Welcome to my About Me page! Below, you will find
information about my research, teaching, advising, and a copy of my
CV.
My research investigates the psychology of statistics. That is, what does it mean to do statistics, and how does one learn to do this?
My primary research interests draw on theories and methods from the cognitive and learning sciences to investigate various aspects of statistical thinking. I also collaborate with many statistics educators, drawing on design based research methods to consider how instructors can use contexts in their classroom to promote inclusivity and other affective outcomes. Together, both strands of my work intertwine in my desire to develop a holistic social cognitive theory of statistical thinking. Specifically, I work towards radically reimaging how statistics is taught, in terms of both what is taught and how it is taught.
आचार्यात् पादमादत्ते पादं शिष्यः स्वमेधया। सब्रह्मचारिभ्यः पादं पादं कालक्रमेण च॥ Mahabharata 5:44:9
This saying states that a student’s learning is derived from four sources: their teacher, themselves, their peers, and through time. These four sources do not operate independently - my choices as a teacher are inexorably intertwined with the impact each source has on students.
My goal is thus to support my students’ learning by facilitating a learning environment in which all sources can contribute to students’ growth. To manifest these values in a learning environment, I adopt a student-centered approach to guide my student interactions and classroom presence.
To read more about my teaching, download a copy of my teaching statement from 2022 here.
நான் யார்? [naan yaar] In Tamil, this question famously asked by the Saint Sri Ramana Maharishi simply asks, “Who am I?”. Together with the answer from the Yajur Veda, अहम् ब्रह्मास्मि [aham brahmaasmi], “I am Brahman”, this question fuels my drive to try to see myself in everything and everyone, and share my knowledge to help my students realize their immense potential.
To read more about the way my values influence my research, teaching, and advising, download a copy of my EDI statement from 2022 here.
I believe my role as an advisor is to unlock the potential within each of my advisees. There are four dimensions along which I seek to support and mentor advisees, which I call the ABCDs of becoming a scholar. A scholar must be autodidactic, believe in themselves, be curious, and be driven.
As an advisor, I share my experiences along these four dimensions with my advisees, and show them how I enact the process of scholarship. I invite them to do the same, and help to mentor them in learning what they love, developing self-confidence, noticing curious intricacies, and driving towards new knowledge.