Thursday, January 9 Sessions:

Session 101: Thriving Together: The Impact of Peer Mentorship on Faculty Engagement and Professional Growth

Presenters: Darrion Sprueill (Senior Project Manager, Office of the Deputy Provost & Dean of Faculty), Priya Doshi (Associate Dean for Faculty and Inclusive Excellence, Office of the Deputy Provost & Dean of Faculty), Jennifer Steele (Professor, School of Education), Maria De Jesus (Professor, Environment, Development & Health), Núria Villanova (Associate Dean of Undergraduate Studies and Associate Professor, World Languages and Cultures), & Ralph Sonenshine (Senior Professorial Lecturer, Economics), Jessica Owens-Young (Associate Professor, Health Studies) & Holly Swanson (Professorial Lecturer and Director of Biology Laboratories, Biology)

Leaders and participants of the NSF-funded ADVANCE AU faculty peer mentorship cohorts will discuss the program’s development and effectiveness in fostering professional growth, trust, and belonging. They will explore how the model supports academic environments and how department chairs and program directors can implement peer mentorship to enhance faculty engagement, retention, and collaboration.

Watch the recording of Session 101

Session 102: Reassessing AI in Education: Balancing Technology and Cognitive Engagement

Presenters: Brigid Maher (Professor, Film & Media Arts), Kelly Joyner (Director, Writing Studies Program, Literature), Adam Greenberg (Professorial Lecturer, Literature) & Benjamin Djain (Professorial Lecturer, Literature)

This panel critically examines the belief that integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) into education is essential for career readiness. Faculty members, while using technology in their teaching, question AI’s necessity and effectiveness. We invite attendees to explore low-tech (i.e. not involving extensive use of electronic devices) classrooms prioritizing cognitive engagement and student agency, discussing pedagogical strategies and the impact of AI on learning outcomes and critical thinking skills.

Session 103: Redefining Icebreakers: Learn and Practice Inter-Activities That Deliver Info, Build Bonds, and Get Students Off Screens

Presenter: Susan Comfort (Adjunct Instructor, Health Studies)

Dynamic inter-activities boost learning goals and get students off screens to talk to each other. In this experiential workshop, we’ll all participate in a variety of activities, learning new strategies, questions, and games to boost student connection and learning. Learn from Professor Comfort’s background in play-based education; leave with a toolkit to revitalize your classroom from day one.

Watch the recording of Session 103

Session 201: Making Assessment Work for You: A Collaborative Approach

Presenters: Diamond Brown (AU Core Assessment Analyst, AU Core) & Diane Palmer (Curriculum and Assessment Assistant, Complex Problems)

Faculty and staff with an interest in assessment— including but not limited to those engaged with departmental assessment, assessment-focused committees, programmatic assessment, and other data-inclined folks— are invited to join us for a working session on assessment across campus. Come ready to discuss your recent and/or upcoming assessment projects. Participants will work together to share assessment insights, troubleshoot common challenges, and explore opportunities for collaboration including assessment as a tool for faculty innovation.

Watch the recording of Session 201

Session 202: Integrating Artificial Intelligence to Rethink Teaching and Assessment

Presenters: Krisztina Domjan (CTRL AI in Teaching & Research Faculty Fellow and Senior Professorial Lecturer, Literature)

In this workshop, participants will explore the pedagogical benefits of AI tools in teaching, learning, and assessment via the Substitution, Augmentation, Modification, and Redefinition (SAMR) model and learn strategies for incorporating AI into lesson planning and innovative assessment methods aligned with the learning sciences. After learning these approaches, faculty will implement new practices for crafting and posting their Canvas assignments to better align with AI-informed pedagogy.

Watch the recording of Session 202

Session 203: Green Teaching In the Age of Big Data Impacts: A Co-Creation Workshop

Presenters: Ros Donald (Assistant Professor, Public Communication), Maya Livio (Assistant Professor, Film & Media Arts), Anna Olsson (Assistant Vice Provost of the Center for Teaching, Research & Learning and Director of the Green Teaching Program), Megan Litke (Director of Sustainability, Office of Sustainability) & Chelsea Butkowski (Assistant Professor, Communication Studies)

AU’s Green Teaching Certificate has the potential to prompt critical discussion about the impacts of classroom technologies and practices, from generative AIs to updating digital equipment. In this panel and co-creation workshop, participants will share perspectives on the future of green teaching and originate initial proposed updates to the certificate that will reflect the challenges of environmentally-aware teaching in the digital age.

