Graduate Student, Department of Chemistry
- Tell us about your background. How did your experiences lead you to become a graduate student at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville?
From as far back as I can remember, I have always been a very inquisitive person. I would always ask questions about how things worked or try to figure out on my own by disassembling and reassembling gadgets around my house. Growing up, I enjoyed the different math classes that I would take each year and once I entered high school I found my true passion in chemistry. The integration of math and science was very appealing to me and learning about the way the world operated on a molecular level was fascinating. The hands-on labs added a different dimension to learning as I was able to form hypotheses and test them myself through experiments. I decided to study chemistry in undergrad at Oakwood University with the goal of becoming a high school science teacher to make an impact on students as so many teachers had done for me in the past.
While at Oakwood, I had the opportunity to conduct research with different professors that opened my eyes further to the world of science. My first research experience was working with Dr. Yoedono Sovyanhadi studying the antibacterial properties of different vegetable extracts against Helicobacter pylori– a bacteria that causes stomach ulcers. I was motivated by trying to find natural, less expensive options of treating a condition that affects millions of people. This experience showed me the significance of research and how I could make contributions to the scientific community. Seeing the interactions professors were able to have with the students not only in the classroom setting, but also while conducting research was beginning to shift my career goals from high school teacher to college professor.
This desire to become a professor would be solidified when I was able to work with Dr. Alexander Volkov during my final two years of undergrad. With Dr. Volkov, I conducted research on plants studying how they respond to electrical signals. Our work resulted in two peer-reviewed publications in scientific journals and allowed me to present my research at conferences. It was at one of the American Chemical Society (ACS) conferences while presenting a poster presentation of my research, that I met the coordinator for the Department of Chemistry here at UT. That interaction led to me coming to visit UT, applying to the program, and ultimately beginning my graduate career as a Volunteer!
2. Please describe your experience partaking in events and workshops through TLI and CIRTL programs. How has this experience supported your overall goals as a graduate student and a future educator? If you haven’t ever participated in our TLI/CIRTL workshops and programs, please describe your experience with courses or other professional development opportunities that shaped how you teach, instead. Which would you say had the largest impact on you?
During orientation of my first year of graduate school, the Chemistry department here at UT had all of the teaching assistants (TAs) undergo training through the TLI/CIRTL workshops. These workshops took place over the course of a week and gave me exposure to new methodologies and pedagogies in teaching. Having prior experience with public speaking, I was not nervous to be in front of students, but I learned that it takes more than just confidence to be an effective educator. The concepts covered in the TLI workshops were so interesting to me that after it was over I decided to take it a step further and complete the CIRTL Associate Level certification. Completing this certification required additional online modules and developing my own lesson plans. One of the lesson plans I created was based on the 7E learning cycle. The 7E learning cycle consists of seven steps (elicit, engage, explore, explain, elaborate, evaluate, and extend) in developing a framework for a lesson plan or lecture. I have found using this model helpful as a TA in capturing student’s attention and solidifying their understanding of concepts.
3. Consider your experiences teaching students: do you have one or more experiences that let you know that you were making a positive impact on their learning?
I have thoroughly enjoyed my experiences teaching students here at UT. I have had the opportunity to TA for 3 different courses (General Chemistry I, General Chemistry II, and Analytical Chemistry) that all had both lab and discussion period components. The discussion periods were always impactful as the smaller class sizes offered students a more comfortable space to ask questions and get step-by-step directions on how to solve specific problems compared to the larger lecture periods. I would consistently have students at the end of the semester state to me directly or in their evaluations how essential these discussion periods and me as a TA were in helping them pass chemistry! The lab portions of the class were equally as important as they allowed students first-hand opportunities to apply what they learned from the class. Historically I believe the subject of chemistry gets a bad reputation from lots of people, and I think this is because they have not had the experience of learning it from someone good at explaining complex concepts in a way that is easily digestible. That is something I try to always do in my classrooms and will continue to take with me in my future as a professor.
One other experience that stands out to me is not directly related to the teaching, but speaks to the impact educators can have on students. I always tried to build rapport with my students as a TA as I find it allows for a more conducive learning environment overall. One day in the lab while waiting for the experiments to run, I was going around to different benches asking the students about their majors and career goals. One particular student told me about how they wanted to go to seminary after UT and become a minister. This required them to have a bachelor’s degree first, so their major was biology. I asked why they chose that major and they mentioned also liking science and that they could have any bachelor’s degree to get accepted in seminary. Knowing people that work as ministers, I know that sometimes pay and stability can vary depending on your exact job. I mentioned this to the student then suggested considering going into nursing for their undergraduate degree. I also know a lot of nurses and the flexibility in hours/shift work that is available with that degree. I mentioned these factors to the student and how it would be easier to work part time or support themselves financially having a bachelor’s in nursing compared to biology. I left it as a suggestion to this student and continued talking with other students around the lab. A couple weeks later that same student informed me that they thought more about what I said and had actually officially switched their major to nursing! They talked about it with their family and everyone agreed with their decision and could see the rationale. This experience will always be special to me because it shows the positive impact that I can have on students not only in the classroom, but also in life. I have had a lot of amazing teachers in my past that have helped me in similar manners get to where I am today, and I strive to continue doing that for the next generation as well!