Meet Blake Hipsley, McNair Scholar, Physicist and Tutor

Fri, 05 Oct 2018 09:31:22 -0400

Tell us a little about yourself…

I am a senior undergraduate at UMBC pursuing two degrees: a B.S. in Physics and B.S. in Mathematics. I am physics and mathematics tutor for the Learning Resources Center (LRC) at UMBC, as well as an undergraduate researcher with the Physics Department in Dr. Hayden’s lab investigating the use of electro-optic polymers in terahertz detection systems. After graduating from UMBC, I plan go to graduate school to earn a Ph.D. in Physics and become a professor at a research university.

Tell us about how you are involved on campus.

Besides tutoring and research, I am also a McNair Scholar as well as a teaching fellow through the McNair Scholars Program at UMBC, where I’ve had the chance to connect with other first-generation college students that are from a low income or minority household that wish to pursue a Ph.D. I have also been a learning assistant (LA) for the PHYS 121 and am currently a lab technician helping set up the labs for PHYS 111L, 112L, and 122L. I am also a member of the honors society Sigma Pi Sigma as well as the Society of Physics Students. Finally, I spend my remaining free time participating in club lacrosse and club ultimate frisbee here at UMBC.

How and why did you get involved in being a tutor?

I have always had a passion for helping my friends and other students learn and understand a subject they find difficult. I became an official tutor during the summer after my first year at UMBC. I enjoyed being an LA for PHYS 121 and wanted to continue helping students, but I could no longer give the time to it once I started doing research in Dr. Hayden’s lab. The LRC provided the opportunity for me to continue assisting students while not requiring too much of my time.

What is your favorite thing about being a tutor?

My favorite thing is watching what I call the “ah-ha” moment in students. After a student struggling for some time on a particular problem or concept, I enjoy watching the expression on their face when the material finally clicks in their brain and they finally understand how to either solve the problem or utilize a concept. Knowing that I helped them grasp the idea they had trouble with makes all the time and effort worth it.

Why should students utilize the tutoring?

Tutoring is a place to meet students who have succeeded where you be struggling. Tutors are a great source of not only knowing the material for a course, but great studying strategies and time management skills that a professor may not take the time to cover. Students should utilize this free service to become the best student they can be and become an efficient learner.

What advice would you give students about how to prepare for a tutoring session?

Best advice I can give is to come prepared. What I mean by that is to come with your notes from lecture or discussion section and be ready to ask questions. A tutor can only help if a student is willing to put in the effort to be helped. Please come with questions other than homework you haven’t done. If you are struggling with a particular problem, a tutor can help narrow in on what part of the problem you need help on, but a tutor isn’t there to do your homework for you, but assist you so that when you are alone doing homework late at night or in the middle of an exam, you are able to solve the problem yourself.

When and where can someone work with you through the Learning Resources Center?

For anyone in need of PHYS 111, 112, 121, or 122 and MATH 150, 151, I am available for tutoring appointments from 10 am to 1 pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays (if I am not already booked for an appointment). You can set up a time to meet me through the LRC website at lrc.umbc.edu or through the StudyTree app if you have it downloaded. You can also stop by the LRC front office at Sherman 345 during those times for a drop-in time if I am available. I am happy to help and hope to see you in one of my tutoring sessions!