Program Overview | Training and Development | Roles/Responsibilities | Resources
Welcome to the Teaching Assistant Program in Statistics and Actuarial Science
The Teaching Assistant (TA) Program encompasses training and development for TAs assigned to Statistics and Actuarial Science (SAS) courses.
In collaboration with the University of Waterloo’s Centre for Teaching Excellence (CTE), we offer the Foundations for University Teaching in Statistics and Actuarial Science training program which provides sequential levels of training to graduate TAs. Our training helps graduate students further develop their teaching and TA skills with a unique focus on Statistics and Actuarial Science courses and material. Upon completion of the program, participants:
- receive a Certificate of Completion issued jointly by the Department of Statistics and Actuarial Science and the Centre for Teaching Excellence,
- receive a Letter of Experience from the department outlining their participation in the training program with details on the training received and practicum experiences.
- are encouraged to apply to be a TA Coordinator.
- are encouraged to apply to teach an undergraduate course within the Department of Statistics and Actuarial Science.
Additionally, completion of our program also covers all workshop (and potentially up to 2 of the microteaching) requirements for CTE’s Fundamentals of University Teaching program. That means you can complete this second certificate program with minimal time commitments.
TA Program team
The TA Program team members are responsible for the delivery and coordination of the Department of Statistics and Actuarial Science’s Foundations for University Teaching in Statistics and Actuarial Science training program. If you have questions regarding the program, please see the Training and Development page and/or email TA Program.
Chelsea Uggenti is an Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream in the Statistics and Actuarial Science department. She graduated from Wilfrid Laurier University with a BA in Mathematics and from The University of Western Ontario with a MSc and PhD in Statistics. Chelsea served as an instructional assistant and teaching assistant for 8 years as both an undergraduate and graduate student. Her doctoral research includes investigating graduate teaching assistant training and development in the mathematical and statistical sciences. Chelsea is driven to assist in the training of teaching assistants – focusing on discipline-specific training – and aims to provide pathways for graduate students to develop their teaching identity.
Reza Ramezan is a research-active Associate Professor, Teaching Stream within the Statistics and Actuarial Science department. He earned his PhD in Statistics here at the University of Waterloo where he also completed the Certificate in University Teaching program (CUT). After graduating, he took a tenure-track position at California State University, Fullerton, and returned home to Waterloo in 2017 to join our faculty. Reza's research lies at the intersection of statistics and neuroscience. He focuses on information coding in the brain, where he develops multivariate and high-dimensional scalable models for communication among nerve cells. A passionate and energetic instructor, he emphasizes interdisciplinary teaching, critical thinking, and professional growth, while fostering a positive learning environment. Within the TA training program, Reza aims to use his experience and expertise to help our graduate students enhance their teaching skills.