TA Spotlight – Maia Palka

Hi everyone! My name is Maia, and I am a PhD candidate in the Botany department supervised by Dr. Brian Leander. I study the evolution of symbiotic relationships between bacteria and marine benthic protists using microscopy and omics tools. I completed my bachelor’s degree here at UBC in Applied Animal Biology. As an undergrad, I had the opportunity to engage in teaching and mentoring opportunities, and since then, my passion for teaching and learning has only grown. So far, I’ve been a TA for BIOL 180 (Thinking Like a Life Scientist), BIOL 342 (Integrative Biology Laboratory) and I am currently the TA for Protistology (BIOL 332).  

What do you most enjoy about being a TA? 

The most rewarding part of being a TA is the opportunity to engage directly with undergraduate students at multiple levels, through one-on-one conversations during office hours and in the broader classroom setting. I especially value creating a supportive environment where students feel comfortable reaching out for help when they’re struggling with course concepts or feeling overwhelmed. This aspect of my role feels particularly meaningful because it stems from my own experiences as an undergrad at this university. Having taken many of the same or similar courses, I can relate to the challenges my students face and offer more empathetic, informed support. At a large institution like UBC, it’s easy for students to feel disconnected from their teaching team, especially their instructors, and I see part of my role as helping to bridge that gap. 

How has your unique background shaped your TA experience?  

My passion for teaching, combined with experience in a variety of instructional and mentorship roles, including private tutoring, undergraduate mentorship, and science outreach, has been a major factor in my success as a TA. My time working at the H.R. MacMillan Space Centre as a science interpreter and communicator prior to grad school also strengthened my public speaking skills and improved my ability to adapt in the classroom, communicate complex ideas clearly, and make challenging concepts accessible to my students. 

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

I had the privilege of serving as the graduate student partner in a faculty working group tasked with evaluating UBC’s introductory biology program and developing recommendations for a revised, more effective first-year curriculum. In this role, I organized and facilitated focus groups with both faculty members and students who had completed the existing program, and I also published a review article examining the state of introductory biology education across North America. Immersing myself in the biology education research literature gave me a profoundly new perspective on teaching, pedagogy, and mentorship. 

What do you like to do in your spare time? 

I love all things outdoors! I spend a lot of time in the mountains hiking, foraging for mushrooms with my friends, ice climbing when I’m back home visiting family in Alberta, and camping. I am also a big fan of water sports and enjoy kayaking and sailing when I get the opportunity. I also love amateur astronomy and enjoy observing planets and star clusters with my telescope, or just stargazing on a clear night. 

What are your plans following graduation? 

I would love to pursue a career in both research and teaching at a faculty level following graduation! I really enjoy the research I do and would love to pursue it as a career in the future. A future position that I think I would be well suited for would be a research position at a smaller university with a large teaching component, so I can pursue my research interests while still teaching undergrads and helping shape their experiences and inspire them in biology.