Vaishali Patil, a new addition to UPA’s science department, teaches biology and life science.

She has a master’s degree in science and a bachelor’s in education, both from universities in India.

She immigrated from India in 1999 and took additional courses in the United States required for her teaching credential, as well as a professional career development course to become a biotechnology laboratory assistant.

“Since I [received] my master’s, I’m doing more courses and getting more knowledge related to this subject,” Patil said.

She loves biology; it was her favorite subject when she was in school and her major in college.

Her favorite part of biology is genetics and biotechnology.

​Working as a teacher since 2007, Patil wanted to be a teacher since she was a child.

Surrounded by teachers growing up, she got the inspiration to become a teacher from both her family and from her husband’s family.

Her mother and father-in-law are both in the teaching field, several of her mother-in-law’s sister’s are in the teaching field, and her mother’s family had careers in education as well.

She has noticed similarities between UPA and another public school she has taught at: both have ethnically diverse communities.

She has also noticed some differences.

“I have felt that the level of students and the management is better here than the previous school,” Patil said.
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Outside of the classroom, Patil enjoys reading, painting, hiking and shopping.