Meet Your ACE CAs
Our ACE Course Assistants
Our ACE CAs are graduate and professional students in the School of Engineering who are passionate teachers and intentional about fostering learning environments based on equity, purposeful engagement, and inclusive teaching practices. ACE CAs are selected from a highly competitive applicant pool where they have successfully demonstrated content expertise, dedication to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging, and ability to implement inclusive teaching practices.
| Math ACE CAs | CME ACE CAs | CS ACE CAs | |||
| Math 19ACE | Math 20ACE | CME 100ACE | CME 102ACE | CS 100A | CS 100B |
| Math 21ACE | Math 51ACE | CME 106ACE | CS 103ACE | CS 107ACE | |
| Math52ACE | Math 53ACE | CS 109ACE | CS 111ACE | ||
| CS 161ACE | |||||
Lead ACE CAs
Celine Escarmant
Celine Escarmant (any/all) is a current fifth year Coterminal Student earning their bachelor’s degree in Biomechanical Engineering and Masters’ in Mechanical Engineering from Stanford. Their academic interests include the intersections of medicine and engineering, particularly in cardiology. She’s done research as a ChEM-H scholar in Zhenan Bao’s lab working with flexible, skin like materials for diagnostics. Currently, she is doing research in the Cardiovascular Biomechanics Computation Lab under Alison Marsden, where she focuses on using numerical methods to create patient specific models of the cardiovascular system. She continued her research with this lab after participating in the Cardiovascular Institute undergraduate research program. She spent her undergraduate years as an executive member of the Society of Black Scientists and Engineers (SBSE) , a Patient Health Navigator for Cardinal Free Clinics, a student lead for Seeds of Change, a Residential Assistant (RA) for Ujamaa. This year, she will be an Ethnic Theme Associate (ETA) for Zapata, the Lead Course Assistant for ACE, and the Regional Northern California Zone Chairperson for the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE). Outside of this, she enjoys playing tennis, ping pong, and really any racket sport, watching and rewatching early episodes of Spongebob (will make at least reference per day), and singing along to any Beyoncè song. She attributes her family and friends for her continued growth, holding them close to her core. Overall, she is happy to join the ACE family as a LCA in order to explore diversity and inclusion in STEM. She is passionate about these topics and wants to ensure students get an opportunity to engage in it!
Teaching Philosophy: As a person of many intersecting identities, I understand how being in these classes at Stanford, despite having loved math and science, impacted my learning. When it comes to learning these topics, there has to be an understanding that not everyone has the same background, learning styles, passions, etc, and it is important to take that into consideration while teaching complex topics. I believe incorporating inclusive learning practices starts with the instructor themselves, thinking “why am I teaching this the way I am? What are some implicit biases I have? What did it feel like when I couldn’t understand a topic, made a mistake, etc.?” This is important to build empathy with the students as we’re creating the curriculum and taking into account what they go through. After reflecting as an instructor, the next steps include building a foundation. I believe that these topics are the language used to communicate how the world behaves around us. Learning a new language not only takes practice, but it also takes context. We have words and punctuations to build sentences to communicate our thoughts, the way we have operations and variables to build equations to uncover patterns we see in different fields. I want to see where student’s interests lie and showcase how these topics impact them. Students could expect practice, reflection, and collaboration!
Kathryn Lidia Radziwonski
Kathryn (she/her) is a coterminal master’s student in Computer Science with a concentration in Human-Computer Interaction. In addition, she attended Stanford as an undergrad and majored in English literature. Kathryn was motivated to be an ACE CA because of her own experience as a FLI student and her passion for educational equity. In her free time, she enjoys reading, hiking, and exploring every coffee shop within a five-mile radius. Kathryn is beyond excited to support students and fellow CAs in her position as a Lead ACE CA this upcoming year.
