“The classroom remains the most radical space of possibility in the academy.”
― bell hooks, Teaching to Transgress: Education as the Practice of Freedom
I believe, as bell hooks has taught us, that education's primary value is in its liberatory power. I am deeply committed to creating learning spaces that cultivate true learning and that challenge students beyond their previously held notions, both in classrooms and while being mentored and conducting research. I am committed to creating spaces that actively value each student's voice and in which the students feel comfortable, and I encourage them to provide feedback on my teaching. Most importantly, I remind my students that—while it is true that we are not equals in the classroom as I do hold more power—that learning is not hierarchical: I can learn from them just as they can learn from me. 

I also believe that teachers should be constant learners. In order to further my pedagogical knowledge, I am enrolled in the Certificate for College Teaching at Duke. I also engage in extensive independent reading on pedagogy.

​For my teaching I was awarded the Biology TA award in 2020. 

Below you can find my teaching philosophy statement. A sample syllabus for a seminar course as well as student feedback  are available upon request. 
Teaching Philosophy
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