Teaching

As the lead instructor for this course, I was responsible for the overall design and delivery of the course, including lecturing, laboratory instruction, and student assessment. Overall lessons I hoped to impart to students included lab safety, scientific integrity, and results transparency.

In addition to instruction, I held primary responsibility for grading and evaluation, assessing student learning through laboratory notebooks, lab reports, and final projects. I also supervised and mentored the teaching team, including graduate teaching assistants, to ensure consistency, equity, and a high-quality learning experience across all course components.

Quality of Instruction Review Score: 4.85/5.00

Key Remarks: Kind, Helpful, Understanding

"Such a fun way to gain skills in microbiological research. Claire and Laura were phenomenal instructors and very understanding." 

- 2025 CEE 274P Student

As a TA in this course, I had the opportunity to mentor students and nurture scientific excellence. I equipped students with fundamental lab techniques like pipetting, and then built upon those basic skills to accomplish complex tasks like plaque assays and PCR detection of pathogens in environmental water samples. I prepared all lab materials, taught introductory lab sessions, and guided students through the experiments. 

Beyond my quarterly responsibilities as a TA, I took steps to improve the continuity and long-term sustainability of the course. To do this, I crafted an extensive protocol for future TAs. This protocol encompassed not only the practical aspects of laboratory management, but also established equity through the development of fair grading rubrics. Additionally, I created and organized the lab supply inventory, streamlining operations for future TAs.

TA Effectiveness Review Score: 4.88/5.00

Key Remarks: Knowledgeable, Approachable, Patient

"Claire was absolutely pivotal in supporting my development as an environmental microbiology communicator, across disciplines such as math/biology when writing reports and presenting figures. Claire was vital to my growth during this course's period." 

- 2022 CEE 274P Student