Teaching Philosophy: My teaching philosophy is founded on a student-centered focus. From using inquiry-based learning techniques for student engagement to anonymous channels of feedback for transparent communication, I believe every student should feel just as much a part of every lecture, discussion, and activity as any one of their peers. It is crucial that students feel comfortable expressing their academic needs to their instructors, and creating an environment where that is possible is a large priority in my philosophy. In addition, I strongly believe in leveraging differentiated learning techniques so that each student gets the chance to learn material using their preferred learning style. This year, I am eager to take on my role as a Lead ACE CA because I am passionate about mentoring educators. My past work has given me the tools to teach educators how to create an accepting space that encourages diversity in all its forms. I truly believe that all students can succeed with the right support behind them, and I can’t wait to be a part of the team that creates that effective support.
Math ACE CAs
May Ling Har | Math 19ACE CA
May Ling (she/her) is a 2nd Year Master of Science student in Aeronautics and Astronautics. Prior to Stanford, she was raised in Malaysia and Australia, and moved to the UK for her Bachelor of Engineering in Aerospace Engineering at the University of Manchester. She is currently involved in the Morphing Space Structures Lab at Stanford where she investigates and analyzes designs of origami-inspired deployable structures for spacecraft. May Ling is also especially passionate about diversity, inclusion, and equity in STEM education. Being an ACE CA, she is able to promote these values through her teaching. In her free time, May Ling enjoys working out, petting dogs, socializing with her friends (both long-distance and at Stanford), and playing video games.
Teaching Philosophy: As an ACE CA, I aim to create a safe and inclusive environment to ensure students feel comfortable asking questions and speaking their mind without fear of being judged; such an environment can cater to students from a wide range of backgrounds and allow for more effective learning. This is done by establishing a calm and respectful small-group learning space, using accessible language, positive reinforcement, and fostering collaboration between students, thus enabling facilitation of peer instruction between students and enhancing retention of class content. As an example, I typically present students with practice problems and encourage them to collaborate in finding solutions. I also often redirect questions to students so that they can learn from one another. I am also transparent about my own shortcomings and struggles as a student myself, so students can learn from them and recognize that one’s struggles do not define them, especially in the context of university education.
AJ Rodriguez | Math 20ACE CA
My name is AJ Rodriguez (he/him) and I am a 2nd year Chemical Engineering Masters Student. I earned my BS in Chemistry from UC Santa Cruz and I'm grateful for the opportunity to be your CA for Math. I have many TA's and CA's to thank for the late-night knowledge breakthroughs and extra resources to help me excel in a class. It's my hope to share my knowledge and organized resources beyond to serve ACE students and help them achieve mastery of a subject.
Teaching Philosophy: My teaching philosophy includes: 1) Digitizing and organizing all resources and communication on Slack 2) Presenting test relevant practice questions in class 3) Reviewing homework problems in class 4) Sending out images or emails of questions that I could not answer in class and reviewed with the professor 5) Providing Exam Review Sessions with Catering 6) Office Hours and individual time to review with students.
Jeremiah Montemayor | Math 21ACE CA
This is Jeremiah, and he uses he/him/his pronouns! Jeremiah is a graduate student in the Aeronautics and Astronautics Department and is in the second year of his master’s degree program. He completed his bachelor’s degree from San Jose State University in 2018 where he double majored in Aerospace Engineering and Applied & Computational Mathematics. Jeremiah then worked at Lockheed Martin as a Guidance, Navigation, and Control Engineer before starting the graduate program. Jeremiah has a passion for teaching, which motivated him to join the ACE team in Spring 2022. He not only wants to develop other students’ academic skills but also help improve their soft skills such as communication, leadership, and teamwork. After graduate school, Jeremiah aspires to continue working in control systems but as a senior technical engineer, and he hopes to continue teaching, for instance, as an adjunct professor. During his leisure time, Jeremiah enjoys playing volleyball (sometimes plays too much!) and playing board games with friends. He played in three volleyball adult leagues and four grass volleyball tournaments in Summer 2022 and will be playing in two leagues in the upcoming quarter.
