My love of physics and math began when I was 3 years old, watching Julius Sumner Miller do physics experiments on TV. I discovered my love of teaching as an undergrad at the University of Mount Union, where I served as a teaching assistant in the intro physics labs. It was so thrilling to help students reach "a-ha" moments where everything clicks! I was hooked, and I've been teaching ever since! After earning my Bachelor's in physics with minors in mathematics and music, I went to Bryn Mawr College for graduate school, where I earned my Master's studying dark matter, and my Ph.D. studying atomic physics. While I was there, I taught in various labs, ran problem solving sessions for the pre-med physics course, and tutored several students one-on-one. After graduating, I spent three years as a visiting professor at Austin College. I think the best way to learn something is to DO it, so my teaching style is focused on helping my students actively engage with the material. I like to have back-and-forth conversations with my students to see where they are with the material, and to help guide them to a deeper understanding. I also like to use lots of examples, demos, and hands-on activities to help solidify abstract concepts.

I love video games (especially The Legend of Zelda), hiking, playing with my dog, and reading (mostly fantasy – Tolkien is one of my favorites). I’m also teaching myself Japanese.