About
I love mentoring students in all aspects of mathematics, quantitative methods, empirical research, and scholarly activity!
I bring the creativity and problem-solving skills of a Ph.D. economist (Cornell University '19), the understanding and ability to adjust teaching to foster learning-by-doing of an experienced professor, and the simple loyalty, good will, and interest in your well-being of a father of 3.
My goal is that you succeed in academics, but also in learning about your own preferences and needs when it comes to time management and homework-work-life balance. Your mind is, in my opinion, your greatest asset. I can help you learn what I wish I knew before graduate school.
I get warm glow from witnessing, first-hand, the moments when difficult concepts become intuitive to my students. One-on-one mentoring is what brings me the most joy. Students I've had the privilege of mentoring have gone on to become successful. Whether it is in their careers, in graduate school, or just in the ability to take on each day with more wholehearted effort, it is just fun for me to celebrate with them in each of their successes.
Reviews
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Frequently asked questions
What is your typical process for working with a new student?
My teaching philosophy is that learning, in its most ideal form, occurs most often as a conversation between friends. As such, the flow of the typical mentoring experience is as follows:
(1) Meet and greet (or Zoom chat) for an initial consult (10-15 minutes) where we determine the student's specific needs and outline any deadlines/course expectations. If possible, the student should provide a syllabus, course info, or (If they want admissions guidence and/or are near graduation from HS) college application specifics or graduate program requirements or aspirations.
(2) Depending on what areas the student wants assistance with, we plan our study session cadence, and any preferences they have in terms of logistics (in person, remote, time of day, etc.).
(3) Then the fun begins--we meet (or Zoom) regularly, I get to mentor (my passion in life) and the student gets guidance along their path as long as they benefit and want.
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
I am a Ph.D. economist and a college professor, so I have taken and taught a lot of mathematics, probability, statistics, economics, econometrics, policy analysis and finance classes.
I'm an expert in writing and technical communication and have published papers in peer-reviewed academic journals in health economics and social science.
I also trained to be a classical musician earlier in life (so effective practice and confidence in performance are still priorities in teaching and learning for me).
But a lot of my problem solving skills were gleaned as I grew up working in a small, family-owned tool shop.
I put my pants on one leg at a time like everyone else and know when to work hard and when to work smart (and they aren't mutually exclusive). I also know when to stop working and fit in some play (which, in my opinion, is an underrated form of learning).
My favorite pastimes include playing with Lego bricks with my kids, learning Chinese, and eating yummy food.
Do you have a standard pricing system for your lessons? If so, please share the details here.
I typically charge $80 per 1 hour session.
How did you get started teaching?
I started teaching English as a second language in my teens and then taught Vietnamese for about a year (a language I picked up while teaching at a Vietnamese community center in Australia). I knew I wanted to teach from those moments 18 years ago. I then fell in love with academics and social science, and my official teaching career began as an assitant professor of economics and finace at Southern Utah University about 4 years ago.
What types of students have you worked with?
Grade school students to graduate students, both native English speaking and foreign-speaking international students. I've also had the privilege of teaching quite a few non-traditional (later life) students.
Describe a recent event you are fond of.
I got to celebrate my 15-year wedding anniversary this year. They say that "love is what you've been through together," and I think I'd have to agree. My wife and I have experienced beautiful highs (like meeting our 3 kids, or successfully defending my dissertations) and crushing lows (like when our daughters were both diagnosed with a life-threatening terminal illness--cystic fibrosis), but we have journeyed through it all together. Though I prefer the highs to the lows--hands down there is no question about it--I am not quite sure which has proven more formative in bringing us together. Relationships are what give life meaning. So, yeah, I look fondly back on our last anniversary, but hopefully forward to our next anniversary.