Andrea Hamilton, a current graduate student and mentor TA, talks with Dr. Amy Graham about her pathway from wanting to be a doctor to being a PhD candidate in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. She gives strategies for preparing to teach new material while recognizing that no one can possibly know everything and the importance of honoring yourself while crafting your teaching style. Hear ways of explaining complex topics, developing patience, and managing time and the stress of being a graduate student and TA.

Andrea Hamilton started graduate school in August 2019 and was in her third year at this time. Andrea was a mentor TA for the general chemistry laboratories which involved helping typically first-year TAs dive into the world of teaching. She has taught general chemistry and honors general chemistry, both of which are exciting to teach students that may have never been exposed to chemistry before. She is currently researching the effect of electrical stimulation on dopamine release in the brain and hopes to graduate in December 2024.