Biology Tutor Specializing in Genetics, Microbiology, and Cell Biology, physiology and anatomy

Palak and a student from the University of California San Diego discussed ecological niches, resource partitioning, and the competitive exclusion principle. Their lesson also covered different types of relationships between living organisms, such as parasitism, predation, and mutualism, and how diseases affect ecosystems. The student was assigned homework to review the material covered in class.

Palak and Ashleigh engaged in an organic chemistry lesson, focusing on the nomenclature of organic compounds such as aldehydes, ketones, ethers, and carboxylic acids, and also discussed cyclic structures. Ashleigh actively applied the nomenclature rules to various chemical structures. Palak concluded the lesson by assigning a homework sheet for further practice and outlining future topics, including the physical and chemical properties of halides, alcohols, ketones, and carboxylic acids, as well as concentration terms and Henry's law.

Palak provided a comprehensive organic chemistry lesson to a student from Fresno State University, reviewing nucleophilic substitution (SN1 and SN2) and elimination reactions, including their key rules and mechanisms. They also began exploring NMR spectroscopy and worked through practice problems from a test, with Palak assigning additional problems as homework. The next lesson will cover transition metal chemistry.

Palak helped a student from San Francisco State University revise their organic chemistry course. The lesson focused on core concepts like nomenclature, functional groups, and SN1/SN2 reactions. They reviewed past papers, discussed reaction mechanisms such as oxidation and Grignard reagent formation, and classified haloalkanes/haloarenes. Palak effectively used analogies and visual aids to explain complex SN1 and SN2 reactions, emphasizing steric hindrance and carbon stability. The lesson concluded with practice problems to solidify understanding.

Palak tutored a student from Loyola University Chicago on advanced biology topics, including speciation, reproductive isolating mechanisms, the Hardy-Weinberg principle, and phylogenetic trees. The lesson provided a comprehensive overview of these concepts, complete with explanations and illustrative examples. For their next class, scheduled for August 18th, Palak assigned a specific example from the slides for the student to review for discussion.

On August 12, 2025, Palak tutored Ashleigh in organic chemistry, delving into foundational concepts. Their lesson covered alkane, alkene, and alkyne formulas, along with saturated hydrocarbons and an introduction to functional groups. They specifically focused on alcohols and halides, dedicating time to practicing nomenclature and structure drawing. Palak then expanded the discussion to include ketones, aldehydes, carboxylic acids, esters, and amides, concluding by assigning homework and arranging a follow-up lesson.