What I like best about being in the classroom is watching the “lightbulb moments” -- when students grappling with a difficult question or concept have a moment of clarity that moves their understanding forward -- happen.  As such, my primary goal as an educator is to create an environment in which students are inspired to explore big, important questions about the world, and in which all students, especially those from marginalized and underrepresented groups, feel empowered to engage and contribute. Because I recognize that student learning starts with me, I always strive to be organized, enthusiastic, and creative.

I am committed to self-reflective pedagogy, and in 2019 I received the Teaching Certificate from the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) at the University of Pennsylvania.

Please see my Teaching Statement and Evaluations for more details.

Courses (as Teaching Assistant)

PSCI 131 American Foreign Policy -- Spring 2019  (Instructor: Dominic Tierney)

  • ​This course analyzes the formation and conduct of foreign policy in the United States. The course combines three elements: a study of the history of American foreign relations; an analysis of the causes of American foreign policy such as the international system, public opinion, and the media; and a discussion of the major policy issues in contemporary U.S. foreign policy, including terrorism, civil wars, and economic policy.

PSCI 150 Introduction to International Relations -- Fall 2018  (Instructor: Edward Mansfield); Fall 2017 (Instructor: Alex Weisiger)

  • ​This course is an introduction to the major theories and issues in international politics. The goals of the course are to give students a broad familiarity with the field of international relations, and to help them develop the analytical skills necessary to think critically about international politics. The course is divided into four parts: 1) Concepts and Theories of International Relations; 2) War and Security; 3) The Global Economy; and 4) Emerging Issues in International Relations.

PSCI 151 International Security -- Spring 2018  (Instructor: Avery Goldstein)

  • ​This lecture course introduces students to the subfield of international security or strategic studies. In order to grasp the usefulness of the theoretical ideas presented in readings and lectures, abstract concepts are linked with a study of the national security policies states have adopted in the decades following World War II. Topics include current debates about nuclear proliferation, terrorism, the Iraq war, Europe's changing international role, the rise of China, Asian "flashpoints" (Korea, the Taiwan Strait), and US security policy for the 21st century - considering some of the main strategic alternatives to the US as well as their implications for the types of forces deployed (the impact of the "revolution in military affairs," the future of missile defense, and the economic burden to be shouldered).