“By taking courses through the Delta program, I became more aware of mentoring practices and the struggles students face in and out of the classroom.”
Current Position: University of Oxford, Postdoctoral Researcher in Physics
UW–Madison Career: PhD, Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences and Postdoctoral Scholar
Delta Internship Project: Enforcing Good Coding Skills and Confidence in Undergraduate Atmospheric Scientists
What programming from Delta helped you become a more effective and evidence-based educator?
The Delta curriculum guided my practices in the classroom from labs to discussions. Further, I knew to communicate with my students what they were expected to learn, how my practices would help them learn, and why I chose those methods.
What did you learn about inclusive teaching practices at Delta?
Delta courses informed me about diversity and inclusion beyond any other course(s) taken during my collegiate career. These practices, ideas, and methods on diversity in the classroom and how to build an inclusive environment benefit me, my future research groups, and my future classrooms.
How did Delta programming shape your work as a mentor and advisor?
By taking courses through the Delta program, I became more aware of mentoring practices and the struggles students face in and out of the classroom. My mentoring of younger students now takes a more holistic approach, as even if they know what to do, other aspects of their lives beyond the classroom may also disrupt their ability to reach their full potential.
How did going through the Delta Certificate process impact your approach to teaching and learning?
Completing the certificate forced me to review my teaching methods and outline what in the future I will improve upon.
How did Delta help prepare you for the academic job market?
My Delta courses helped broaden my skill set. Although not yet widely recognized for its importance in the research world, understanding how diversity, inclusion, and scaffolding of ideas leads to better quality research is evident by my own work.