Teaching Philosophy: In my ACE session, I typically begin the first half with a review of the topics needed for the upcoming homework assignment. I supplement this review with example problems that allow for discussions amongst the class. In the second half of the session, I provide practice problems that students will complete in teams. Subsequently, each group will explain their methodology and solution to me. My intention is to not only provide students with extra practice but concurrently develop their leadership, teamwork, and communication skills. However, the content of my ACE sessions are flexible and can change depending on the needs of the class. For example, in one session, more time can be allocated to reviewing topics that are further complex, and in another session, more time can be spent on completing exercise problems for topics that require increased practice. Therefore, throughout the quarter, I will ensure my best to maintain communication, collaboration, and feedback between students and me.
Nathan Noma | Math 51ACE CA
Nathan (he/him) is a second-year Master’s student in the Aeronautics and Astronautics program at Stanford. He completed his undergraduate degree at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities in Aerospace Engineering and Mechanics. He is from Bloomington, Minnesota and as is expected, enjoys ice hockey and skiing in addition to road biking. Nathan has also been playing the trumpet for 13 years, and was heavily involved in the University of Minnesota Marching Band, and even got to participate in the SuperBowl LII halftime show! Nathan decided to major in aerospace engineering after watching a livestream showing the controlled landings for some of the first reusable SpaceX rocket boosters. He continued pursuing a variety of aerospace applications through research and projects in undergrad. His undergraduate thesis employed the use of image processing to describe the motions of particles in fluids within pipes, with the primary goal of describing turbulent fluid behavior. Most recently, he worked at the National Full-Scale Aerodynamics Complex at NASA Ames as a data analyst. The motivation to be an ACE CA for Nathan stemmed from his leadership experience in marching band as well as his love for learning and education. College can be difficult to adjust to, but is also a place for amazing personal growth. Nathan wants to help others discover their passions by sharing his knowledge and experience in engineering subjects through the ACE program.
Teaching Philosophy: Education has always been a very central part of my life. Having a mom that is an elementary school teacher allowed me to see the importance of education from a young age. Because she works in a very underserved part of Minneapolis, I also saw just how unfair the education system can be, and how much of an impact a poor education system can have on a greater community. I believe that education should be accessible to everyone, and that every effort should be made to make a program as inclusive as possible. The best learning occurs when people are comfortable with their learning environment and feel like they can approach their instructors and ask questions. In addition to a comfortable environment, I personally learn best when I can work with plenty of examples and have guidance on how to apply new concepts to real problems. I try to work this into my teaching style by going step-by-step through plenty of examples and frequently asking questions. I try to keep the course meetings casual, where I cover the lecture material and then let the students openly ask questions whenever there is confusion. Then, I try to have students collaborate or solve problems and tell me their process, so they can have a chance to explain it themselves.
Mythri Paluri | Math 52ACE CA
Mythri Paluri (pronouns: she/her) is a first year Master’s student in the Aeronautics & Astronautics department. She graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a BS in Aerospace Engineering, with a minor in Russian Language. She is passionate about helping students master the foundational skills to become the engineering leaders of tomorrow. In her free time, she enjoys reading, traveling, and learning new languages.
Teaching Philosophy: Mythri believes that all students have the inner flame to become exceptional engineers. Her class style is informal and expressive - she believes in getting to know her students and their backgrounds, and tailors her classes based on the needs of the students. She also connects with her students - serving as a mentor in addition to a CA. ACE students enrolling in her class can always expect a safe place to ask questions and be themselves.
