Teaching Experience

Associate Fellow | Higher Education Academy (AFHEA), UK

Since 2024

I am an Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (AFHEA), a recognition of attainment against the Professional Standards Framework for teaching and learning support in higher education in the UK.

The Associate Fellowship is a significant milestone in my career, acknowledging my dedication to delivering high-quality teaching and learning experiences. It underscores my commitment to continuous professional development and excellence in educational practices. The HEA fellowship is globally recognised and reflects my alignment with the UK Professional Standards Framework, which emphasises key aspects of effective teaching, learning support, and professional values in higher education.

My application to the fellowship was commended by the chair of the Arena Fellowship Panel, University College London (UCL), for the following:

- You are clearly a passionate educator with a focus on authentic, experiential and inclusive practice.

- You have substantiated the impact of your teaching on the students and have demonstrated that you are a reflective practitioner with interest and enthusiasm in your work.

- You make good use of integrating your Continuing Professional Development and literature to unpack and support your pedagogic rationale.

Postgraduate Teaching Assistant | University College London (UCL), UK

Spring Term 2024

Key Concepts and Debates in Humanitarianism

As a Teaching Assistant at the Institute for Risk & Disaster Reduction (IRDR), Faculty of Maths & Physical Sciences, I lead seminars for the module "Key Concepts and Debates in Humanitarianism" for the BSc in Global Humanitarian Studies. My role involves facilitating engaging and interactive seminars that deepen students' understanding of foundational theories and contemporary debates in humanitarianism. Through this role, I have refined my teaching skills, expanded my knowledge in humanitarian studies, and significantly contributed to the academic growth and critical thinking abilities of a truly international and diverse group of 50+ students.

Key responsibilities:
- Conducting seminars that explore essential theories, concepts, and debates in humanitarianism.
- Encouraging student participation and fostering a collaborative and inclusive learning environment.
- Providing academic support and personalized feedback to enhance students' learning experiences.
- Assisting with developing seminar content to align with the module's objectives and overall curriculum.

Module Convener Feedback:

Both our students and I benefited directly from Catarina’s expertise, professionalism, and genuine commitment to fostering the best possible teaching and learning environment for her students.

Visiting Assistant Lecturer | Philipps-Universität Marburg, Germany

November 2023

Understanding Socioeconomic Inequality

As a Visiting Assistant Lecturer at the Center for Conflict Studies, The Philipp University of Marburg, I lectured on Global Inequality in the module Understanding Socioeconomic Inequality. My role involved developing and delivering a comprehensive lecture exploring global socioeconomic disparities' complexities. Through this position, I have strengthened my expertise in socioeconomic inequality, refined my teaching methods, and positively impacted students' academic journeys by fostering critical analysis and informed perspectives on global inequality. This exchange experience was part of the collaboration between the School of Politics & IR at Kent and the Center for Conflict Studies at Marburg (more info here).

Key responsibilities:
- Designing and presenting course material that examines the causes, impacts, and potential solutions to global inequality.
- Facilitating engaging and thought-provoking discussions to deepen students' understanding of socioeconomic issues.
- Providing academic support and personalized feedback to students to enhance their learning experience.
- Collaborating with faculty members and contributing to the ongoing development of the curriculum.

Assistant Lecturer | University of Kent, UK

Spring Term 2023

Global Politics in Question

As an Assistant Lecturer at the University of Kent, I led seminars for the Global Politics in Question module. In this role, I am responsible for developing and delivering engaging seminar content that complements the core curriculum. I facilitate discussions, encourage critical thinking, and support students in deepening their understanding of global political dynamics. Through this role, I have honed my teaching skills, enhanced my subject matter expertise, and contributed to the academic success and development of 50+ students.

Key responsibilities:
- Design and conduct seminars that explore key themes in Global Politics.
- Encouraging student participation and fostering a collaborative learning environment.
- Providing academic support and guidance to students, including assignment feedback and exam preparation.
- Collaborating with faculty members to align seminar content with course objectives and academic standards.

Module Convener Feedback:

Catarina's teaching style is not too formal, nor is it too informal. I can see the students are quite comfortable and engaged, but that Catarina has control over the session. Great time management; nice pace to the discussion. The session was very well-planned and well-organised. Catarina was given the responsibility to mark essays for her seminar groups, as is standard practice at Kent. She gave excellent feedback on these, and completed the marking in a timely and efficient manner. We coordinated our approach to this marking through discussion with other markers on the module. She had a very professional approach to all facets of teaching on this module.