Peer Tutor Spotlight – Angela Mathews

Angela Mathews
Photo source: Angela Mathews

My name is Angela Mathews, and I am currently in my fifth year of the Microbiology & Immunology program. I’ve just finished up a year of co-op terms working as a Research Assistant at the Division of Gastroenterology here at UBC studying esophageal cancer and at the BC Cancer Agency studying COVID-19 in the cancer population during the early stages of the pandemic. I am currently working on a Directed Studies project looking at molecular biomarkers predicting Alzheimer’s Disease, and my academic interests primarily lie in Immunology and Oncology, which I hope to pursue further in graduate school (and beyond)!

I’m a Peer Tutor for Biology 112 for the third time, and have been Peer Tutoring for nearly two years.

What do you most enjoy about being a peer tutor? 

One of the most rewarding aspects of being a peer tutor has been forming such close connections with students and being able to provide support and encouragement in the midst of all the chaos and deadlines. Helping students realize they’ve found the solution to a problem they’ve been having difficulty with has been an incredibly gratifying experience, and being able to get to know and work so closely with professors, teaching assistants and other peer tutors has made teaching even more special.

What opportunities relating to teaching and learning have you been a part of?

I’ve been involved as a Peer Tutor here at UBC for the past two years, but I’ve always loved teaching – in high school I was a tutor in my Math and French classes, and in my early undergraduate years I was involved as an Orientation Leader during Imagine Day and beyond to support students as they navigate their first year of university! I’m also currently working as a mentor for the new First Year Focus (FYF) program which launched this year, where I help students with their transition to university in a supportive, cohort-based program. This past summer, I also had the incredible opportunity to lead my own online weekly tutorial section for Biology 112 which allowed me to work more closely with a smaller group of students and gain more experience teaching, which has helped me realize I want to do more of it in the future!

What is something you are currently doing at UBC that you are excited about? 

As I mentioned earlier, I’m currently conducting a Directed Studies project looking at the biomarkers contributing to Alzheimer’s disease. Getting to work on such a relevant and applicable project has been super rewarding for me, and I am so lucky to be working alongside and learning from a team of such dedicated and inspiring researchers!

What do you like to do in your spare time?

Over this past year, I’ve really gotten into running and painting (mostly sunsets, but I’ve been trying to branch out!). I also learned how to play the guitar during quarantine, which has brought me a lot of inspiration during these uncertain times. I’ve been doing a lot more cooking and baking, and I also love spending time with friends (and doing lots of virtual movie nights, as I’m sure lots of us have!).

What is a fun fact about you that people may not know? 

I love to sing! I was part of the UBC Choral Union and the Women’s Choir (pre-COVID-19) and absolutely loved being part of an ensemble again after missing my time being in concert & jazz band in high school. These days, most of my singing has been limited to my car and/or the shower, but I’m looking forward to a lot more ensemble singing in the near future (grad school maybe?).

What are your plans following graduation?

I’m hoping to pursue a master’s degree to further pursue my interests in Immunology and Oncology, and I’d also love to continue my involvement with teaching as I can also see myself pursuing teaching in the long-term! I would love to study out east, but as we’ve all seen this year, the future is uncertain, so we’ll see what happens!

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