Grace Shaib | Math 53ACE CA
Grace Shaib is a 2nd-year master's student at Stanford University with an expected graduation date of Winter 2023. She grew up in Beirut, Lebanon where she spent the first 22 years of her life before moving to the United States. At Stanford, she is currently studying Mechanical Engineering with a focus on Manufacturing and Product Realization. What first attracted her to engineering was the ability to see a product transform from a concept to something that can impact lives. She has always had a passion for designing and prototyping devices that can be potential solutions for existing problems, especially in the MENA region where there is a lot of unmet need. Prior to coming to Stanford, she completed her bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from The American University of Beirut. Upon graduation, she moved to Philadelphia, PA to work as a Program Manager at a hydrogen fuel station company. During her undergraduate years, Grace found a great mentor that supported her through her goals and ambitions (essays, courses & internships). Without the help of this mentor, she wouldn’t be here today. This is what led Grace to become an ACE CA. The ACE program at Stanford is an excellent opportunity to support students from less competitive or disadvantaged backgrounds. By representing the students and leading them in what is their most exciting years, Grace hopes to give back and positively impact students’ lives.
Teaching Philosophy: We do not grow up with equal opportunities, and it’s important to acknowledge the depth of this impact on a student’s mental well-being and academic life. As an ACE CA, one of my primary tasks is to focus on the comfort of the students. I start my classes with a round of thorn & rose, this helps the students alleviate their feelings whether positive or negative ahead of the class and promotes a stronger relationship between peers. On the academic side of things, I adopt multiple teaching methods to make the class interactive for the students: multiple choice problems, team games & solo whiteboarding. My pace will depend on the classroom level, I often divide the class into subgroups when needed to keep the flow moving. I will also be attending every standard class to make sure the material and announcements are being covered in parallel. Most importantly, I have an open-door policy, students can come to me with all sorts of questions, I do promote this highly in my classes. My goal is not only to help students navigate this class but provide them with the set of skills needed for all types of classes.
CME ACE CAs
Alka Panda | CME 100ACE CA
Alka (she/her) is a third year graduate student pursuing her PhD in the Aeronautics and Astronautics department at Stanford. Her research focuses on studying gas kinetics using laser spectroscopic methods. She completed her BS in Aerospace Engineering (with a minor in Economics) from Virginia Tech in 2020. Alka is an international student from India and loves to bake, read and watch kdramas and psychological thrillers in her free time. She started as an ACE CA in 2020 and also has experience working with frosh and sophomores as a peer mentor and tutor at her undergraduate institution. She firmly believes that upperclassmen are the best resource a student can have and her goal is to eliminate STEM anxiety many students experience when they start university.
Teaching Philosophy: When students join my class I am quite honest with them and let them know that I am here to support them and get them across the finish line. I focus heavily on the fundamentals and building early concepts and try to connect topics taught later in class to them. I often give a big picture view of what topics they can expect to see come up again in the classes they will take next and their real world applications. Most importantly, I try to create a judgement-free zone in my classes as well as in my office hours so students feel comfortable asking questions.
Soumya Koppaka | CME 100ACE CA
Hey! My name is Soumya Koppaka. My pronouns are She/Her. I am a second year master's student studying Management Science and Engineering with a focus in Computational Social Science. I completed my undergrad from the University of Mumbai, India in Computer Science. I love the ‘Eureka’ moment when I finally understand a concept I’ve been struggling to understand for a long time, and sometimes I have needed some guidance to get there. My motivation to be an ACE CA is in helping someone else comprehend a concept that they’ve been struggling with. I find it satisfying and extremely rewarding. Really looking forward to meeting all my new students :)
Teaching Philosophy: My teaching philosophy is quite simple. Be a friend first, a teacher later. I want to come across as someone who is approachable and not intimidating to ask questions to, however basic they are. I am adaptable and want what’s best for my students even if it means changing my teaching methods to better fit their needs. I strongly believe in collaboration and learning from other students in the class, because Stanford is a place where there are diverse, talented students coming from a variety of backgrounds which is invaluable to anyone studying here (me included!) I wish to develop strong relationships with my students and ensure we learn from each other throughout our time together. And I want to be there for you, to solve a doubt or just listen, during those tough days when nothing seems to be going your way. Let’s together conquer CME 100!
