Dynamic Systems Teaching Assistant

        This year, I had the privilege of working with Professor Colgate to improve and restructure ME 390, Introduction to Dynamic Systems. This class utilizes and combines knowledge from many previous courses and there is little information published online for the undergraduate level, leading it to be known as one of the hardest engineering courses.

         As an undergraduate myself who only took the class the year before, I knew my first obligation was to understand the material well enough to answer any question I was asked. As I relearned, I constantly challenged my understanding by creating a series of comprehensive notes. I went beyond what the course taught, creating and solving my own hypothetical problems to prove concepts as intuitively as possible. In all, I was able to translate difficult theories into simple concepts, allowing students to actually understand the principles behind the technical aspects. My notes became known as the life-saving course guide.

         Even still, once the course began and I was working with students for multiple hours every day, I quickly learned that it was impossible to be prepared for every question. Many days, I met a question I had never considered before. These continually expanded my horizons, and allowed me a much deeper understanding. I practiced explaining concepts in many different ways, to best help each individual student understand the material. More importantly, it required me to understand the root causes of students' concerns, tailoring responses to help solve each unique problem.