Sohrob Aslamy
February 2025
Dear Members of the Teaching Mentor Selection Committee,
I write with enthusiasm to apply for the position of Teaching Mentor during the 2025 Teaching Assistant Orientation Program. When I entered the graduate program in Geography and the Environment at Syracuse University for my master’s program, my primary focus was to develop my skills as a researcher. But as I transitioned from the master’s program into my doctoral program, teaching increasingly became a central part of my academic identity. I have come to appreciate that teaching, like research, is a journey of continual learning, and that it involves not only acquiring new techniques and ideas but also cultivating meaningful connections with, and learning from, students. As an educator, I strive to foster a learning environment that generates moments of shared discovery; from having a student convey a course concept in class in a way I hadn’t previously considered to making space during office hours for students to voice their challenges and goals. Now, as I near the completion of my PhD, I am eager to share my passion for fostering collaborative learning environments as well as my commitment to ongoing pedagogical development with a new cohort of teaching assistants.
At SU, I have taught “World Urban Geography,” “Environment and Society,” and “Introduction to Human Geography” as instructor of record in both in-person and online settings. For these courses, I developed original syllabi, lectures, and assignments to foster students’ spatial thinking and geographic imagination. In my World Urban Geography course, I incorporate a creative mapping assignment that asks students to visualize an urban issue in a city they are familiar with or have lived in (sample student maps can be found on my website). My teaching background also includes five years of experience assisting introductory and upper-level undergraduate geography courses in the Department of Geography and the Environment. In Spring 2024, I was honored to be one of three graduate students selected from SU’s Maxwell School to co-teach 'Critical Issues in the United States,' a large enrollment course (over 175 students) that examines pressing social, political, and economic challenges, including topics such as immigration, inequality, and health care. As an instructor of record for the 2024-2025 academic year, I collaborate with faculty across the social sciences, and I have led plenary sessions on the politics of urban infrastructure and the history of racial segregation in the city of Syracuse.
I am committed to diversity, accessibility, and inclusivity in my teaching. I use case studies and ethnographic accounts to link theoretical concepts with real world stories, helping students engage with diverse perspectives on gendered, racial, and class-based urban inequalities. By assigning a variety of readings, podcasts, videos, and interactive media from diverse authors, I ensure that students see themselves represented in the scholarship and materials we review. Understanding that academic and personal struggles can impact learning, I prioritize open communication by offering flexible office hours (including evening and virtual options), encouraging student feedback through in-class check-ins, and creating a classroom culture where students feel comfortable seeking help. During office hours and class discussions, students are encouraged to identify course themes relevant to their studies or career interests. In my Human Geography class, students design and lead brief lessons on these themes, allowing them to share their voice, take ownership of critical reflections on course content, and contribute to a collaborative learning environment. At SU, I worked to improve my pedagogical skills through workshops and mentoring in the Future Professoriate Program (FPP), earning a Certificate in University Teaching. My teaching evaluations demonstrate my ability to build rapport with students, navigate difficult topics, and motivate students to critically engage with the world around them.
While at SU, I have actively participated in departmental and university service. I served as the Graduate Coordinator for FPP in my department, where I helped organize to support graduate students in their professional development. I also served as graduate colloquium representative and departmental senator to the university’s Graduate Student Organization. In 2018, I co-founded the Central Asia and Caucasus Student Union at SU, fostering a community of scholars with shared regional interests. Leading these initiatives has honed my leadership skills and reinforced my commitment to building supportive academic environments.
Over the years, I have become familiar with the significant challenges students face, including navigating campus unrest, adapting to evolving learning modalities, and coping with personal hardships. During this time, I found that peer engagement was essential for effective teaching and student support. Regularly discussing lesson plans, grading, and student well-being with fellow TAs and instructors provided invaluable insights and support. I look forward to fostering a similar environment of mutual support as a mentor to incoming teaching assistants.
Thank you for considering my application.
Sincerely,
Sohrob Aslamy