma-informed grievance process for workplace bullying in academia. The Charge is publicly available at this LINK.

    • Building a San Diego community resource database regarding holistic safety and wellbeing

    • Implemented the Triton CORE co-response program with clinicians and sworn officers, based on the national Psychological Emergency Response Team.

  • VP Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion

    The GPSA is an elected body of 8 officials representing 8,000 stakeholders at UC San Diego

    • Co-Organized student stakeholder meeting with UC President Drake

    • Contributed to UC San Diego Annual EDI Divisional Audit, reviewing all programs for advancement in equity, diversity, and inclusion of community member experiences.

    • Established bi-annual Graduate Student organization fair, to strengthen student relationships with the greater San Diego community

    • Proposed financial structures to support a 30k minimum stipend for all graduate research students at UC San Diego

    • Developed campus-wide COVID-19 response measures, communications, and policy decisions.

    • All measures are publicly available at this LINK

  • Health & Wellbeing Liaison

    Health & Wellbeing Liaison

    Graduate & Professional Student Association, UC San Diego

    The GPSA is an elected body of 8 officials representing 8,000 stakeholders at UC San Diego

    • Developed campus-wide COVID-19 response measures, communications, and policy decisions.

    • Assisted with community-wide efforts to increase access to basic needs

    • Advocated for mental health awareness, proposing policies for social norming of vacation days in academia

    • Held first annual Out of the Darkness walk for suicide awareness with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention

  • eTMF Specialist

    GBT was bought by Pfizer after I left.

    GBT was a biotechnology company that specializes in therapies for Sickle Cell Disease

    • Designed multiple Phase 1 clinical trial studies of GBT’s sickle cell therapeutics

    • Supported New Drug Approval activities and FDA filing

    • Maintained inspection-ready Trial Master Files for six separate studies

    • Coordinated and managed three Clinical Research Organization eTMF teams

  • Academic Coach, then Academic Advocate

    PATHways to STEM is a scholarship program to promote diversity in STEM fields through college mentorship

    • Facilitated strategic program growth by creating sustainable longitudinal programming.

    • Developed and implemented three-day Math Boost to preemptively identify scholars' academic needs, and provide academic tools in an immersive program environment

    • Created workshops, lectures, and activities with Graduate Advocates for scholars’ psychosocial development

    • Developed long-term programming like 5-year plans, Family Day, Math Boost, Lab meeting, Mentor Mixer, weekly scholars/staff check-ins

    • Identified areas of program growth and developed programming to ameliorate it.

    • Evaluated projected staffing needs and created a recruitment model for seamless integration of future mentors.

    • Tracked 20+ scholars’ academic progress, preemptively identifying students of concern

    • As Coach: Provided supplemental chemistry, biology, and writing instruction for 20+ PATHS scholars.

    • As Coach: Developed individual learning plans to meet and exceed each scholar’s academic goals while maintaining psychosocial well-being.

  • Sr. TA 2019

    Teaching Associate 2017-2018

    • Developed and administered supplemental lectures for undergraduate chemistry classes

    • Provided individual and group academic support for up to 400 students per quarter in STEM.

    • Adapted teaching methods and mentorship for socioeconomic and culturally diverse range of undergraduate students.

    • Created introductory/general chemistry lectures and discussions, individually managing ~120 students per quarter

    • Led students to successfully and safely complete organic chemistry laboratory experiments

    • As Senior TA: mentored up to 12 new and continuing teaching assistants through peer observation, workshops, and active learning strategies.

    • As Senior TA: furthered personal teaching education by attending workshops and programs held by UC San Diego’s Teaching and Learning Commons.

    • Received Outstanding TA Award