“Mathematics, to me is… Magical.”
Katrina's biography
Katrina Roebuck is a PhD candidate in Chemical Engineering at the University of Ottawa. She graduated summa cum laude with her Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from the University of Ottawa in 2012.Since high school, Katrina has enjoyed tutoring peers in math and science courses. This work has led into the creation of the Math Whisperer program. Sponsored by the Faculty of Engineering, Katrina runs free workshops for engineering students in core math courses, including calculus, linear algebra, statistics, and differential equations.Katrina is also a member of the Chemical and Biological Engineering Graduate Student Association (CBEGSA), a student organization responsible for running social events for graduate students in chemical and biological engineering.Most of all, Katrina enjoys spending time with her husband and two cats, Brick Tamland and Calineczka.
A major goal of an engineering education is to learn to become a good problem solver. I definitely feel more confident in my problem-solving skills than I did when I first came to university.That, or no one has told me yet that I am terrible at solving problems. Thank you friends.
Teaching to me is like performance art. I put my heart and soul into it. My goal by the end is not only to make students understand the subject matter, but also to make them enjoy what they’re learning while they’re learning it.
I watched a lot of true crime shows with my dad when I was younger. I still love to watch these shows. I also love cooking, exercising, playing computer games, and hanging out with my husband and our kitties!
The Chair of the Chemical Engineering Department (Dr. David Taylor) has mentored me for several years. He helped me get the Math Whisperer job, among other things. He’s a notoriously tough professor, but in reality, he’s teaching you to be a good engineer. I am very grateful for all the advice he has given me over the years.
I never planned on doing graduate studies, and I never planned on tutoring beyond my undergrad years. This was all a big surprise, and it has been wonderful.
It’s all about the networking. Also, save your money. Don’t be wasting that OSAP.
