Current Teaching
“Stress and Cognition: Implications for Empowered Learning”
Harvard College (PSY1021, spring)
This upper-division course reviews the theoretical and empirical work linking stress and cognitive capacities including learning and memory with a particular focus on how individuals demonstrate cognitive resilience and optimize learning even in times of stress.
“Building Resilience: Insights from Cognitive Neuroscience”
Online (lecture x research course)
This private non-credit course ( <10 students) is an exploration of resilience through brain-based research. Based-off of Dr. Tsai’s teaching at Harvard and MIT, this hybrid class provides students with foundational knowledge (8-weeks of group lecture) then a deep dive into a solo research-based project (4-weeks of 1-1 research development). The course merges Dr. Tsai’s passion for instruction, research, and mentorship to all students without institutional restrictions. The proceeds from this private course fund 5 UC Berkeley Psych / CogSci undergraduates to develop free educational resources related to the mind, brain, and mental health.
What previous students have had to say about “Building Resilience”:
“The interactions we had with Nancy, I think her expertise and also the opportunities she gave us like the manuscript review was beyond what I was expecting.”
“Take advantage of every interaction you get with the Prof. Not only is the content engaging but she really provides an insight that you don’t get from just an internet search.”
“The reading material is really informative and the Professor is supportive of students who need assistance.”
“I would tell students that they will learn a lot of useful information about stress and resilience that can not only be used to change their own lives but also those around them.”
“Thank you for a wonderful summer, this class exceeded my expectations and I enjoyed every moment of it!
Previous Teaching
MIT AIX (Summer 2021 – Summer 2023): “Applied Psychology with Human Data” an online project-based research course
Harvard University (Fall 2020 – Fall 2021): “Cognitive Neuroscience, Psychology, and Education” a graduate level interdisciplinary course