Scott Fallstrom
STEM and Math Learning Center Faculty Director, x6501
Scott Fallstrom is the Faculty Director of the STEM and Math Learning Centers and as an active member of the math department, he typically teaches 1-2 courses per semester. Scott earned a bachelor's degree with an emphasis on secondary math education and an M.S. in pure mathematics from Eastern Washington University. During his 20+ years in education, he has taught at 5 community colleges and 3 universities across 3 states. Prior to coming to MiraCosta College, Scott served as the math education coordinator and assistant undergraduate advisor for 6 years at the University of Oregon, where he won the Ersted Award for Distinguished Teaching in 2011. He is the lead author on two textbooks for MiraCosta College courses and is proud to provide PDF access at no charge to students, and one of the co-facilitators of the Chancellor's Office Statistics Institute. Scott enjoys working with the community and has been the coordinator of the Oceanside Unified School District annual chess tournament for the past 5 years. When not working, he relaxes with family time at home, cycling, reading, and (of course) video games.
Raymond Clark
STEM Learning Center Faculty Coordinator
Raymond is the Faculty Coordinator for the STEM Learning Center. In this position, Raymond serves as a liaison between the STEM Learning Center and MiraCosta faculty and administration. He is also engaged in tutor hiring and training, programming (workshops, events, speakers and more), mentoring of STEM staff and tutors, STEM advocacy and program review of STEM performance. Raymond is also a professor of biology and generally teaches Anatomy (BIO210) and Physiology (BIO220), and he serves as the faculty advisor for the Natural Science Club at MiraCosta. Raymond has a Ph.D. in Biology with a specialization in Physiology, but his career trajectory has been anything but linear. Raymond has a research background in physiological ecology, environmental physiology, molecular cardiology, and international HIV epidemiology. He has considerable professional working experience in science policy, biological and nuclear threats issues, international health diplomacy, crisis and risk communication and national security policy. In his free time Raymond loves hiking/backpacking, mountaineering, kayaking, birding, reading and spending time with his family.
Amy
Amy is the Administrative Assistant of the STEM and MLC and enjoys connecting students to the free, friendly services the centers provide. She admires the dedication and success of students in achieving their goals, including the student tutors and desk staff she gets to work with. Amy is an alumnus of UCSD who spends her spare time with family and likes swimming, being a goofball, and eating just about any food…except peas, unless they are smashed in soup with a lot of ham.
Amber
An alumna of University of California San Diego, Amber engages in lead work direction to MiraCosta College STEM Learning Center tutors, including design, implementation, training, and evaluative academic support with foci on chemistry and physics; her specific interests relate to quantum informatics and ancillary emergent technologies, balancing human and humanoid interface. Amber has a Master of Science and completed an invited fellowship under the collaborative aegises of UC Berkeley and the National Science Foundation, with emphasis geared toward STEM faculty learning and training. Extracurricular pastimes include, but are not limited to, the following: Amber is heavily invested, personally and professionally, in furtherance of the mission to disseminate STEM competencies and andragogy toward humanity’s betterment and technological r/evolution; Disneyana; rock climbing (aspiring rock star); utilizing her chemistry skills to create and bake the best secret ingredient lemon squares in the galaxy.
Andrew
As a Learning Coach at the STEM Learning Center, Andrew assists in everyday operations, training, and tutoring Biology, Chemistry, and Biotechnology. Andrew earned a B.S. in Biology from CSUSM in 2018 and is currently working on a Nutrition degree. As an undergraduate, he was fortunate enough to gain laboratory research experience and is a published co-author in an alligator growth study under Dr. John Eme. Additionally, he has worked in the Biotechnology field, specializing in medical device manufacturing. In his free time, Andrew enjoys watching Jeopardy and spending time with family.
Ashleigh
Ashleigh has worked at MiraCosta since 2008 in various roles within TASC, SI, Bridge, and the MLC for the longest. She has a bachelor's degree in Math from CSUSM and is currently working on a master's degree in Statistics at SDSU. Ashleigh enjoys tutoring because knowledge is for everyone and it is very rewarding to see that lightbulb go off in a student's head, especially if they have been struggling to understand a concept or topic. In her free time, Ashleigh enjoys pour paintings, yoga, and walking her dogs. She hopes to see you drop by the MLC!
Bertha
I received a B.A. in Mathematics at UCSD and completed the MATS program at SDSU. One of the things I like most about being an MLC Learning Coach is that I get to wear different hats in the center. I can go from tutoring a student on fundamentals to mentoring an apprentice tutor on communication, to collaborating on a workshop with my Coaching team. I truly enjoy the STEM community we're building! In my free time, I play tennis, soccer, or try to catch up on movies.
