Urja
Nandivada, Physics
and
Astronomy
Urja
Nandivada,
an
undergraduate
student
in
Physics
and
Astronomy,
provided
students
with
an
impactful
experience
as
an
undergraduate
TA.
She
has
been
described
as
a
mentor
who
is
passionate
about
her
teaching,
and
who
has
not
let
chronic
illness
affect
her
performance
in
teaching
and
her
attitude
towards
students.
Urja
makes
the
classroom
environment
feel
welcoming,
inclusive,
and
comfortable
for
students
to
learn
new
concepts.
She
has
a
positive
attitude
towards
student
development,
and
she
tends
to
assist
learners
in
understanding
the
process
of
arriving
at
answers
rather
than
providing
them
on
the
spot.
One
student
states
that
“her
knowledge
in
the
field
helps
the
students
prosper
when
doubts
arise
in
the
lab.”
Another
student
says,
“Urja
gave
us
words
of
encouragement
to
keep
going
and
not
give
up.”
Urja
makes
lab
experiences
enjoyable
and
engaging:
“I
remember
one
9:30am
lab
session
on
a
Friday,
Urja
had
her
camera
on,
smiling,
and
she
was
engaging
in
the
conversation.”
Overall,
her
outgoing,
sociable
personality
is
a
memorable
one
for
all
students
who
encounter
her.
Urja
has
held
a
teaching
assistant
position
for PHYS
121L, PHYS
131L,
and PHYS
122L.