Kyle Torres Casey | CME 102ACE CA
My name is Kyle Torres Casey and I use he/him pronouns. I am a masters student in mechanical engineering with a concentration in robotics. I am in the second year of my program. I completed my undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering here at Stanford. I was an ACE TA last year for CME 102 and I enjoy the classroom environment where I can help answer the questions students might be afraid to ask in lecture.
Teaching Philosophy: For my ACE section, I try to make it similar to the lectures in content. However, it’s more of a conversation where each student can ask questions more openly. For the class lecture, there is a certain amount of content the professor has to cover so he doesn’t have time for tons of questions. However, I encourage questions and I encourage students to be open about what they understand and what they are confused about.
Samuel Chian | CME106ACE CA
Samuel (Sam) Chian (He/Him/His) is a first-year Masters student in Computational and Mathematical Engineering (ICME) concentrating in Data Science and hopes to pursue a career in the financial services. He grew up in Singapore and recently graduated from Northwestern University (NU) with a Double Major in Applied Mathematics and Statistics and was a Calculus Teaching Assistant (TA) there. Having being a TA before, he always found great joy in helping students break down complicated concepts into smaller digestible chunks, and ultimately become more confident in their mathematical ability. He believes that while everyone can succeed in mathematics, not everyone is given equal resources and hopes that through ACE, some of this gap can be bridged. Also, noting that not everyone learns the same way, he hopes that in this smaller classroom setting everyone can learn in the way that suits them the best. Beyond the classroom, Sam has worked briefly in consulting, as well as quantitative research and is happy to share more about his experiences with students. In his free time, you might catch him throwing some weights overhead in the gym or simply taking a leisurely stroll around campus. He is also a self-declared coffee snob and hopes to ultimately become a Dairy Queen franchisee at some point in his life.
In the classroom, I truly believe that no question is a stupid question. I know that many times one might feel that they have a doubt that no one else has. However, in my experiences, often if a point is unclear to you, it is unclear to at least a few other people as well. I hope that through my section, students will be able to freely ask questions, no matter how simple they think it might be. When I teach, I hope to ensure that students not only arrive at the correct answer, but also understand the fundamental concepts behind them. As such, be prepared for me to ask you a lot of questions too; I want to understand your doubts and help you to understand the concepts to reach the final answer. In general, other than going through course material and ensuring people understand them, I hope that my section will be a low-pressure environment where people feel welcomed, seen, and heard so that they will be able to have open discussions with the entire class so everyone can communally learn together.
CS ACE CAs
Andrea Collins | CS 100A CA
Andrea is a coterm student in management science and engineering who studied computer science as an undergraduate at Stanford. She is passionate about technology, health, and education; she has worked at Google Classroom and Flatiron Health, and did her honors thesis in computer science on Markov models for liver disease treatment. Andrea is currently serving on the Dean's Graduate Student Advisory Council and the MS&E department's DE&I committee. She grew up outside Chicago, IL and loves to crochet in her free time.
Teaching Philosophy: CS 106A can be both fun and extremely difficult, especially for students who don't have an extensive computer science background. My goal in CS 100A is to help all students succeed in CS 106A, no matter where they start at the beginning of the quarter. In our weekly ACE sections we'll review material from class and practice problems. collaboratively, and hopefully have fun and build a strong community throughout the quarter. I hope to create a foundation of mutual respect in our ACE section so that all students feel comfortable asking questions and learning.
Eric Bear | CS 100B CA
Eric (he/him) was raised in the woods and mountains near Golden, CO. In his 5th year at Stanford, he is pursuing a B.S. in Computer Science, focusing on systems and theory, and an M.S. in Sustainability. With this combination, he hopes to work at the intersection of environmental impact and technical solutions, ranging from applications in forestry and fire prevention to water, energy, and food systems. In his Frosh spring, he was lucky enough to begin teaching in the CS 198 program, where he'd teach until Spring 2021. Meanwhile, Eric grew his love for teaching to the unique backgrounds of his students and sought to cultivate inclusive classrooms where students feel they belong. Eric instructed CS 100B for the AY of 2021-2022 and will be returning this year. When not teaching, Eric loves digging deep into the artistic community by making music with friends and performing in theatrical productions or as a member of the acapella group Fleet Street. In his free time, you might find him still learning his way around the guitar, running slowly but with a smile, and spending time with friends and the Outdoor House community.
