Teaching

My teaching focuses on the development of competent engineers and researchers who can apply theory and engineering judgement to solve real-world problems, and who can communicate and work effectively with others. This means teaching how to relate the theory and the examples to practical situations, and demonstrating how to select and use engineering tools.

I tailor my classes to maximize the time dedicated to problem solving rather than simply restating material that can be read from a textbook. This benefits students in a number of ways. First, they are more quickly able to integrate the theory through worked examples. Second, they are able to absorb the expert problem solving strategies and practical experience of the teacher. Finally, this guided approach to learning reduces the anxiety that many engineering students experience during the course of the semester when learning technical material.

Teaching Methods

“Pencasting”: My course notes contain blanks and partially-completed figures that I annotate and mark-up in real-time using a Microsoft Surface Pro tablet with digital pen. This translates into more time spent solving problems and helps emphasize core instructional concepts.

Surface tablet in the classroom
Surface tablet in the classroom
Drawboard PDF annotator
Drawboard PDF annotator

Courses Taught

  • CEE3424 - Reinforced Concrete Structures

    Virginia Tech

    Review of loads and design basis. Behavior and design of reinforced concrete members based on ultimate strength. Beam and slabs in flexure, shear and torsion, development of reinforcement. Columns with axial force plus bending, slenderness effects in columns.

  • CEE5410 - Intermediate Reinforced Concrete Structures

    Virginia Tech

    Behavior and design of reinforced concrete structures subjected to gravity and lateral loads. Methods for predicting structural behavior of concrete elements. Moment-curvature relationships for reinforced concrete beams with and without confinement. Collapse mechanisms and redistribution in continuous members. Development length, slender columns, two-way floor systems, and combined shear and torsion.

  • CVG2540 - Mécanique des Matériaux I

    University of Ottawa (French)

    Contrainte et déformation, propriétés mécaniques des matériaux, moment de flexion et effort tranchant; contraintes et déformations dues aux forces axiales, de flexion et de torsion; contraintes de flexion et de cisaillement dans les poutres; déflexions; contraintes combinées.

  • CVG3540 - Théorie des Structures I

    University of Ottawa (French)

    Analyse de poutres et cadres isostatiques. Calcul des flèches ; méthode des moments d’aire, méthode de poutre conjuguée, travail virtuel et méthodes d’énergie. Analyse de poutres, cadres et treillis hyperstatiques ; méthodes des forces, de flexibilité, des rotations, de distribution de moments. Lignes d’influence pour poutres, cadres et treillis. Analyse de câbles et arcs isostatiques. Introduction aux surcharges sur les structures.

  • CVG4907 - Civil Engineering Design Project

    University of Ottawa

    A civil engineering design project under the direction of faculty advisors for the final year of the program. The project is to be based on the knowledge and skills of design standards, legislation, economics, health and safety, environmental and other pertinent factors. A particular emphasis is placed on experience of teamwork and a creative, iterative and open-ended process.