TeachinG
Jessica is passionate about high quality education, using contemporary pedagogy and innovative teaching methods to engage students in the material. She enjoys helping students understand the fundamentals of statistics and microeconomics, particularly in the context of agriculture, food, and nutrition. Jessica believes in the importance of incorporating elements of systems and critical thinking into course materials.
Tropical infectious Disease
Dominican Republic
In January 2019, Jessica served as a teaching assistant for a study abroad to the Dominican Republic. The course instructed students on spread of infectious disease in the Haitian migrant communities in Munoz, Dominican Republic. Jessica was responsible for conducting lessons on public health needs assessments, community participatory research methods, and health behaviour and education for children in the communities.
Research methods in public health
Mozambique
In March 2019, Jessica delivered a workshop on research methods in public health to the faculty and students in the Faculty of Health Sciences at the Universidade Lúrio in Nampula, Mozambique. Ten students that participated in the workshop received additional training on conducting focus groups in the communities.
Economics of the Agri-food system
University of Guelph, Canada
While at the University of Guelph, Jessica taught the seminar for the first-year course in Agri-Food Economics for two years. She developed an innovative learning experience based on the game Settlers of Catan to teach students the basic concepts of microeconomics in the context of the agriculture. In the second year, Jessica conducted an evaluation of the new methods introduced in achieving the course learning objectives.
Real estate data analysis
Virginia Tech
This course is offered to students in the Real Estate major at Virginia Tech as an introduction to statistics and data analysis. Jessica contributed to the development of assignments and examinations, supported students during office hours, conducted grading and assisted with teaching of weekly lectures.
Survey of natural resource Economics
University of Guelph, Canada
This course examined how resources such as water, land, forests and fisheries are allocated within a society. Economic concepts and methods are used to analyze and understand the basis for discussing and understanding the use and misuse of natural resources. This was Jessica's first teaching assistant experience. She provided support to students during office hours, conducted grading, and proctored exams.
professional Service
2016 - 2019
Women & Gender in Development Conference
Planning committee member for the WGD Conference 2019 and 2021.
Blacksburg blockchain symposium
Planning committee member for the symposium in 2018.
Food Security and access study
Contributor to an interdisciplinary team exploring issues of food security and access at Virginia Tech.
Food Security journal Reviewer
Performed peer-reviews of articles related to issues of international food security.
2012 - 2016
Ontario agricultural College Colloquium
Planning committee member
FARE Department program development
Planning committee and program representative
FARE Department Social media manager
Coordinator for social media communications