To quote Frank Herbert's Dune, "the first lesson in learning is the basic trust that one CAN learn." No matter who you are, I trust that you can learn, and I want you to trust yourself, too.
I am a firm believer in the MIT motto "mens et manus," or "mind and hand." We achieve the best learning when we combine thought and practical action to solve problems. Experiment. Observe. Synthesize understanding. Repeat! In other words, try things, mess up, and learn from those mistakes!
I've implemented this principle as:
- an assistant coach in Muay Thai for high-school and college aged students for +6 years
- a research mentor to undergraduate students for 5 years
- a high-school tutor for Israeli kids that one time my friend convinced me it would be a good idea to go there for no reason
The important thing is to feel comfortable making mistakes :)
Based on my extensive experiences coaching and teaching , the structure I've arrived it as follows:
1) LISTEN to what it is you want to learn and why
2) DISCUSS the challenges we need to address
3) Overview the broad concepts in their application, and break down into smaller concepts
4) Absorb the smaller concepts in sequence while applying in practice
5) Synthesize the broader concept and apply as a whole
Your first free lesson would be steps 1, 2, and a little bit of 3.
"The first step to being good at something is sucking at it!"
- Adventure Time
My name's Keisuke (him/his). I'm an MIT grad (Course 3, 2015) who recently completed a PhD on soft robots and cacti at the University of California, San Diego! I want to share my passion for STEM with students interested in such an education or career path. I encourage lateral thinking, diversity, and curiosity.
I love science, but I'm not married to it either. My hobbies are mixed martial arts, cooking, and reading sci-fi. My favorite band is the Talking Heads.
I am comfortable with in-person tutoring provided we practice social distancing, wear masks, and establish mutual trust.
EDUCATION:
2007-2011, Phillips Exeter Academy
- Cum Laude Honors
- Sherman Hoar Prizes for excellence in American History
2011-2015, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Course 3, Materials Science & Engineering)
- GPA: 4.7/5.0
2015-2020, University of California San Diego PhD program in Materials Science
- Authored several research publications on biological and bioinspired materials
RELEVANT TEACHING EXPERIENCE:
- Research mentor for undergraduate students through the Enlace, McNair, and STARS programs
- Assistant coach for Muay Thai at MIT and mixed martial arts striking at UCSD
I had the opportunity to work under Keisuke’s supervision for about 2 years as an undergraduate student at UCSD. This was my first time working in a university lab but I am really glad Keisuke was my mentor to this day.
He’s extremely knowledgeable in materials science/engineering and biology, and taught me important concepts from both fields so that I can understand his projects better. I remember in our weekly meetings he would ask me many questions about the information he just told me, that includes me repeating the information in my own words so that I can truly understand what I was just told. His determination is what led me to become more confident and knowledgeable in a lab environment by learning to use the lab equipment, conduct experiments on my own, and convey my ideas in our weekly meetings with other graduate students and professors.
Keisuke has gone beyond the duty by helping me improve the quality of my applications for research programs and conferences both at UCSD and outside of UCSD. He always emphasized how I should never sell myself short when presenting myself to others in academia, assuring that I should be fully confident in my skills and accomplishments. Keisuke’s meaningful consulting has truly shaped my career choices, and it’s because of his impactful research and dedication that truly inspired me to pursue a PhD in Materials Science. Overall, I highly recommend Keisuke for his enthusiasm and dedication as an instructor.
Keisuke was my research mentor for 2 years during my undergraduate study. Starting with very limited knowledge in the field of research, Keisuke taught me the complicated concepts such as stress-strain curves, moments of inertia, mechanical failure modes, and many more. The way he explained these concepts made them very easy to understand and I was able to apply them to research and use them on my own. Additionally, Keisuke taught me critical analysis skills for reading academic journal articles, creating experimental protocols, and designing experiments. He also taught me how to make a presentation and guided me to present our work at a conference. Through his mentorship, I was inspired to apply for and enroll in a PhD program. Throughout the application, he was incredibly supportive and gave me feedback on all parts of my application, especially in revising my personal statement. Keisuke enabled me to explore research and inspired me to go further into a PhD program. Thus, I recommend Keisuke to the fullest extent for his passion for teaching and mentorship inspired me to go further than I had imagined.
Keisuke was my mentor for much of 2019 and 2020. He guided me on what it takes to conduct Engineering Research. Keisuke was quick to critique me on my shortcomings and it helped me improve my workstyle in and out of lab. He is a great communicator and is able to accurately convey his work in a manner applicable to anyone's background. He is professional but also friendly and is a great all-around instructor.
Keisuke was my graduate student at UC San Diego. He taught me a lot about mechanical properties in a way that allowed me to understand them at basic mechanical level, something I usually have trouble with. He is amazing at listening to your problem, repeating it back in a way that makes sure he completely understands the question, and he relays information in different ways until you understand it!
Keisuke was my research mentor during STARS, a UCSD summer research program for students from all over the U.S. The research was supposed to last only three months; however, under Keisuke's great guidance and mentoring, I decided to stay for a year. During this time, Keisuke had taught me a lot of skills which are needed in academia such as how to read a journal article, how to conduct and record experiments, how to learn a difficult concept by yourself using credible sources, etc. He was (and still is) a caring and passionate teacher who helped me not only with my research but also my professional development. He would sit down and give me advice on my research/career direction, my resume, and how to present and market myself as a good researcher. Thanks to him, I have become a better student researcher, a better public speaker, and a person with more confidence in herself. He was a great mentor who inspired and accelerated great changes in my life. Therefore, I recommend Keisuke highly!
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