Morgan

I graduated from the University of Nottingham in 2024 with a first class master's degree in theoretical physics. During my time there I came to learn that I thoroughly enjoy helping other students. Furthermore, being able to concisely explain a difficult topic reinforces my own understanding which was very rewarding. In my final year I completed a research project on theories of modified gravity, culminating in a fifty page report detailing my calculations and results. This experience made me realise I wanted to keep researching and, inspired by my professors, I decided I would pursue a PhD and work towards becoming a professor myself. In the mean time, my goal is to get some experience working in academia while continuing to learn and research topics independently. In my spare time I enjoy practising the piano, and I am currently working on Rachmaninoff's first piano sonata which I am hoping to finish by the end of the summer.

Tutoring Experience

Since September 2024 I have been volunteering as a tutor for A Level students at my local secondary school, helping them with their current studies as well as introducing them to a few university-level topics. The sessions have been very successful so far with the students scoring higher in their class tests and engaging more in lessons. With the exam season approaching I have been going over several past papers with them, focusing on interpreting the questions and various tricks to speed up calculations.

Tutoring Approach

From my experience at university I know that there is nothing worse than simply being told something is true without learning how or why. Moreover, science and maths has a tendency to be taught as lists of equations to be memorised. I aim to counter this by focusing on derivations and the theory behind the equations, presenting them as problems to be solved before guiding the student through the solution. I have found that over time this builds confidence and greatly improves their problem-solving abilities as it makes the students feel as if they are discovering the laws and equations for themselves. However, I believe enthusiasm for the subject is the most important aspect of teaching. It causes the student to naturally build an interest and a want to learn more which is invaluable.