Bryce
I am a high school dropout with a BS in Physics from UCSB, an MS in Applied Mathematics with a focus in Dynamical Systems and Chaos from SDSU, and am currently a Computational Science Ph.D. student in a joint doctoral program between UCI and SDSU. I like running, working out, and doing research.
Carl
Carl is a Learning Coach who tutors biology and assists in the daily operations of the STEM Learning Center. He also assisted in the start-up of the center. Carl holds a B.S. in Biology and B.S. in Physics from The Tuskegee Institute in Alabama. In his previous career, Carl was a co-founder and the CEO of a biotechnology instrumentation manufacturing company that was recognized as one of the fastest growing companies in Silicon Valley. In his free time, Carl enjoys studying Hebrew and researching the healing properties of sound.
Gerardo
Gerardo is a Learning Coach at the STEM Learning Center and tutors physics and astronomy. Gerardo enjoys teaching and is currently teaching a couple of science courses at the Community Learning Center. Gerardo obtained a B.S. in Astronomy and an M.S. in Physics from San Diego State University. In his free time, Gerardo enjoys playing card games, hiking, reading, and playing music.
Ian
As a transplant from the Land of Enchantment, I earned my Bachelor’s Degree in Mathematics from the University of New Mexico. I enjoy discussing the student's favorite calculators as I have my favorites, and I welcome anyone to show me a better one. In my free time, I play board games, card games, video games, trivia, even puzzles pique my interest and I play tennis.
Juan
I earned a bachelor's degree in Applied Mathematics from UC San Diego and am currently finishing a Master's in Computational Science from UCSD. I like tutoring because I keep learning different ways to approach/solve math problems from students and get a bit of insight into how people think and learn. My favorite subject to tutor is Linear Algebra. In my free time, I like watching funny variety shows and reading short stories.
Marlesha
Marlesha is an East County San Diego native but relocated to Spokane, WA in 2004 to earn her Bachelor of Sciences degree in Mathematics from Gonzaga University. Upon realizing that long winters with snow were not for her, she returned to sunny San Diego in 2009. Before joining MiraCosta’s Math Learning Center in 2015, Marlesha previously worked in a completely different field as a bird keeper. She trained at the Tracy Aviary in Salt Lake City, UT, and worked in all three divisions of San Diego Zoo Global: the Zoo, the Safari Park, and the Institute for Conservation Research. Birds continue to be an important part of her life, now in the form of her beloved pet chickens!
Maryam
I am Maryam and I am an MLC Learning Coach. I started working at MiraCosta College in January 2015. I have a degree in physics which I obtained in Iran from the Sharif University of Technology. Due to the coronavirus, I picked up some hobbies such as going biking on the weekends for long trips and short trips on weekdays, and baking bread. I also enjoy being a couch potato and watching comedy movies. If you would like to know more about me, please ask questions personally or email me.
Momo
As a Learning Coach at the Math Learning Center, I help with math including High School Math and assist in daily operations of the center. I earned a B.S degree in Applied Mathematics Scientific emphasis from the University of Idaho and an A.A.S degree in Women’s Physical Education from BYU-Idaho. I am married and have moved 16 times and lived in 12 different cities. In almost every place we’ve lived, I’ve helped tutor math. I enjoy gardening, communicating with my grandkids online, and seeing “a-ha” moments with the students I tutor.
Shital
As an MLC Learning Coach, Shital tutors many math courses, but her favorite courses to tutor are trigonometry and pre-calculus. Shital earned her B.S. degree in Mathematics from California State University San Marcos and believes that even if you are proficient in a subject, the art of tutoring requires us to be patient and have the ability to motivate others. As a tutor, she also believes that tutor intervention can steer students in the right direction and help them become successful learners. For this reason, she has enjoyed tutoring students for the last ten years at MCC. During her free time, she loves to garden and spend quality time with her family.
Skylar
I am a STEM learning coach specializing in Biology and Chemistry. I have a B.S. in Chemistry/Biochemistry from SDSU and an A.S. in Forensic Technology from Grossmont College. I have been working in education for a little over ten years in a wide range of contexts with students from all different backgrounds. I love tutoring because you get the opportunity to truly meet students where they are and have meaningful conversations about their educational journeys, not just content. I also love the problem-solving aspect of trying to figure out which techniques work with different students to help them connect with difficult material. In my free time, I like to read, spend time in nature, and do crafty things like crochet and paint. I also have a feisty 7-year-old and 2 cats that like to keep me on my toes!
Thy
I got a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry from Cal State San Marcos and an Associate's in Math from MiraCosta. My favorite courses to tutor are calculus and trigonometry. The best thing about tutoring is that you know you are making a positive difference in at least one person's life. I love to tutor others because it allows me to connect with others and be a part of their academic journey. I enjoy every "a-ha moment" I have encountered when tutoring. Overall, tutoring is such a rewarding experience! In my free time, I like to go on road trips and partake in outdoor activities.
