I earned a master's degree in physics at UC Berkeley and two bachelor's degrees in physics and mathematics at Penn State. I taught university physics courses and community college mathematics courses. I have tutored both physics and mathematics for the last three decades. And I enjoy the heck out of teaching. I believe that general problem-solving skills are more valuable than content knowledge. To develop good physical intuition and problem-solving skills, one needs to practice regularly, just like learning a language. There is no shortcut. Learning activities are based on experience, which involves making errors and reflecting on them. Whether I teach a class or tutor a student individually, I always stress that every problem-solving step has a rationale. If the student makes a mistake, but can justify their approach, then we can fix both the mistake and the logic, and the student will benefit from their error. However, if the student makes a mistake, but cannot articulate their thought process, they will not learn anything.

My hobbies include reading, gambling, learning a new language, and plotting to overthrow the evil galactic empire.