So I was an invited guest a lecture on health disparities in April 2020. The professor let me tweak his slides, spend time discussing my research interests and put me in a breakout room to discuss with his students. I was flattered enough that he valued me enough to reach out and congratulate me on the National Science Foundation Fellowship, but then when I had responded, saying that my experience in his biostatistics course shaped my research questions, he offered me to teach one of his lectures.
Kurt Beschorner, a professor I formerly had for biostats is one of the most pleasant faculty in our department. He donated to a NSBE fundraiser when I was vice president, and was the only professor to take time in class to check in on his students when a mass shooting happened in Pittsburgh. And on top of everything else, he is a researcher at the Human Balance and Movement Laboratory in the Pitt Bioengineering department. Being able to work with someone who help laid my research foundation so early was and is an honor.
"What year are you guys?" I said noticing someone who I thought to be a friend of a friend who had graduated. When I got the response "First Year!" from three students in a row, I panicked.
He didn't tell me they were grad students.
While the initially scared me, it brought me back to reality. I have talents that I am to share with people. There is no limit on who wants to hear my voice. Who am I to think that?
After the lecture, I emailed Dr. Beschorner to thank him for the opportunity and provided lecture feedback, per his request. He sent a thank you back and ended with "I look forward to following your work in the future."
Am I being coaxed into teaching?
Anyways, this is me falling into my calling, and I will affirm myself.
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