Teaching Philosophy: In CS 100B, I aim to carve out a learning community space where students see other students who look like them, feel they belong and can ask questions in a variety of ways, and can grow through a challenging milestone class in their academic career. I also hope to provide a variety of check-in points and feedback avenues to garner a pulse on what's working and what's not. With roughly 4 years of teaching CS 106B topics under my belt, I emphasize that there are many ways to solve the problems posed in class, including different approaches as equally effective. Along the way, I hope to highlight topics past students have found tricky and strive to deliver practical notes from each session to review. In 100B class sessions, office hours, and check-ins, I make space for questions regarding the material, academic planning, and study habits. Above all, the teaching process is an iterative, feedback-centric growth cycle. Every quarter, students inform me of more precise ways they'd benefit from learning, whether that is a different format for content or a way to problem-solve. In turn, I accept input early and often, grateful for the chance to tailor the classroom experience to students' needs.
Pranav Sriram | CS103ACE CA
Pranav (he/him pronouns) is a 1st year coterm in Computer Science from Carmel, Indiana. He’s especially interested in problems in computer vision and ML System Design. In his free time, he enjoys being outdoors, playing tennis, reading, and watching sports. He completed his Bachelors in Computer Science on the AI track last year and became an ACE CA due to his passion for tech education. He’s previously TAed for 106A and 106B.
Teaching Philosophy: In terms of my teaching philosophy, I make it a priority to utilize a variety of teaching styles. Since everyone learns differently, I make my sections a healthy balance of small group work, short discussions, whiteboard style class work, and live coding/problem examples. I encourage questions and am always open to feedback from students. I also make it a priority to get to know each of my students individually and learn about their academic & general interests.
Frankie Mulholland Cerkvenik | CS107ACE CA
Frankie (she/her) finished her undergrad in CS (systems track) last year and will be finishing her CS coterm (networking and security) this year. She loves to teach! This will be her fourth year teaching at Stanford. She has previously lectured CS106L, SLed CS106B and been a visual descriptionist for a blind student in CS110, CS109 and CS221. Frankie is a proud Minnesotan: she loves lakes and snow and fishing and camping and telling other people about the place she is from. She loves soccer and keeps joining pickup groups that she can't consistently attend. Frankie grew up speaking Spanish at school and English at home. She studied French for several years but don't ask her to prove it. The ACE CAship is a dream opportunity for Frankie because it is one of the most student facing positions available. She is known for cheering the first someone asks a question in class and frequently stays long enough after class answering questions that she gets kicked out of the room. Frankie struggled a lot in the CS core, but it turns out that has made her a better teacher. She's especially excited to be helping students through 107A. Whenever she has a question, she likes to drill down to the lowest level and learn about exactly what the computer is doing and why. CS107 answers a lot of those questions and she is so excited to share the experience with her students!
Teaching Philosophy: My teaching philosophy revolves a lot around engagement and community. You can expect a lot of classwide coding sessions, long pauses for questions, and frequent prompts from me for someone to fill in the blank. Don't worry- I was never good at asking or answering questions during lecture, and you will never be put on the spot in my class. There will be near constant opportunities for you to participate when you are comfortable. We will typically have a brief (ish, depending on questions) lecture covering the main topics from class that week, followed by a lot of practice problems. I like to do these as a big group, but we will also have small group or individual practice problems. You can expect to have class slides, practice problems and a few writeups on helpful resources available to you throughout the quarter. One final thing to expect in my class: warmup questions. These won't have anything to do with the material, but I ask my students to lean in and learn about their classmates and me! Classes are so much more fun and talking about what you don't understand is so much easier when you are pals with the people around you.
