Information About Michael Vinzenz - Kaitaia tutor

Personal Description:

Kia ora. My name is Vinzenz. I studied Biochemistry in Germany, earned a PhD in Biochemistry and Biophysics from the University of Cambridge/UK, worked as postdoctoral fellow in California, before setting out to establish my research lab in Frankfurt/Germany. From there, I was recruited to head a research lab and to teach at Yale University in the US before moving to Northwestern University in Evanston. I am excited for the next step in my life, which leads me to New Zealand, where I hope to be able to continue teaching.

Tutoring Experience:

Over the past 23 years I have taught college level courses and seminars in molecular life sciences (biochemistry, biophysics, cell biology, membrane biology, molecular biology), and first year writing. I also offered tutorials about how to approach teaching, and I held weekly discussion sections with my students in which we explored different approaches to all aspects of learning (from memorization to complex problem solving skills, from exam preparation, to troubleshooting weaknesses in understanding).

Adding to that, I spent hundreds of hours each year for meeting 1:1 with students that took my courses to go over questions and to mentor them as they were figuring out what to do with their lives and where to go next, how to prepare personal statements, or how to approach faculty about research opportunities. My primary tutoring/teaching experience is with University level biology (undergraduate and graduate), but if you tell me what you need, I should be able to help you at any level of study.

Tutoring Approach:

You and your success matter to me.

Every one of the >1,400 students I taught over the past 23 years was different. Not surprisingly then, which approach we will take, will depend on what exactly you already know, what you need, how much time you have, and what you are willing to do to reach your goals.

For instance, you may look for a “one off band aid” to make it through an exam, or several meetings to accomplish something more substantial. Perhaps you want me to help you to maximize your gains from studying with others, or you would like me to help you to become a more effective graduate student teaching assistant. In other words: there is no “one size fits all” need and/or approach. What we will do in our time together will be driven entirely by what you want to accomplish.

Teaching and learning are processes in which you and I are allies. The more I know about what you are good at, what things you find interesting, and what things are difficult for you, the better I will be able to help you.

Biology is an amazing field to study, but that sense of wonder is often lost in rote memorization of facts that may not mean anything to you. Consequently, one of the important goals in my teaching is to help you to understand the things you learn by empowering you to connect content to your own life experiences. That connection makes all the difference when you try to find out why biology and life work the way they do.

Curious to put it to the test? Reach out and lets meet.