Teaching

GEL 251: Thermodynamics of the Earth and planets

A graduate level course at UC Davis covering the fundamental thermodynamic concepts that are applied in the Earth and planetary sciences. Sarah Stewart and I designed the course from scratch to fill a hole in graduate education in the Earth sciences. Thermodynamics is normally a service class taught in physics or chemistry but the application of thermodynamic concepts in these course are to problems that are fundamentally different to those encountered in Earth science. We therefore made a course that provided a good grounding that was relevant for students' research in an Earth Sciences department. We are happy to provide materials to anyone interested in teaching a similar course.

I lectured approximately half the course, ran example classes, and wrote course notes, problem sets and exams.

SPU 30: Life as a planetary phenomenon

A general education course at Harvard taught by Dimitar Sasselov which looks at the relationship between life and the planet on which it resides. I was a teaching fellow for this course in spring 2014. I won a Harvard University Certificate of Distinction in Teaching award for my teaching of this course.

SPU 14: How to build a habitable planet

A general education course at Harvard taught by Charles Langmuir that tells the story of the Earth from the beginning of the universe to the rise of human civilization. I was a teaching fellow for this course in the fall 2013. This course is managed through the isite system at Harvard but lecture slides are also available on the habitable planet website. I won a Harvard University Certificate of Distinction in Teaching award for my teaching of this course.