David Aceituno-Caicedo
Toronto,Canada
Summary
Engaging science communicator and Ph.D. Candidate with 5+ years of experience creating scientific content, leading professional workshops, and translating complex scientific topics into accessible formats. Proven ability to engage diverse audiences, develop content strategies, and support academic and professional communities through inclusive programming. Experienced in organizing webinars, moderating discussions, and facilitating user engagement in digital learning platforms. Passionate about building scientific communities and creating thoughtful, user-focused content that empowers researchers and lab professionals.
Overview
7
7
years of professional experience
Work History
Graduate Education Developer
University of Toronto
Toronto, Canada
07.2023 - Current
- Designed and led 10+ professional workshops (e.g., “Neurodiversity in the Classroom,” “Designing Accessible Visuals”) for graduate students and educators, enhancing teaching practices, and community inclusivity.
- Created supporting materials, including presentations, instructional documents, and online content, to support learner success.
- Collected participant feedback to improve workshop structure and learning outcomes in real time.
- Collaborated with program teams to align messaging with accessibility standards (UDL, WCAG), and platform functionality.
University Teaching Assistant
University of Toronto
Toronto, Canada
09.2018 - Current
- Completed over 1,100 hours of lab and tutorial instruction for undergraduate and graduate courses in physical and environmental sciences.
- Accumulated 5+ years of experience planning and leading engaging labs and tutorials while applying universal design principles to support diverse learners.
- Created assignment grading criteria to assess and develop critical and analytical thinking, communication, and problem-solving skills.
- Assisted faculty members with administrative tasks such as tracking grades, preparing reports.
- Collaborated with faculty and peers to enhance course design and student engagement through evidence-based approaches using student performance insights.
Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Coordinator
University of Toronto
Toronto, Canada
07.2024 - 04.2025
- Coordinated two EDI working groups to develop internal and external programming guidelines for staff and program participants on Indigenizing and Decolonizing education.
- Led an EDI working group in a landscape analysis on resources and support for neurodivergent students and faculty across 57 post-secondary institutions.
- Chaired the adjudication committee of the TA BIPOC Award to evaluate 26 candidates on teaching excellence using evidence-based criteria
- Supported the integration of decolonized, anti-racist, and inclusive pedagogical strategies across 20+ workshops and training sessions.
- Demonstrated leadership by setting project timelines and coordinating deliverables across administrative stakeholders.
Sessional Course Instructor
University of Toronto
Toronto, Canada
09.2024 - 12.2024
- Developed and delivered 13 lectures for a 3rd-year undergraduate science course, focusing on student-centered engagement through storytelling and live digital interaction.
- Created 26 interactive activities using Mentimeter to reinforce learning and promote active participation.
- Collected student feedback to improve content flow and engagement.
- Maintained accurate records of student grades, attendance, and other relevant data points using course administration and content management software (Quercus).
Research and Development Intern
Dittrich Laboratory
Toronto, Canada
08.2020 - 09.2022
- Secured a $15,000 Mitacs Accelerate grant to lead applied R&D on microbial carbonate precipitation for construction materials, aligning with sustainable innovation goals.
- Collaborated cross-functionally with the Research and Innovation Division to plan and execute a 6-month bioconcrete pilot program, adapting strategy in response to COVID-19 constraints.
- Designed and conducted controlled experiments to evaluate material performance; applied quantitative methods, and user data, to drive product iteration.
- Synthesized academic and industry research to inform feature development and benchmark against competitive offerings.
- Authored a peer-reviewed article in the Biotechnology Journal, including technical documentation supporting reproducibility and cross-team knowledge transfer.
Education
Ph.D. - Earth Science
University of Toronto
Toronto11-2025
Professional Master of Environmental Science -
University of Toronto
Toronto, ON11-2018
Bachelor of Science - Life Sciences
McMaster University
Hamilton11-2017
Skills
- Science communication and accessible visual presentation
- Environmental microbiology and biogeochemistry background
- Community engagement and virtual workshop organization and facilitation
- Technical documentation and educational content development
- Universal design for learning (UDL) and digital accessibility (WCAG)
- Content management software (Quercus) and educational technology tools (Mentimeter)
Languages
English
Native/ Bilingual
French
Limited
Spanish
Professional
Accomplishments
- Recipient of the Best Oral Presentation Award issued by 8th Doctoral Environmental Science Colloquium (2025)
- Recipient of the Natural Science & Engineering Research Council Post-Graduate Scholarship, $63,000 (September 2021);
- Recipient of the Ontario Graduate Scholarship: Faculty Of Arts And Science, $30,000 (2019, 2020)
- Recipient of the Geneva Challenge International SDSN Youth Special Prize, in partnership with the Geneva Institute and United Nations (2018)
- Recipient of the Best Poster Presentation Award issued by the 8th Annual McMaster Interdisciplinary Research Symposium (2017)
Affiliations
- Ambassador and Science Communicator for "Science Is A Drag" (www.scienceisadrag.com)
- Team Sports Captain for Queer Toronto Ultimate Frisbee League, IHUC
References
References available upon request.
Timeline
Sessional Course Instructor
University of Toronto
09.2024 - 12.2024
Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Coordinator
University of Toronto
07.2024 - 04.2025
Graduate Education Developer
University of Toronto
07.2023 - Current
Research and Development Intern
Dittrich Laboratory
08.2020 - 09.2022
University Teaching Assistant
University of Toronto
09.2018 - Current
Ph.D. - Earth Science
University of Toronto
Professional Master of Environmental Science -
University of Toronto
Bachelor of Science - Life Sciences
McMaster University
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