Introduction
My interest in Geology was first sparked when on a high school Geography field trip to the Lake District in England (see picture above). We had learnt about glacial processes in the classroom, seen diagrams of how rocks were 'plucked' out of bedrock and used as erosional tools to form features that were characteristic of glacial landscapes. As we stood in the base of a U-shaped valley looking at the small stream that now ran through it, I realised that a stream that small couldn't have formed this landscape. The only way to explain what we were looking at was to imagine what it would have looked like ten thousand years ago when this area was covered with glaciers. The realisation that the way modern landscapes looked could be attributed to events which had happened in the past or even the rocks that they were made of fascinated me and, much to my family's despair, I started questioning how all landscapes around me had been formed.
I decided to pursue my new found interest in the landscapes around me and I went to Edinburgh University in Scotland to study for a BSc in Physical Geography and Geology. My favourite part of this was always the field work; being able to apply what we had learnt in the classroom to what could be seen in the field. As part of my undergraduate degree I went on International Exchange to the University of Toronto in Canada. This was a great opportunity for me not only to work with a completely new group of people but also to be exposed to a different style of teaching.
After I graduated from Edinburgh in the summer of 2011, I returned to Toronto to complete my MSc under the supervision of Dr. Ulrich Wortmann. During that year I both took and TA-ed courses (see teaching experience page for more details) and started to develop my own teaching style. In September of 2012 I moved to Penn State University to work towards my Ph.D. under the supervision of Dr. Tim Bralower. The style of teaching in the U.S. is different to both Canada and the U.K. and so I have adapted my style further through my experiences teaching lab sections, field school, and online courses, as well as through one on one supervision and outreach.
During my time at Penn State, I hope to improve both my teaching style and teaching philosophy. I believe that the best way to do that is through a combination of both taking and TA-ing more courses. I welcome all feedback (positive or negative) so please get in touch if you have any comments.
I decided to pursue my new found interest in the landscapes around me and I went to Edinburgh University in Scotland to study for a BSc in Physical Geography and Geology. My favourite part of this was always the field work; being able to apply what we had learnt in the classroom to what could be seen in the field. As part of my undergraduate degree I went on International Exchange to the University of Toronto in Canada. This was a great opportunity for me not only to work with a completely new group of people but also to be exposed to a different style of teaching.
After I graduated from Edinburgh in the summer of 2011, I returned to Toronto to complete my MSc under the supervision of Dr. Ulrich Wortmann. During that year I both took and TA-ed courses (see teaching experience page for more details) and started to develop my own teaching style. In September of 2012 I moved to Penn State University to work towards my Ph.D. under the supervision of Dr. Tim Bralower. The style of teaching in the U.S. is different to both Canada and the U.K. and so I have adapted my style further through my experiences teaching lab sections, field school, and online courses, as well as through one on one supervision and outreach.
During my time at Penn State, I hope to improve both my teaching style and teaching philosophy. I believe that the best way to do that is through a combination of both taking and TA-ing more courses. I welcome all feedback (positive or negative) so please get in touch if you have any comments.