Snezhana I. Abarzhi

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                          Teaching and Mentoring

Teaching Outline

The goal of my professorial services is to train and educate specialists, graduate students and undergraduate students to 1) perform high quality research; 2) find clear theoretical formulations consistent with physics concepts and engineering practicality; 3) apply advanced data analysis techniques to evaluate predictive capabilities of the developed models, and estimate quality and information capacity of data sets.

I have successful and extensive experience in the education of specialists and professionals, as well as graduate and undergraduate students. This includes the teaching of courses in mathematics, physics and engineering, the developing of new courses for graduate and professional education, and the mentoring, training and advising of specialists and professionals, and graduate and undergraduate students.


Teaching Services

2017-        .  The University of Western Australia, AUS; Department (School) of Mathematics and Statistics.

2013-2016. Carnegie Mellon University, USA; Mellon College of Science, Carnegie Mellon University – Qatar.

2012-2013. The University of Illinois in Chicago, USA; Department of Physics.

2006-2009. Illinois Institute of Technology, USA; Department of Applied Mathematics.

2004-2005. San Francisco State University, USA; School of Engineering.

2000-2001. State University of New York at Stony Brook, USA; Department of Applied Mathematics.

1997-1998. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA; Department of Mathematics.

1991-1994. Moscow Institute for Physics and Technology, RUS; Department of General and Applied Physics.


Teaching Services

Professional education (Fluids, Plasmas, Materials)

Fluid instabilities and interfacial mixing (2019, 2017, 2015, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010);

Properties of matter at extremes (2019, 2017, 2015, 2013, 2012).

Graduate courses (Mathematics, Science, Engineering)

Modern methods of theoretical modeling (2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2017, 2013, 2012, 2008, 2006);

Advanced Mathematics - Mathematical Physics (2018);

Modeling of complex systems (2014);

Functional analysis (2006);

Probability and statistics (2005).

Undergraduate courses (Mathematics, Science, Engineering)

Mathematics

Mathematics foundations (2020, 2019);

Principles of real analysis (2016, 2015, 2013);

Partial differential equations (2009);

Ordinary differential equations (2008, 2007, 2001);

Fourier series and boundary value problem (2007, 2006);

Matrices and linear algebra (2009);

Multi-variable and vector calculus (2020, 2019, 2008, 2007, 1998);

Single-variable calculus (1997).

Science

Astrophysics (2016, 2015, 2013);

Astronomy laboratory (2016, 2015, 2013);

Physics: Mechanics, Thermodynamics, Electromagnetism, Optics, Atomic Physics (1994,1993,1992).

Engineering

Fluid dynamics (2004).


Advising and Mentoring

Mentoring and training of specialists (since 2017):

Faculty - 1 Associate Professor, 2 Assistant Professors (the University of Western Australia).

Researchers - 5 postdoctoral researchers (the University of Colorado at Boulder, California Institute of Technology, Stanford University, Northwestern University).

Mentoring and advising of graduate, master and honor students (since 2016):

Graduate students - 12 PhD students (the University of Western Australia, Stony Brook University, Stanford University, Carnegie Mellon University).

Master students - 2 MS students (Carnegie Mellon University).

Honor students - 5 Honor students (the University of Western Australia).

 

Approaches for Teaching

My current professorial background includes courses for professional education, courses for graduate education, and courses undergraduate courses at junior and senior level in science and mathematics. My basic criteria for effective teaching include 1) respect for trainees and students; 2) correct evaluation of the level of trainees and students; 3) delivery of clear and well-founded lectures and explanations; 4) commitment to challenge trainees and students and stimulate their creativeness; 5) individual approach whenever possible.

I often offer trainees and students original problems within the course, and share my research experience. Due to their diverse backgrounds and learning styles, many educational aspects have to be personalized in order to achieve good understanding of the material. My trainees and students are encouraged to develop their own strategies for solving problems, accept responsibility for self-directed learning, and apply this experience in their future carriers. My purpose is to keep the trainees and students interested in the subject studied. For instance, in order to give the trainees and students bright emotional images and keep their attention on the subject, I outline connections of a new topic to other topics, as well as historical aspects. For efficient teaching, I extensively employ tests, quizzes, homework, and exams. I actively use in my courses the modern presentational and learning techniques and the web resources, often communicate with the students to get their feedback, and apply an individual approach whenever possible. I have the successful experience in organization of educational processes in the online and face-to-face modes for small (5-10 students), intermediate (30-50 students) and large classes (300-500 students).


Outline of Recent Educational Services

At the University of Western Australia (2017-present), I teach my own graduate course on methods of theoretical modeling for major in mathematics and science, and the graduate course on mathematical physics for students with science major. The courses are well attended by the students and receive their high evaluations. I also teach undergraduate courses in mathematics for classes involving 300-500 students. I apply both online and face-to-face operational modes, and employ extensive tests and efficient administering in these courses.

At Carnegie Mellon University (2013-2016), I taught and developed graduate and undergraduate courses. For graduate education, I taught my own course on modern methods of theoretical modeling that integrated powerful method of applied mathematics with data analysis aspects. The course received high evaluations of graduate students. For undergraduate education, I developed new courses in mathematics (real analysis) and science (astrophysics, and astronomy laboratory). To effectively teach mathematical concepts of real analysis, I provided students with examples illustrating the need of the epsilon-delta language in the establishing the opinion-independent results. For the concept-heavy course in astrophysics, I extensively used web resources to help students better understand complex processes in nature and to grasp the essence of the scientific method. The students applied this knowledge in astronomy laboratory when working with data and observations. My courses attracted each year ~20% of college undergraduates.


Approaches for Mentoring and Advising

As mentor and adviser, I see my goal in helping my trainees and students become independent, knowledgeable and self-motivated professionals. I fully apply my expertise and experience to explore in depth the fundamentals of the problem, and to identify perspective research projects. To ensure the project progress, I keep regular contacts with my trainees and students, and encourage them to develop their own approaches, obtain reliable results, identify fundamental issues, and discuss possible applications. I have successful experience in supervising and mentoring research of specialists and professionals, as well as graduate and undergraduate students with diverse backgrounds and cultures. Results of these research projects are published in major journals in science, mathematics and engineering, as well as in their PhD, MS and BS theses.


Outline of Recent Mentoring and Advising Services

At the University of Western Australia (2017-present), I mentor and advise specialists at the levels of associate and assistant professors, and train graduate students and honor students. I also train and collaborate with specialists and graduate students at the University of Colorado at Boulder, Stanford University, Northwestern University, California Institute of Technology (2020-present). Results of our research projects are presented at international conferences and are published in lead journals, and are highly recognized by professional scientific community.

At Carnegie Mellon University (2013-2016), the University of Chicago (before 2013), and at Stanford (before 2006), I mentored and advised postdoctoral associates, graduate students at the doctoral and master levels as well as undergraduate students. Results of research project from my group were published in top research journals and were presented at international conferences.


© 2010 Snezhana I. Abarzhi

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