Hi,
I am a trained and published scientist who did his undergraduate at a small liberal arts school with a similarly sized science budget. I learned to build and do science in ways that many college students never really get a chance to, even doing my own research for a year of undergraduate and then into a graduate year after that in fluid dynamics. I love to help people to understand science and math, which is why tutoring has always been a natural fit for me. My undergraduate school, Beloit College, named me the R Ronald Palmer Distinguished Teaching Fellow (for the physics department), for my work tutoring and in Teaching Assistance, which of course looks great on my resume. I've been tutoring now when I could for about 15 years, though it hasn't been a full time occupation. I've been out of school with my immune disease since 2010, though things are already much improved in less than a month out here.
I have a lot of miscellaneous skills I feel I could offer a potential renter, from my time in the sciences at Beloit College especially (I was not at UC Davis a year before having to leave due to illness) but also from other work I did while at Beloit. I took courses for example in the scuplture department, to increase my knowledge of woodworking and metalworking-skills the physics department taught- with tools like welders, forges, all sorts of powered and unpowered saws, chisels, and much more. I am not the master wood worker that some in my family are, but there are a lot of home projects I could probably help out with. My ability to lift and stand however is impaired currently by my disability.
I also have a lot of experience and ability running science demonstrations, at all budgets, for all ages. I was heavily involved with a club in college that did this for both majors and non majors in chemistry, and it's something I've done frequently besides and since. My favorite labs involve liquid nitrogen, but that involves materials and equipment that can run to the hundreds or more of dollars. There are a great many incredible demonstrations possible for totals less than 20 dollars, some of which i've done in the last few months. For example there are much simpler and more inexpensive ways to reach the kinds of temperatures normally seen in liquid nitrogen labs. In part because of the tutoring experience, I am also able to explain fairly well what is going on in these labs, if anyone has interest of course.
There is already work in progress getting charitable help with meals and transportation for me until I can fully recover, and before long there should be more services for me as well. I hope that we can work something out.

Why I’m on Couchsurfing

I suppose I said a lot of this in my last section, but I am here to find a place to stay while my health improves and I transition back to a more stable and healthy life, hopefully. The doctors and other healing experts here have really been very great so far, I am really very excited to keep trying things for my immune disease and to keep meeting interesting people out here in Los Angeles.