Helen Yan

A teacher’s role should be to guide all students towards reaching their full potential as citizens of the world.”

Helen’s Story

Teaching Discipline

Chemistry

Why Science

“I’ve enjoyed science since I was young because I liked learning and thinking about how things work. I’ve grown to love chemistry in particular because I like thinking about the world from a molecular level. I’m fascinated by the idea that the structure of tiny atoms that we cannot see determines the properties of all of the materials we interact with each day.”

Professional Experience

During her graduate studies, Helen worked on the development of new probes for stopped-flow nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) as a Research Assistant at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Additionally, she worked as a Teaching Assistant for various introductory-level chemistry courses.

After finishing the program, she continued to work as a Teaching Assistant and began working as a Tutor in the Chemistry Learning Center. Helen’s work in the center afforded her the opportunity to see how a student’s high school science experience has the potential to impact his or her success in collegiate science courses. This realization led her to pursue teaching high school science as a profession.

Hobbies

Helen enjoys reading, cooking and dining with family and friends.

Academic Background

  • University of Wisconsin–Madison (Master of Science in Inorganic Chemistry)
  • Sewanee: The University of the South (Bachelor of Science in Chemistry)