Teaching
Teaching Philosophy
I am committed to providing excellent teaching and mentorship through teaching undergraduate courses, mentoring undergraduate and graduate researchers, and developing innovative science communication materials as founder of the ongoing outreach initiative ColorMePhD. Click here to learn more about previous work with the MIT Communication Lab.
Through my teaching, I aim to provide students with the opportunity to relate to and develop a positive relationship with the content to retain more information, skillfully apply fundamental concepts to real-world applications, and gain confidence in their abilities. I am committed to supporting students in developing these skills by fostering an inclusive classroom that equips students with the tools to:
1) Engage in content through active learning inside and outside of the classroom
2) Learn and apply fundamental chemical engineering concepts through collaborative projects
3) Develop problem-solving skills in an inclusive environment
Courses Taught at UW
Chem E 565: Kinetics and Catalysis
Winter 2023, Winter 2024
Description: Homogeneous and heterogeneous systems with emphasis on chemical engineering principles applied to industrial reactor design. Prerequisite: CHEM E 525.
Numerous critical chemical processes used around the globe, ranging from energy and the environment to biology and medicine, rely on kinetics and catalysis to guide chemical reactions. At the molecular scale, manipulation and direction of bond forming and breaking reactions requires an understanding of the underlying principles guiding bond activation. And at the macro scale, the design and implementation of reactors requires insights into kinetics of the bulk process. This graduate-level course covers kinetics and catalysis from the molecular scale to the macro scale, including fundamentals in reaction rate theory to real applications of kinetics and catalysis in research and industry. Learning topics include:
• Kinetics of complex reactions, reactor design, microkinetic modeling
• Mechanisms and applications of homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis
• Introduction to computational approaches in kinetics and catalysis
• Applications of kinetics and rate theory in biologically-relevant systems and sustainability
• Skills in science communication and presentation
Chem E 486: Process Design II
Spring 2023, Spring 2024
Comprehensive design of a specific process or product, including economic feasibility studies, utilization of market survey and plant location studies, process equipment design and optimization, and overall plant integration and layout. Prerequisite: CHEM E 485.
Prior Teaching Experiences
University of California, Berkeley; Berkeley, CA
Graduate Student Instructor for CBE 141: Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics; Jan. 2017 – May 2017
During the Spring semester of 2017, I served as a graduate student instructor (GSI) for undergraduate chemical engineering thermodynamics with Professor Markita Landry. Duties included creating and grading exams and quizzes, holding office hours and review sessions, developing lesson plans, and teaching two discussion sections per week for undergraduate thermodynamics.
"Julie was an absolutely amazing GSI! She was consistently prepared, offered help outside of her usually scheduled office hours, and genuinely cared about her students. Julie was instrumental to my success in this course." - Anonymous feedback from Course Evaluations
Graduate Student Instructor for CBE 154: Chemical Engineering Laboratory; Aug. 2015 – December 2015
During the Fall semester in 2015 I served as a graduate student instructor (GSI) for chemical engineering senior lab with Dr. Colin Cerretani and Professor David Graves. I instructed and supervised laboratory experiments for senior-level undergraduates, maintained and improved experimental units and operating procedures, delivered and enforced safety training, and provided technical and analytical support for students. Experiments included distillation, membrane separation, adsorption and reaction, packed and fluidized beds, and centrifugal pumps. In recognition for my excellence in teaching this course, I was awarded the Outstanding Graduate Student Instructor (OGSI) award, presented to the top 9% of GSIs across the university based on teaching evaluations.
"Julie was a great GSI and extremely helpful in the DIST lab. She was very knowledgeable about the apparatus and could quickly identify our sources of error when we were having problems. She also kindly shared her experiences in applying to grad school with us students who are interested in the same path." - Anonymous feedback from Course Evaluations
Graduate Student Instructor for CBE 40: Introduction to Chemical Engineering; Aug. 2014 – December 2014
During the Fall semester in 2014 I served as a graduate student instructor (GSI) for introduction to chemical engineering , an introductory chemical engineering course for first year undergraduates, with Dr. Marjorie Went. I developed homework problems, exams, and lesson plans and taught two discussion sections (~30 students) each week.
"Julie is also solid at teaching; she is very enthusiastic about the course and is careful with the way she presents the material. I have no complaints with her as she provided a positive teaching experience." - Anonymous feedback from Course Evaluations
Arizona State University; Tempe AZ
Undergraduate Teaching Assistant at Arizona State University: FSE 100; Aug. 2013- Dec. 2013
As an undergraduate, I served as a teaching assistant for Fulton Schools of Engineering (FSE) 100, an introductory engineering laboratory class with Dr. Benjamin Mertz. In this role, I guided students through independent projects, implemented safety guidelines, and offered student support for design and construction of alternative energy producing devices.