Aruna Pawashe, PhD

For last 30 years, I have been teaching two undergraduate laboratory courses at Yale University. One is an intensive full credit course required for Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry (MBB) majors, MBB 460Lb, and second one is a half credit course, MBB 251La, taken mostly by students of both science as well as non-science background, to fulfill their premedical requirement and is offered jointly through MBB and Molecular Cellular and Developmental Biology (MCDB) at Yale University. My teaching goal has and continues to be centered on giving academic guidance for excellence by providing an environment that is comfortable and nurturing in the laboratory and giving hands on experience to develop critical thinking and practical laboratory skills. Being caring, compassionate and attentive to student wellbeing comes naturally to me. I have observed throughout my teaching career that many of my students identify their passion/career path, be it for research, medicine or other fields, by the end of their junior year. Later through determination, hard work and perseverance, they can lead a meaningful life both academically and personally and I am proud to have been able to be part of their path towards success.

Below are some of my current interests on giving to community and achievements.

• 2020-Current: Promoting STEM education & providing modern infrastructure to public schools in Southern Indian village, Hindalga, Belgaum: Built ~ 1500 sq ft space of science and computer laboratories at a local elementary public Govt. Marathi Model School (GMMS) in Southern part of Indian village, Hindalga, near Belgaum, India https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2CqKprIFsc through private and family funds, for supporting unprivileged children education. https://www.gofundme.com/f/local-school-development-in-hindalga-india.
  
• During Covid, provided 10 tablets and audio visual equipment through personal funds for virtual teaching of underprivileged children at GMMS. This effort supported school teachers to make videos and send lessons to children’s parents on smart phones, when schools were closed. Whenever schools opened briefly during Covid, teachers made use of these tablets for teaching math and science through virtual games. These tablets are now part of computer laboratory, which is also furnished with 11 computers donated by Woodbridge rotary club through the effort of Bethany Community School (BCS) children, CT USA. Currently furnishing science lab at the GMMS.
• 2021-Current: Promoting cultural & knowledge exchange between schools in India and USA: Towards this goal started a buddy program, “Be The Change” between GMMS from India and BCS from USA. So far we had 4 successful zoom meetings. BCS school enjoyed videos made by school children and teachers from both schools in India, especially videos on learning math fraction through relay game and cultural celebrations.
• 2021-current: As a member of advisory board, providing encouragement by giving lectures, demonstrating science experiments in local languages to motivate disadvantaged students from an after school program at Rajalaxmi Children Foundation (RCF) and mentoring children from RCF's Pratibha Poshak (talent nurturer) Program in Belgaum & local village schools in India https://www.rajalakshmifoundation.in.
  
  2014-Current: As a Vipassana trustee member at Vipassana Meditation Center, Shelburne, MA (https://www.dhara.dhamma.org/) for Connecticut region and as an old student practicing meditation, to bring awareness of a breath focused nonsectarian meditation technique for stress relief, host and organize every year public lectures on Vipassana Meditation by Dr. Paul R. Fleischman and also teen and children's meditation courses on Yale campuses and New Haven area.
  
  
• 2021: Spotlight 1 to a “Being Human in STEM” undergraduate course student project, "How I Knew I Was a Scientist, An Exploration into the Stories of Underrepresented People in STEM"https://campuspress.yale.edu/howiknewiwasascientist/spotlight-1/
• 2021: Invited to showcase my work at a wall exhibit, “Women in Science and Engineering at Yale University: The Evolution” as part of 50 Women at Yale 150 by Center for Science and Social Science Information (CSSSI), 2021
• 2020: Highlighted in YDN article on laboratory courses adhering to Covid-19 challenges, (https://mbb.yale.edu/news/mbb-...)

• 2012: Nominated for “Alice Bohmfalk Teaching Award” in Basic Sciences, Yale University.