Teaching
Foundation, then play
Foundations first, then creativity.
Build a base students can trust, brick by brick, so they know what is true. Then let them play and build their own ideas on it. Chemistry needs creativity to find many solutions to a problem.
Teaching as a dialogue.
Lectures are a back-and-forth, in the lecture hall, the wet lab and the dry lab. Listen to students, challenge their thinking, and let them implement their own ideas.
Patience and time.
Scientists and engineers need time to mature. Stay in touch, know every student by name, and guide people so everyone learns together.
Collaboration, not competition.
No bell curves or quotas of A's, B's and C's. Exams are tough and close to current research, but they reward resourcefulness and the ability to abstract and solve new problems.
Courses taught
~900 students taught
| Course | Role | Students | Institution |
|---|---|---|---|
| Introduction to Statistics and Machine Learning | Instructor | 20 | Sofia University |
| Graduate Special Topics in Quantum Chemistry | Teaching Assistant | 4 | University of Maryland, School of Pharmacy |
| Undergraduate Organic Chemistry I & II Laboratory | Teaching Assistant | 240 | University of California, Riverside |
| Undergraduate Organic Chemistry I & II Laboratory | Teaching Assistant | 480 | University of Texas at Austin |
| Undergraduate General Chemistry II | Teaching Assistant | 150 | University of Texas at Austin |
Teaching history only; the group is independent.
Open education
The global Cheminformatics Teaching Material and the open Global-Chem Discord forum welcome graduate, undergraduate and high-school learners.