Teaching Assistant

What I Did

While completing my Ph.D. program, I worked as a TA, assisting with a Senior Design course at the University of Delaware. As a TA, I interacted with all teachers in the Mechanical Engineering department and over 30 teams of students who were working on their projects for the course.

What I Learned

During this time, I feel like I got a glimpse into what it’s like to be an instructor when you’re not at the front of the classroom giving a lecture. My goal was to help these students succeed, but it was not always easy. I learned to respectfully communicate with individuals who were naturally less communicative. I also gained experience discussing grades and assignments with students, both of which can be thorny subjects.