Teachers are here to help the future generation learn new things and discover new passions. I think teachers should encourage and inspire students to pursue their interests and realize that they have the potential to reach their goals. Teachers can have a big impact on students and can ultimately help them decide what career they want to pursue in the future, as my chemistry teacher did for me.”
Katherine’s Story
Teaching Discipline
Chemistry
Why Chemistry
“When I was little, my grandmother would ask me to observe the patterns of the clouds or describe the reflection on a puddle of water. My grandma, who has always loved science, first sparked my interest in the field and investigating the world around me. My interest in chemistry came from my high school chemistry teacher Mr. H2O, who made the class entertaining and engaging through songs and mnemonics about chemistry. During the three years I spent working as a teaching assistant in the Chemistry Department at Stanford University, I realized that not only do I love chemistry but I love sharing chemistry with others and working on fun ways to teach the subject so that students can reach that ‘aha’ moment and possibly develop an interest in the subject.”
Professional Experience
During her time as an undergraduate and graduate student, Katherine worked as a teaching assistant in the Chemistry Department at Stanford University for three years. She taught general chemistry, organic chemistry, and analytical chemistry. She also led a weekly supplemental outreach session for two years, which helped train students in problem-solving skills for general chemistry, and navigating structural and 3D understandings for organic chemistry.
Additionally, Katherine worked with the Stanford Haas Center for Public Health in a program called Ravenswood Reads. Through this program, she tutored a five-year-old student who struggled with reading and writing. Also, she worked as a tutor at Costaño Elementary School, located in the primarily Latinx community of East Palo Alto, California. During this program, she became certified in tutoring students whose first language is not English.
Katherine will begin her first year of teaching at Convent of the Sacred Heart during the 2020–2021 school year.
Hobbies
Katherine enjoys exploring different ways to make coffee—from the french press and pour over to Bialetti and cold brew. She also enjoys hiking, bike riding, and listening to Taylor Swift.
Academic Background
- Columbia University, Teachers College (Master of Arts in Science Education)
- Stanford University (Master of Science in Chemistry)
- Stanford University (Bachelor of Science in Chemistry)