PrepNow Tutor - Mason B.
Mason is a math and physics nerd who enjoys both learning languages and deep dives into philosophy. He holds a BS in mathematics from the University of Houston and an MS in mathematics from Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Since graduating from MIT, Mason has primarily been working as a data scientist with a focus on machine learning and artificial intelligence. He is currently returning to teaching and research, focusing on mathematics and physics.
Mason started teaching when he was appointed as a teaching fellow in the physics department at Harvard University. “My proudest moment during that year was when one of my students, a first-generation university student, switched her major from mechanical engineering to physics and went on to pursue aerospace engineering at CU Boulder and NASA,” Mason shares. “I was proud because this particular student had to work very hard to do well in the course, and seeing the internalization of physics alter the course of her life for the better was beautiful.” Throughout his career, Mason has tutored and taught students ranging from middle school age to graduate level, both online and in person, always focusing on STEM-related subjects.
“My tutoring style is student-driven,” Mason says. “That is, I modify the pace and approach depending on the individual student's needs and background. During my year of teaching at Harvard, I learned that being a good teacher involves meeting a student exactly where they are in their learning journey and implementing a consistent plan to build them up to where they need to be.” Mason’s philosophy around math education is that the main benefit of math literacy is not simply completing a homework assignment, but, instead, learning the ability to think clearly through complex problems. “Physics and math education are deeply personal to me because I believe that when people become competent in these fields, they can understand the world around them better and organize their thoughts and life for the better,” Mason says.
As a student, Mason played soccer. Throughout his undergraduate and graduate studies, he was the recipient of numerous scholarships and a fellowship award. During the summer of 2012, he worked at CERN in Geneva, Switzerland, as part of the Medipix project.
Mason loves to cook authentic Italian recipes from scratch and, in general, make delicious food. He enjoys reading philosophy, playing basketball, skateboarding, and playing guitar and piano. “I love learning about the world and find that increased understanding leads to improved quality of life,” Mason says. Mason speaks Spanish fluently and taught himself Italian during the pandemic from YouTube videos.