January 9 Lunch Plenary Session: Boundaries Crossed and Not Crossed: Advancing Literacy Through A District University Partnership

Presenters: Diana Burley (Vice Provost for Research and Innovation), Danielle Gervais Sodani (Director, Institute for Innovation in Education, School of Education) & Eric Bethel (Instructional Superintendent, DC Public Schools)

The SOAR Seminar Series for faculty, organized by the Translating Research into Action Center (TRAC) and co-hosted with CTRL and the University Library, features AU faculty and partners from policy, practice, and private institutions with deep experience in research translation and achieving Societal impact through Objective, Actionable Research. The first segment of the session begins with welcome remarks from Diana Burley who will provide an overview of TRAC and its efforts in advancing research-informed civic engagement. In the second half of the session, conference participants will learn about a research-practice partnership between school and district leaders in 15 elementary schools and AU/SOE researchers. Danielle Sodani and Eric Bethel will share the partnership’s origins, the commitments, practices, and processes they have for learning together, the challenges they face, and the ways they have found success in advancing research and practice.

Watch the January 9 Plenary Session

Session 301: Beyond Annotated Bibliographies: Pedagogy and Practices for Better Student Literature Reviews

Presenters: Emily Peterson (Associate Professor, School of Education) & Clarissa Ihssen (Sciences Librarian, University Library)

For STEM and Social Science classes, independent studies, and theses, we frequently ask students to write literature reviews. But the task of searching for and summarizing literature is challenging to do, and even more challenging to teach. This session will share tips and tools for conducting systematized reviews across disciplines and help attendees create assignments that support their students in writing better literature reviews.

Watch the recording of Session 301

Session 302: Revolutionizing Education: Introducing Sarah 2.0, the AI Virtual Teaching Assistant

Presenter: Aref Zahed (Professorial Lecturer, Computer Science)

Discover the potential of Sarah 2.0, the AI virtual teaching assistant, designed to support faculty and students through innovative teaching practices. Learn how AI can address challenges in higher education, from managing workload to enhancing student engagement, while fostering a personalized and scalable learning environment. This session will demonstrate real-world applications of AI in education, specifically through the lens of Sarah, AU’s pioneering virtual teaching assistant. The goal is to inspire AU faculty to consider innovative tools that align with the university’s commitment to academic excellence in an ever-changing educational landscape. Faculty will be encouraged to pilot test Sarah in their courses and share feedback to support ongoing development, including thoughts on the ethical balance between AI and human support roles.

Watch the recording of Session 302

Session 303: Complex Problems: What’s in a Mentor? Faculty and Program Leader Collaboration Builds Mentorship

Presenters: Reilly Simmons (Program Coordinator, Complex Problems), Kyrsten Novencido (Coordinator, Living-Learning Communities, AU Compass), Rebecca Comfort (Assistant Director, UEAS), Martyn Oliver (Faculty Chair, AU Core and Senior Professorial Lecturer, Philosophy & Religion), Jenna Oshana (Class of 2025, Complex Problems Program Leader), Adam Tamashasky (Hurst Senior Professorial Lecturer, Literature), Rita Sho (Class of 2025, University College Complex Problems Program Leader), Rebecca Hazen (Senior Professorial Lecturer, Biology), Ian Schlater (Class of 2026, University College Complex Problems Program Leader), David Reznik (Senior Professorial Lecturer, Sociology) & Nicole Spirea (Class of 2025, Complex Problems Program Leader)

In this session, student leaders will share how their student-staff roles enabled opportunities for faculty collaboration and mentorship in times of change. This relationship between undergraduate Program Leaders and faculty creates avenues for faculty and student mentorship simultaneously. The student leader and faculty panel will be composed of Complex Problem Program Leaders, University College Program Leaders and CP/UC Faculty.

Watch the recording of Session 303

Session 304: Participation in Faculty Learning Communities: An Approach to Advancing Equity at AU

Presenters: Samantha Cohen (Hurst Senior Professorial Lecturer, School of Education), Beverly Peters (Senior Professorial Lecturer, Office of Graduate and Professional Studies) & Shari Watkins (Senior Research Fellow, CTRL)

This interactive workshop replicates a Faculty Learning Community (FLC) to discuss challenges, goals, and plans for centering equity in teaching. Participants will explore equity-focused FLCs, deconstruct biases, and foster interdisciplinary connections. Presenters will model the FLC process, encouraging introspection and discussion. Participants will learn how FLCs support equitable teaching, collaboration, and continuous learning at AU.

Watch the recording of Session 304

Session 401: Integrating Problem-Based Learning into a Non-Majors Science Course

Presenters: Barbara Balestra (Senior Professorial Lecturer, