WELCOME
Hi, I'm Laurie! I'm a graduate student in the NC State Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering. After graduating from Auburn University in May 2021 with a BS in Biosystems Engineering, I completed a MA in Teaching at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill in 2022. Becoming a teacher had always been a dream of mine, and after a year of learning about pedagogy and STEM teaching methods, I have decided to pursue graduate work in engineering with the ultimate goal of teaching at the college level. If you're interested in learning more about my passions and adventures, feel free to click the link below!
PROFESSIONAL HISTORY
August 2022 - present
GRADUATE RESEACHÂ ASSISTANT
Thesis topic: Drainage Water Recycling (DWR) in Eastern North Carolina
The objective of my research is to quantify the crop yield and water quality benefits of a DWR system in Eastern North Carolina. This system captures excess runoff from the fields and surrounding area and stores it for later use as supplemental irrigation.
June 2022 - July 2022
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE FOR TEACHERS - RESEARCH TRIANGLE NANOTECHNOLOGY NETWORK
As a part of the RET, I spent a month in the Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science Department at Duke University. The objective of this program was to allow science educators to conduct true engineering research with the intention of creating lesson plans that bring nanotechnology to the classroom. At the end of the program, the other participants and I presented our research at a poster session at NC State University. My poster can be found under the Academic Reflection tab.
August 2021 - May 2022
STUDENT TEACHER - JORDAN HIGH SCHOOL
Student teaching at Jordan allowed me to implement learnings from my graduate courses at UNC into the high school Physics classroom I was placed in. My responsibilities varied by semester, but the experience culminated with seven weeks of full-time teaching. During this period, I planned and executed daily lessons for Physics 1, AP Physics 1, and AP Physics C. Additionally, I developed and graded assignments, labs, and tests to allow for multiple means of representation and instruction.
May 2020 - August 2020
LAND DEVELOPMENT INTERN -Â FORESITE GROUP
As a land development intern, I performed a variety of tasks. From reviewing checklists, editing CAD drawings, and calculating stormwater runoff to attending meetings, recording site visits, and submitting documents to cities, my experience in Dallas was packed with real-world training crucial to the world of engineering consulting. The significance of practicing soft skills, in addition to technical skills, was made evident throughout the internship.
May 2018 - July 2018
CIVIL ENGINEERING INTERN -Â MACHADO | PATANO
During my summer at Machado Patano, I learned a great deal about the document-flow and progression of a large construction project. My responsibilities included maintaining documentation, using and helping to implement Procore firm-wide and keeping minutes during department head and project-specific progress meetings.
2015 - 2021
MATH TUTOR
Throughout high school and college, I tutored a variety of math courses, ranging from 5th grade math to Calculus III. Usually, tutoring sessions last an hour and consist of discussion of the content, followed by problem-solving.
I believe in the human touch, which cultivates sympathy with my fellow men and mutual helpfulness and brings happiness for all.