Joshua Kaplan

Hi! I'm Josh. I have recently been awarded my PhD in Biology from Queen Mary University of London, where my research was based on some of the Molecular Biology allowing the Tuberculosis bacteria to hide from our immune system. I want to help students, from GCSEs to university foundation years, feel confident studying Bio and Chem subjects.

I have a couple of approaches to teaching and mentoring, depending at what stage the student is at with their learning - are they starting out the academic year or are they approaching assessments?

I am very happy to assist in reinforcing concepts as students learn them throughout the academic year, to really lay a solid foundation of understanding for them to build on. I can re-explain and re-contextualise concepts to ensure that students feel like they gain a firm grasp, and am willing to work out whatever form of communication works best on a per-student basis.

I also like to help later-stage students to identify the topic areas in which they need improvement, often through low pressure mock-assessments, and then focus on developing understanding in those areas - this can give studying a bit more direction and help struggling students to feel less overwhelmed.

In my experience, building conceptual understanding like this allows students to have more confidence when tackling a wider variety of challenges in exams, coursework and practical sessions, since they can apply both knowledge and reasoning rather than relying solely on memory.

I have a generally informal style of communication and try to make myself open and approachable so that students know I won't judge them for their questions.

I have tutored for several family friends in the past, in one case helping a friend to boost their final A-Level biology grade from a prospective E to a final B so that they could go on to study sports analysis at university.

I have been the day-to-day supervisor and mentor for two Master's student research projects and a undergraduate student research project during my PhD at Queen Mary University of London, and, through a focus on developing a proper understanding of the work that they were doing via knowledge and reasoning, they were all able to achieve distinctions for their dissertations and had improved drastically in approaching their practical laboratory work with confidence.

Alongside standard academic tuition, I can offer services such as coursework proof-reading and basic evaluation, and feedback and advice for oral, and academic poster, presentations. If students are interested or curious I am also happy to explore current research publications and science news, and chat about careers in biosciences and research.