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More about how I teach

As an instructor, I view myself as a facilitator of curiosity rather than a gatekeeper of performance. A successful classroom is built on a partnership between the student and instructor, emphasizing active engagement, clarity of expectations, and a well-structured course that contextualizes knowledge and skills.

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My engagement in mentorship and teaching has created numerous opportunities for reflection, personal growth, and joy in watching students get excited about science and learning.

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I adopt a student-centered approach to course development, actively seeking feedback throughout the semester through an anonymous online form. Recognizing that knowledge is actively constructed, I employ a Socratic lecture format and incorporate Case-Based Teaching and Problem-Based Learning to directly engage students with the course material. These strategies are enriched by my certification in contemporary pedagogy through the IISE Preparing Future Faculty Program and my initiation into the Virginia Tech Graduate Academy for Teaching Excellence.

Pedagogical Drivers:

  • Contemporary Pedagogy

  • Constructivism

  • Situated Learning

  • Student-Centered

  • Case-Based Teaching

  • Problem-Based Learning

  • Socratic Seminars

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Sample courses I'd love to teach:

  • User Experience Engineering

  • Visual Display Design

  • Auditory Display Design

  • Intro to Human Factors

  • Industrial AR

  • Human Information Processing

  • Serious Game Design

  • Scientific Study Design

  • Ethics in Science

Selected Teaching Experience

Instructor of Record - Intro to Industrial and Systems Engineering

  • 5.5/6 Overall Teaching Effectiveness (higher than college average)

  • 6/6 Fostered an Atmosphere of Mutual Respect

  • 6/6 Well-Prepared

  • 6/6 Presented the Subject Matter Clearly

  • 6/6 Provided Feedback Intended to Improve My Course Performance

Graduate Teaching Assistant - Senior Design

Awarded "Outstanding GTA of the year" - An award given by the Alpha Pi Mu honor society and decided via free-response undergraduate vote

Published a paper on pedagogy

CR Nelson, JL Gabbard: Pedagogical Design Considerations for Mobile AR Serious Games

VT Graduate Academy for Teaching Excellence (VTgrATE)

Initiation based on a commitment to teaching excellence and teaching reviews.

Co-Published a paper with undergraduate lab mentees

Exploring Augmented Reality Triage Tools to Support Mass Casualty Incidents

Myself giving a presentation
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