The Center for Transformative Teaching, which collaborates with educators across the university to promote innovative and effective teaching methods, has announced its first funding awards.
Educators in the Seeding Student Success category received up to $50,000 for their campus projects. They include:
Catherine Fraser Riehle, interim coordinator of teaching and learning and associate professor in University Libraries; Erica DeFrain, assistant professor in University Libraries; Debbie Minter, associate professor of English; and Rachel Azima, assistant professor of practice in English, for “Writing Information Literacy: A Collaborative Effort to Support Intentional Integration of Information Literacy at the Foundation.”
Josh Brummer, assistant professor of practice of mathematics, for “Developing a Cross-Disciplinary Learning Assistant Support Program.”
Trisha Vickrey, chemistry lecturer; Morgan Balabanoff, post-doctoral chemistry research associate; Jason Kautz, professor of practice of chemistry; Mark Griep, professor of chemistry; and Eric Malina, associate professor of practice of chemistry, for “A Multi-Faceted Approach to Increasing Engagement and Learning in a High-Enrollment General Chemistry Course.”
Grants of up to $1,000 were also offered in the categories of Pedagogic Intervention, Incubation Fund and Student-Faculty Collaboration. Recipients include:
- Kathy Castle, associate professor of practice in communication studies
- Carolyn Brown-Kramer, assistant professor of practice in psychology
- Judith Turk, assistant professor in the School of Natural Resources
- Kevin Pitt, assistant professor of special education and communication disorders
- Vanessa Gorman, professor of history
- Suzanne Kemp, associate professor of practice in special education and communication disorders
- Colin Dike, senior special education major, and Morgan McGee, junior global studies major
- Bud Shenefelt, assistant professor of architecture
- Erin Bauer, entomology lecturer, and Justine LaViolette, entomology graduate student
- Patrice McMahon, director of the University Honors Program, and Valerie Jones, assistant professor of advertising
- Kate Anania, assistant professor in the School of Art, Art History and Design
- Ash Smith, assistant professor of emerging media arts
- Kristin Malek, assistant professor of nutrition and health sciences
- Ally Norris, junior hospitality, restaurant and tourism management major
- Emily Zetterman, junior hospitality, restaurant and tourism management major, and Lillian Nguyen, senior biological sciences major
- Yalem Teshome, professor of practice in the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources
“A very big thank-you to all who applied, and heartfelt congratulations to those who were successful. These important projects will help us in our mission to improve the student experience, and drive student success in all the colleges and schools at UNL,” said Nick Monk, director of the Center for Transformative Teaching. “We received close $500,000 in applications and would have liked to fund many more than we could, given the quality of the proposals. There will be another call in the fall, however, and we look forward to another round of innovative and exciting ideas.”
