麻豆视频

Q: What did you do before working at Delaware Tech? 

Before working at Delaware Tech, I worked in the engineering industry and spent about 15 years as a senior scientist. Later, I became the director of technical programs at a small startup company, which involved work such as government contracting and R&D (research and development).

Q: What led you to Delaware Tech?

Very early on, when I was in graduate school, I always wanted to become a professor or a teacher. It was something that I had been dreaming of doing. After working at my previous company and spending 15 years in the industry, I felt like it was the right time to see if academia was suitable for me. So, teaching became a new exploration.

Q: Describe your first day at Delaware Tech. What was the experience like?
My first day at Delaware Tech was a brand-new experience and really different from being in the industry. I was mainly learning the new environment and getting used to the workplace.

Q: What's your favorite thing about working at Delaware Tech?

My favorite thing about working at Delaware Tech is having the opportunity to make a direct impact on students’ futures. Students often come in unsure of themselves. Over time, you get to see and guide their growth into confident and skilled professionals.

Q: What changes have you seen in yourself since you started working here?
The biggest change for me was transitioning from the engineering industry to academia. In the industry, you're more focused on outcomes, while in academia, you’re focused on nurturing the incremental growth in students. This taught me how to celebrate small wins and refine my own communication.

I’ve become more patient, a better listener, and more creative when it comes to sharing complex concepts.  I want to make sure that those ideas are accessible to the students.

Q: How would you describe your teaching philosophy? 

There are no unteachable students, and I just need to find the right approach that connects with them. Generally, I adapt to each student's needs and meet them where they are. I also blend my industry experience into my theory examples and encourage a hands-on approach when teaching problem-solving skills.

I believe that every student is teachable just as long as you apply the right method at the right time. Additionally, I aim to create a very inclusive environment so that nobody gets left behind.

Q: What's a significant achievement or milestone you've had in your professional journey? 

In terms of teaching at Delaware Tech, I was heavily involved in the curriculum redesign and led a student learning outcome assessment (SLO) through my department. I was able to interact with a lot of local companies, like AstraZeneca and Gore, to better understand their needs. From there, we could adjust our curriculum so that it aligns with the needs of the workforce. Our goal with these two projects was to train our students to be better workers and better candidates for potential employers.

Q: What is your favorite memory from your time at Delaware Tech?
My favorite memory from Delaware Tech is always interacting with the students, particularly on their final-year capstone projects. Students come up with so many innovative ideas during this period of time, and then they get to turn those ideas into working prototypes. Working with the students on this is such a fulfilling experience and makes me feel like I did something very beneficial for them.

Q: What are your interests or hobbies outside of Delaware Tech? 

I like fishing and do it whenever I have an opportunity.

Q: What's something people may not know about you? 

I really enjoy math games and spend at least an hour of my free time every day trying to solve math problems. I find it very entertaining.

Q: What are your future goals?
My first goal is to work closely with local companies to better align our curriculum with the industry's needs. The second goal of mine is to apply some emerging technologies or tools to the curriculum. My third goal is to mentor adjunct or junior faculty and share what I have learned so far.