Sarah M.
Private tutor in San Diego, CA
Education
EDUCATION PhD in Organic Chemistry: University of California, San Diego 2015-Present Masters in Organic Chemistry: University of California, San Diego 2014-2015 Bachelor of Science in Chemistry, minor in Political Science: University of California, Davis 2009-2013
Experience
RESEARCH/TEACHING EXPERIENCE SCRIPPS INSTITUTE OF OCEANOGRAPHY Graduate Student Researcher San Diego, CA •Involved in marine natural product drug discovery, which includes the collection, isolation and characterization of marine compounds with the hope of discovering new potentially active lead molecules. TEACHING- UCSD Teaching Assistant San Diego, CA •Worked as a teaching assistant for the undergraduate organic chemistry courses for the past four quarters. •Conducted biweekly discussion and/or lab sections for which I am responsible for creating and administering quizzes as well as lectures relevant to the coursework •Assisted in grading all course work and exams. SPECIALIZED LEARNING Private Tutor San Diego, CA •Worked with students who either had learning disabilities or were experiencing difficulties being successful in a traditional classroom setting •Involved in helping with homework, studying for exams, creating organizational strategies and teaching good study habits and techniques ARCH ACADEMY General Tutor San Diego, CA •Worked as an in-house tutor for all subjects with at-risk teenagers who were struggling with a variety of issues, such as substance abuse, eating disorders, behavioral problems and those with developmental delays. •Conducted one-on-one tutoring sessions where I would help further understanding of the subject material, assist with homework, and help to build good study habits and test taking skills. OTHER WORK EXPERIENCE DRESSEL DIVERS Dive instructor Playa del Carmen, Mexico •Was responsible for leading dives as well as teaching dive courses in and out of the water •In charge of equipment and compressor maintenance •Interacted with customers to ensure an enjoyable experience on a daily basis. SHALLOW WATERS- MARINE RESEARCH OUTPOST Underwater Marine Conservation Research Assistant Koh Sdach, Cambodia •Assisted researchers in underwater data collection according to the standard operating procedures regarding the collection of live samples from the ocean. •Worked closely with researchers to complete a baseline dataset on the status of the marine ecology of the islands off the coast of Cambodia. MARRONE BIO INNOVATIONS Formulation Intern Davis, CA •Routinely performed physical properties testing using a series of different lab techniques including: HPLC, particle-size analysis, pH-testing, and the determination of density and viscosity.
Availability
Monday at any time, Tues/Thurs in the afternoon, Wednesday in the afternoon, Weekends at any time
Can Meet
Up to 20 minutes away for no additional charge
Hobbies
ABOUT ME I have a unique passion for chemistry that has taken me all over the world doing research with non-profit organizations and independent marine conservation groups. I have just recently finished my Masters in Organic Chemistry at the University of California, San Diego and am currently on track to receive my PhD. Following my Bachelors of Science in Pharmaceutical Chemistry at the University of California, Davis, I moved to Mexico to become a dive instructor for a year before beginning graduate school. I am a well known TA at UCSD, loved by many students for my command of organic chemistry, effective teaching style and contagious enthusiasm. I have gained impressive experience teaching college-level chemistry courses during my time teaching at UCSD and have learned how to tailor difficult concepts to individual learning styles. My theory is that 98% of chemistry is just the interaction of positive and negative charges. The rest is easy. Once we know HOW things interact, we can figure out almost any problem put in front of us. I have learned through personal experience and through teaching that the huge amount of content combined with the difficult nature of chemistry, encourages students to memorize rather than focus on understanding the concepts behind WHY something happens. This creates a situation in which students are unsuccessful when facing problems they've never encountered before, because they haven't given themselves the tools to problem-solve. I like to push my students to understand why a reaction is happening, or why two molecules will not react- not just that they don't. My theory is that once you know the theories behind certain problems, you can use this knowledge to apply to other questions, especially those you see on an exam. So practice problems are of the utmost importance to me, because it allows the students to be exposed to as many potentialities as possible, thus giving them the opportunity to gain a broader understanding of a specific topic.
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