TEACHING |
My goal as an educator is to prepare students in the skillful application—and critique—of critical social theory and feminist STS frameworks and research methodologies. The courses I teach cultivate an understanding of environmental, social, and cultural configurations as deeply historical and never inevitable. Through the study of power relations, knowledge production, and constructions of nature, my students explore the dynamisms that animate socio-environmental change and conflict. Because of its capacity to reveal a world in motion, I treat intellectual thinking as a tool for empowerment and social change in the classroom and beyond: I use exercises and assignments that present criticality and rigor in the analytics of power as values that are complemented, rather than compromised, by practices of generosity and attention to difference. With this foundation, I emphasize three things in my teaching: 1) Critical thinking and the ability to evaluate arguments and evidence, deconstruct dominant narratives, and challenge their own assumptions about environmental problems; 2) skill in applying theoretical frameworks construct compelling claims and communicate effectively; 3) collaborative knowledge production through community engagement and project-based learningTeaching statement.
I teach courses that center the study of political ecology, cultural production, science and technology, and colonial and military violence across diverse disciplines and bodies of students. My discussion exercises and writing assignments equip students with critical thinking and communication tools, (re)center marginalized knowledges, and situate collaborative learning in students’ diverse positionalities. As a mentor in the Berkeley Connect Program and Undergraduate Research Apprenticeship Program, I have also enjoyed working one-on-one with students to integrate intellectual inquiry, analytical writing skills, and applied research methods. |