Teaching

This page serves to provide more information about my teaching philosophy, example syllabi which I've designed, and what students have had to say about my instruction.

I want to empower my students to take ownership of their learning and develop a passion for the subject. By providing opportunities for active, collaborative, and purposeful learning, I aim to help my students become confident and proficient learners who are well-prepared for success in their future academic and professional endeavors. I strive to approach my teaching and mentoring with an open mind, patience, respect, and flexibility. For more details, see my statement of teaching philosophy.

I always consider myself fortunate to have experienced multicultural perspectives by living in three different countries and having opportunities to work with many inspiring people from diverse backgrounds. Growing up as a first-generation low-income student in a developing country, traveling overseas was unthinkable, let alone pursuing a doctoral degree in the United States. Drawing on my experiences, I firmly believe in the transformative potential of education. I strive to create an environment of inclusivity in my classroom where all students can feel safe and confident to share questions and ideas. My full diversity statement can be found here.

Teaching Portfolio

General Physics I (PHY111) - Washington & Lee University

PHYS 111 is the first part of a two-term introductory physics course for students of all interests.

This course is organized into two parts. Part I covers the fundamental mechanics concepts, including kinematics, Newton's laws and dynamics, work and energy, momentum and collisions, and rigid body rotation. Part II concentrates on applications of mechanics to specific systems, covering topics such as statics, fluid, oscillations, waves and sounds, and other topics of interest if time permits.

Syllabus

Example assignment

General Physics II (PHY112) - Washington & Lee University

PHYS112 is the second part of a two-term introductory physics course for students of all interests. This rigorous course will be taught using Active Learning methodology, emphasizing just-in-time teaching, team-based learning, and integrated hands-on lab activities. This course is organized into two components. Part I covers the fundamental thermodynamics concepts, including temperature and kinetic theory of gas . Part II concentrates on connecting three distinct branches of classical physics: electricity, magnetism and optics.

PHYS111 puts a lot of emphasis on particles, their interaction with their surrounding environment and each other, and the overall behavior of systems of particles. In PHYS112, we will see a significant paradigm shift in the theoretical framework of physics, which is the introduction of the idea of fields. We will survey the laws of electromagnetism and practical applications, which rank with the taming of fire among humanity's greatest technical accomplishments.

Syllabus

Example assignment

Modern Physics and Optics (PHY264) - Duke University

The two pillars of modern physics are relativity and quantum mechanics, which have revolutionized our understanding of the universe, from the most fundamental building blocks of matter to the nature of space and time. They are the base of science and technology of our century (GPS, quantum computation, etc.).

This course will introduce the fundamental principles and concepts of modern physics and the mathematical tools required to solve relevant problems, which will lay the foundation for further physics studies and research. The main topics include special relativity, quantum mechanics, particle-wave duality, philosophical interpretations of quantum theory, solutions to the Schrodinger equation for simple bound states, and scattering problems. This course also offers an overview of recent applications of special relativity and quantum theory in atomic physics, elementary particle physics, and solid-state physics.

Most importantly, this course’s content will challenge your intuition and force you to think differently about our world.

Syllabus

Lecture notes

Example assignment

Astrophysics - Duke Pre-College Middle School Program

The two pillars of modern physics are relativity and quantum mechanics, which have revolutionized our understanding of the universe, from the most fundamental building blocks of matter to the nature of space and time. They are the base of science and technology of our century (GPS, quantum computation, etc.).

This course will introduce the fundamental principles and concepts of modern physics and the mathematical tools required to solve relevant problems, which will lay the foundation for further physics studies and research. The main topics include special relativity, quantum mechanics, particle-wave duality, philosophical interpretations of quantum theory, solutions to the Schrodinger equation for simple bound states, and scattering problems. This course also offers an overview of recent applications of special relativity and quantum theory in atomic physics, elementary particle physics, and solid-state physics.

Most importantly, this course’s content will challenge your intuition and force you to think differently about our world.

Syllabus