Rhei
University of Strathclyde
Mathematics
pHD Year
DBS
20About Me
I have an eclectic background due the breadth of my interests. I love solving puzzles and I enjoy designing and proposing questions to students to challenge them. I found solving STEP questions fun, and I went on to study Maths in Cambridge. I still like to experiment with logic and other maths problems, and through this I have had many insightful discussions with students over the years. As a passionate tutor and STEM enthusiast, I feel motivated to help others in their mathematical learning journey, whether mathematics is an end to itself or a tool to achieve something, as it can sometimes be for physics or economics students. Over the years I have taught over 500h, delivering 1-1 classes as well as group tutorials, helping hundreds of students improve their test scores and grades.
Outside of maths, I am interested in the environment and ecology, and this led me to do a research masters in Geophysics in Cambridge. In my thesis I explored underwater volcanic eruptions via mathematical equations and laboratory experiments. I then moved to population ecology, and I have been doing a PhD in Mathematics and Statistics at the University of Strathclyde since 2020. My topic is mathematical modelling of exploited shellfish species in Scotland. Because of its multifaceted nature, maths has allowed me to dip my toes in many fields, including: fluid dynamics, mathematical biology, methods, modelling, calculus, number theory, geophysics, environmental sciences and ecology.
I also hold qualifications in nutrition sciences, public health, counselling, sustainable business, team leadership, event planning and project management. I am a qualified Mental Health First Aider, and I am committed to continuous professional development as a tutor and educator.
I am a native Italian speaker, fluent in English and I know a bit of Spanish, Japanese, and Chinese. I have found that this helps when teaching students whose first language is not English.
My teaching style
I prepare my sessions in advance, and like to research topics that interest students to tailor classes to their interests. In session I like to engage with students directly, asking them to motivate their answers to inspire them to think about rather than memorise rules. As well as encouraging discussion and critical reflection, I highlight when it is worth memorizing a specific rule/algorithm or pattern, and I organically advise students during sessions on more efficient ways of solving questions.
In a session I will share my knowledge of the topic, and check in with the students if they have any questions as we move along different materials during the sessions. I ask students to solve example problems with me so that they can become more familiar with what we are learning in a session. I also use interactive materials, e.g. pictures, surveys, videos, humor. For me teaching is is also about sharing passion for the subject, finding a common interest/goal with the students and helping them to feel more confident with the topics we are covering. If a student is struggling with a specific topic, I will break it down into simpler parts, refer them to simple example exercises and re-frame the problem. I will use supportive language, and I think that is important. I want my students to feel motivated and encouraged, and I know it can feel daunting when facing a challenging topic in maths.
I use an interactive whiteboard, as well as power point slides and pre-written notes. I set my students homework/questions for the next time as required. We agree what we want to cover in session(s) cooperatively, based on the student’s needs and goals. We typically make lessons plans at the start and refine them if needed.
Sessions are usually 1h or 2h long, and this can be adjusted to suit the student.
My past experience
I have been tutoring for over 10 years. I started informally in 2015, and professionally since 2018. I have taught over 500h, spread between 1-1 coaching, standard classroom teaching, and small group programmes. The years spent working with students have developed my tutoring skills, and I am confident that I can support students with a range of needs and expectations. My students are based all around the world, and I tutor both online and in-person. Because I have worked as a teaching assistant in Universities, I have benefited from university-level teaching training. I have also worked as an exam marker for university entrance exams. Moreover, my own experience in preparing for entrance exams, as well as conversations with my students, informs my teaching practice.
Over the years, I have supported hundreds of students with exam preparation, knowledge building and interview practice, as well as live and offline personal statement writing. Through our sessions, my students significantly increased their performance, strengthened their confidence, achieved top grades, and secured offers from high ranking UK universities such as Oxford and Cambridge.
I have been tutoring A-level maths since 2021 regularly part-time. I have supported students with university admission tests: I started with MAT in 2021, and then began teaching TMUA as well. I sat STEP myself, and have helped students prepare for it too.
I have also worked with students taking IB modules, and GCSE students.
In summer 2025 I went to China to teach at a Summer School Oxbridge course held in Shanghai. I was covering for Maths. For this project I developed ad hoc sessions according to the briefing I was given, which covered for 7 days of full-time teaching. Additionally, I mentored students in personal statement writing and interview preparation. In summer 2026 I went to China again for a similar teaching experience.
Similar to the above, I have also remotely supported students with interview prep by running mock interviews and, helping them develop interview skills. I also supported students with PS development and writing, as well as general admission support.
I have also taught bespoke classes to groups of students wishing to learn Maths beyond their high school curriculum, often running for 8- or 10-weeks long projects. These classes were delivered remotely, via interactive sessions and accompanied by slides/pdf. I have a small repository of teachable materials which I have been building over the course of the past few years, which cover a range of topics spanning both pure and applied maths.
My Proudest Achievements
Witnessing the moment when a student understands a particularly difficult moment after explanation.
The combined positive feedback I received over the years from students finding my explanations very helpful in understanding complex concepts.
Meeting students again after they had secured interviews/offers following our sessions together.
I teach
- TMUA
- STEP
- ESAT
- Oxbridge Interview
- A-Level Re-take Tutor
- Food Science
- Science
- Maths
- Further Maths
- Statistics
- Pure Maths
- Algebra
- Calculus
- Geometry
- Trigonometry
- Mechanics
- Italian
- R Programming
- Nutrition
- Mathematics
My Results and Achievements
- Offer from Cambridge
- Award for Highest Score in my Year
- Helped students get top scores TMUA
- native Italian speaker - linguistics enthusiast
- ex-STEP marker