Teaching Experience:
2019-2020 Part-Time Instructor at CU Boulder, Dept. of MCDB
Co-taught Writing Skills for Scientists (MCDB 6440) in Fall 2019 and 2020 to help graduate students improve grant proposal writing skills (using NIH F31-style individual research fellowship proposal). Course is required by 2nd-year MCDB graduate students; graduate students from other departments also enrolled. Prepared lectures, in-class activities, and homework; gave extensive feedback on and editing of writing assignments; managed discussions of proper writing and editing styles. Co-instructor: Paul Muhlrad
2019 Invited Speaker for Alternative Careers to Academia (NRSC 2101/6602, Fall) at CU Boulder
Lectured on my stem cell research and careers in science writing, teaching, and iPSC research to undergraduate and graduate students, and research associates. Instructor: Linda Watkins
2019 Invited Speaker for Biology of Stem Cells course (MCDB 4615/5615, Fall) at CU Boulder
Lectured on my stem cell research to undergraduate and graduate students. Instructor: Prof. Rui Yi
2019 Invited Speaker for CU Boulder’s Neuroscience Academy through CU Science Discovery
Lectured on careers in science writing, teaching, and iPSC research, to high school students and gave tours of the Stem Cell Research and Technology Resource Center.
2019 Invited for interview by The Scientist as an iPSC expert
Interviewed for the article “Clinical Trial Underway for a Natural Killer Cell Therapy,” published May 7, 2019, with Chia-Yi Hou, as an expert on human iPSC biology.
2018-2021 Mentor for CU Boulder Women in Science and Engineering (WiSE) Undergrad Mentoring Program
Providing career and research advice for an undergraduate and graduate student in MCDB.
2018 Presented workshop on Introduction to Culturing Human iPSCs at CU Boulder
Planned and presented workshop for graduate students, postdocs, and research assistants learning how to culture iPSCs at CU Boulder, BioFrontiers Institute.
2018 Invited Speaker for CU Boulder Annual SciComm Symposium
Presented a TED-style research talk for the general public on how telomerase makes cancer cells “immortal.” Symposium organized by CU Boulder WiSE.
2018 Invited Speaker for CU Boulder WiSE Seminar Series
Lectured on careers in science writing, teaching, and research to graduate students and postdocs.
2017 Affiliate / Part-Time Instructor at UCD, Dept. of Integrative Biology
Taught General Genetics lecture (BIOL 3832) in summer 2017 and helped students master the course materials by preparing lectures, i>Clicker discussion questions, exams, quizzes, syllabus, homework, worksheets, and study aids. Mentored teaching assistants. Student FCQs rated the course overall as 4.7/6, instructor overall as 4.9/6, how much learned as 5.0/6, instructor’s respect as 5.6/6 (6 is highest).
2015 Biology Affiliate / Part-Time Instructor at Metropolitan State University of Denver
Taught General Biology I Lecture and Laboratory (BIO 1080 and 1081) in the spring 2015 semester and helped students master the course materials by preparing lectures, exams, quizzes, syllabi, online homework, and other study aids. Student evaluations for both the lecture and the lab rated the instructor’s contribution and course as a whole as being between “Excellent” and “Very Good” on average.
2015 Invited Guest Speaker for Careers in Science Club at UCD Anschutz Medical Campus
Lectured on careers in science writing, teaching, and research to graduate students and postdocs.
2015 Invited Guest Speaker for Biology CS 10: Perceptions of Public Health: Communicating Science
Lectured on how to effectively communicate health-related science with the general public at UCSB.
2014 Invited Guest Speaker for the Norlin Scholars Program at CU-Boulder
Gave readings from the Biology Bytes books I authored and discussed process of self-publishing books.
2010, 2011 Invited Guest Speaker for INT 184KF: Research Bench to Paper to Media Outlet: How Much Spin?
Shared perspectives and led discussion for an honors seminar series on science and the media at UCSB.
2008, 2009 Lecture Teaching Assistant for MCDB 246: Stem Cell Biology in Health and Disease
Lectured on effective proposal writing, presented case studies, served as an ongoing student resource, developing grading rubrics, and graded proposals in this graduate student-level stem cell course at UCSB.
2008-2012 ScienceLine Answerer for Life Science Questions
Answer science questions for UCSB internet project from children K-12. Received ScienceLine Answered Award in Life Sciences.
2007 Lecture Teaching Assistant for MCDB1A and MCDB1B: Introductory Biology
Wrote and graded exams, held review sessions, led student discussions, and answered student questions at UCSB.
2006 Laboratory Teaching Assistant for MCDB/EEMB 2L: Introductory Biology Laboratory II
Instructed two weekly laboratory sections, guiding students through inquiry-based biology experiments. Wrote quizzes, answered student questions, and graded reports at UCSB.
2004 Learning Assistant for Developmental Biology at CU-Boulder
Assisted students in mastering the material for MCDB 4650, Developmental Biology, focusing on provoking thoughtful group discussion. Concurrently completed an educational training course to learn additional teaching techniques.
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