Julia Kadie | CS109ACE CA
Julia (she/her) is a coterminal master's student at Stanford University with a B.S. in Computer Science (AI track), currently pursuing a M.S. in Computer Science (HCI track). Julia chose to be an ACE CA because of her love for teaching and her passion for promoting diversity in engineering. Her passions include algorithmic fairness and responsible AI, technology for learners, and the intersection of transportation and technology. Julia also enjoys swimming, tennis, volleyball, and photography.
Teaching Philosophy: I hope to make my ACE section as helpful as possible for students. I will curate a welcoming and supportive environment where students always feel comfortable asking questions, seeking clarification, or providing feedback. Together, we'll explore the beauty of probability and gain confidence in our problem-solving skills!
Trip Master | CS111ACE CA
Trip (he/him) is a second year coterm in Computer Science with a concentration in Computer Systems. His undergraduate specialization was Computer Engineering. He enjoys low-level computing because he thinks computers are "magic boxes" and is determined to figure out exactly how they work. A native of Staten Island NY, Trip didn’t have much exposure to Computer Science before coming to Stanford, but after taking CS106A, he was drawn to the field because of the CS198 Section Leading program. He soon realized that his passion for Computer Science was only matched by his love of teaching, and he spent much of his time as an undergraduate as a Section Leader for CS106B. For Trip, CS111A is a dream-job, because it allows him to combine his love for teaching with his love for computer systems. To that end, Trip can’t wait to get back into the classroom and resume in-person teaching! Trip is also an avid musician, and he sings in the a cappella group Fleet Street as well as in Stanford’s Chamber Chorale.
Teaching Philosophy: I am committed to fostering a classroom environment where everyone feels comfortable learning and participating. Although this is easier said than done, I’m excited to employ some strategies I’ve used in the past few years that I have found success with. First and foremost, I have found that acknowledging the difficult and demanding nature of Stanford’s technical classes can go a long way in instilling confidence within students. This acknowledgement is twofold: on one hand, frequent student check-ins and affirmations establish a strong communicative bridge between student and instructor. On the other side of the coin, it is the teacher’s obligation to establish a culture (usually done by example) where use of jargon and flaunting one’s technical privilege are prohibited. I would say that my teaching style is high-energy, but I strive to meet each of my students at their optimal engagement levels. I hope that students can find some amusement (and motivation, ideally) in my enthusiasm that I show for systems material, and by making my classroom a safe place, I hope to make my lessons as enjoyable as they are educational.
Lauren Saue-Fletcher | CS161ACE CA
Lauren (she/her) is a first-year coterm/master's student in Computer Science - probably specializing in Computer and Network Security. She just finished her undergrad at Stanford in MCS. Lauren’s main interests are in security and theory, and she is particularly passionate about teaching. Outside of the classroom, you can find Lauren rock climbing, being entirely too invested in her latest competition reality tv show, or on a hammock around campus reading a fantasy novel. Lauren was a CS106A/B section leader for the past two and a half years, and she's really excited to continue teaching with CS161a. CS161 was one of her favorite classes at Stanford. She's had her share of feeling somewhat intimidated and overwhelmed in CS classes in the past and hopes CS161A can provide that extra support to students from all backgrounds and confidence levels.
Teaching Philosophy: I believe that all students can succeed in CS classes, and deserve to feel supported and confident in all of their CS endeavors. My job as a teacher is to meet students where they're at and provide support. My goal for CS161A is to create a community to practice 161 material and encourage each other. In section, we'll start with a review of past lectures and move on to some practice problems - focusing on the problem-solving approach and trying to demystify “aha” moments. We’ll adapt as needed to focus on what you all want to cover the most. These classes can be hard but we're going to get through it together :)