Teaching

  For examples of how I translate my teaching philosophy (below) into course design and practice, see my Instructional Frameworks.

  My teaching philosophy is to spark my students’ curiosity and creativity while leading them to see that their experiences are essential to developing new ideas and problem-solving strategies. This aligns with my aim of effectively teaching a diverse group of people and of attracting individuals from diverse identities to my research team and classes. I encourage students to go deeply into the roots of what is being taught, searching for the assumed premises and the interfering biases. I practice active listening with my students and use various strategies to help them gradually become independent thinkers.

•  I want to thank all guest lecturers and collaborators who supported my courses over the years.
• AI Coffee Chat: At least once a semester, I open my lab for a chat about AI.

Fall 2026:

• 2 sections: CSC 207 – Object-Oriented Problem Solving, Data Structures, and Algorithms.

Spring 2026:

• CSC 261 – Artificial Intelligence.
• CSC 324 – Software Design and Development / CSC 326 – Software Development Leadership.

Fall 2025:

• CSC 324 – Software Design and Development / CSC 326 – Software Development Leadership.
• CSC 207 – Object-Oriented Problem Solving, Data Structures, and Algorithms.

Spring 2025:

• CSC 261 – Artificial Intelligence.
• CSC 207 – Object-Oriented Problem Solving, Data Structures, and Algorithms.

Fall 2024

• Two sections: CSC 324 – Software Design and Development / CSC 326 – Software Development Leadership.

Fall 2023 and Spring 2024:

• PI Eliott was awarded the prestigious Harris Faculty Fellowship at Grinnell College, an annual competitive fellowship for pre-tenure faculty.

Spring 2023:

• CSC 324 – Software Design and Development / CSC 326 – Software Development Leadership.
• CSC 207 – Object-Oriented Problem Solving, Data Structures, and Algorithms.

Fall 2022:

• CSC 324 – Software Design and Development / CSC 326 – Software Development Leadership.
• Tutorial: Machines, Space, and Topology.

Spring 2022:

• CSC 395-02 – Special Topic: Introduction to Reinforcement Learning (RL) and Multi-Agent Systems (MAS) In the news: Exploring Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
• CSC 161 – Imperative Problem Solving

Fall 2021:

• CSC 324 – Software Design and Development / CSC 326 – Software Development Leadership.

Spring 2021:

• CSC 261 – Artificial Intelligence.
• CSC 324 – Software Design and Development / CSC 326 – Software Development Leadership.

Fall 2020:

• CSC 324 – Software Design and Development / CSC 326 – Software Development Leadership.

2016-2019:

• Lecturer (Instructor of Record), Dept. of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Vanderbilt University: Special Topics (CS 3891/5891), Introduction to Reinforcement Learning, undergraduate/graduate (Spring 2019 and Fall 2018).

• Guest Lecturer and Teaching Assistant, Dept. of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Vanderbilt University:

1. Special Topics (CS3891/5891), Data Visualization, undergraduate/graduate (Fall 2019).
2. Projects in AI (CS 4269/5269), Intro to Machine Learning, undergraduate/graduate (Spring 2018 and Spring 2017).
3. Special Topics (CS 8395), Computation and Cognition, graduate (Fall 2017).
4.  Special Topics (CS 8395), Computational Mental Imagery, graduate (Fall 2016).