As a result of positive feedback from students and faculty alike, I was honored to become first ever recipient of the P. Terrance Hopmann Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2008.

I have benefited greatly from opportunities to teach across a wide variety of contexts – both within academia and externally.  I have been a teaching assistant for classes in the fields of Comparative Politics, International Relations, and American Politics, including:

• Introduction to International Relations (Fall 2006, 2007, 2008)
• Theories of International Relations (Spring 2008)
• Introduction to Comparative Politics (Spring 2007)
• American Congress and Public Policy (Spring 2006)

I have also taught research methods – guest lecturing in a feminist studies class at University of California Santa Cruz on ethical research practices, and training a group of Guatemalans on survey methods and interview techniques during my fieldwork.  In Guatemala, I led a introductory course on Political Science to a group of indigenous women, many of whom had little to no previous formal education.  Teaching with such diverse groups across a wide variety of contexts has helped me become a more adaptable, inclusive, and effective teacher.

I have enjoyed the opportunity to take part in courses both within and outside of the department of Political Science that value interdisciplinary research.  Given the interdisciplinary nature of my dissertation and this academic training, I would feel comfortable teaching a variety of topics at the graduate and undergraduate level both within Political Science and outside of the discipline.