Teaching

Teaching Philosophy

Teaching and mentoring the next generation of scientists are important parts of my responsibilities as a scientist. I believe that effective physics education should go beyond communicating established knowledge and should help students develop the conceptual understanding, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills needed to investigate the physical world.

My approach to teaching emphasizes connecting fundamental physical principles with observations, experiments, and real scientific applications. In physics and astronomy, computational tools and simulations provide particularly useful ways to make abstract concepts more accessible. I encourage students to ask questions, explain their reasoning, and develop the confidence to approach unfamiliar problems systematically.

Students enter the classroom with different backgrounds, experiences, and learning styles. I therefore value clear explanations, active participation, constructive feedback, and an inclusive learning environment in which students feel comfortable engaging with challenging material.

Teaching Experience

Kansas State University

During my graduate studies at Kansas State University, I gained teaching experience as a teaching assistant for undergraduate physics courses, including General Physics I, General Physics II, Descriptive Physics, and Engineering Physics. My responsibilities included assisting students with physics concepts and problem solving, as well as supporting laboratory instruction.

Through laboratory teaching, I helped students understand experimental methods, measurements, uncertainties, and the relationship between theoretical predictions and experimental results.

Stony Brook University

At Stony Brook University, I delivered a guest lecture for graduate-level students on simulating strong gravitational-lens systems. The lecture introduced computational approaches for constructing and studying realistic lens configurations, connecting gravitational-lensing theory with practical research tools.

Earlier Teaching Experience

I also have experience teaching high-school physics in Nepal. This experience strengthened my interest in making fundamental physical concepts accessible and demonstrating how mathematical descriptions can explain familiar physical phenomena.

Mentoring and Student Research

I am committed to mentoring students and involving them in research activities. My research experience in gravitational lensing, cosmology, and astronomical simulations provides opportunities to introduce students to computational astrophysics and observational cosmology.

I encourage students to develop both scientific understanding and practical research skills, including programming, data analysis, reading scientific literature, scientific writing, and presenting research results.

My mentoring approach emphasizes collaboration, regular discussions, constructive feedback, and increasing student independence. I aim to help students develop the confidence to formulate research questions, select appropriate methods, interpret scientific results, and communicate their findings.

Courses of Interest

I would be prepared to contribute to undergraduate and graduate instruction in areas including:

• Introductory Physics and General Physics
• Classical Mechanics
• Electromagnetism
• Modern Physics
• Introductory Astronomy
• Astrophysics and Observational Astronomy
• Cosmology and Gravitational Lensing
• Computational Physics and Scientific Programming

I would also welcome opportunities to develop advanced or research-oriented courses connecting astrophysics and cosmology with computational methods and modern astronomical surveys.