Liz Wakelin

Meet TWK Tutor

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As someone with Celiac Disease and a love of chemistry, I like to create delicous gluten-free desserts that look and taste just like the original! My latest favorite creation: a Dirty Masala Chai Carrot Cake with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting.

My Degrees & Education

❖ Current Ph.D. student in Biomedical Engineering at CWRU

❖ B.S. in Biomedical Engineering from Purdue University

My Subject Expertise

❖ Chemistry, Biology, Math

❖ ACT & SAT Prep

Tell us about your research:

As a doctoral student, I now spend my time performing research at Case Western Reserve University, where my lab studies disease mechanisms in hemostasis, thrombosis, inflammation, and cancer to develop targeted bio-inspired therapeutic and diagnostic technologies. My work focuses on understanding and developing diagnostics for studying the intersection of thrombosis and inflammation, called thromboinflammation, which involves the interaction of platelets and neutrophils. These cells are meant to work together to prevent damange and infection, but excessive interactions can lead to systemic issues, such as sepsis.

Why do you enjoy tutoring:

I have always been driven to help others, especially through mentoring and tutoring. When trying to master new material, it can sometimes feel insurmountable. By being a part of their support team, I can help them acheive their goals. I am always happy when they come to me and share their excitement when they have accompished what they set out to do!

What's they key to your approach to helping students meet their goals:

I think it is important to act more as a guide to help the student build both their knowedge in the subject, as well as their confidence. New material can sometimes feel overwhelming, but by looking at and starting with what they already know, we can work together to connect the dots and build from the ground up. From there, we can use a variety of methods, depending on their learning style, to help them feel confident in what they know so they are best prepared.

What do you like to do in your free time:

I have yet to meet an artistic pursuit that I don't love. I spend my free time pursuing activities like sewing, crochet, baking, cooking, reading, singing, photography, attending concerts, and more. I love having creative things to balance out my scientific day-today

Interested in working with Liz and rest of The Whole Kid team? Contact us to learn how we can help your student reach their full potential!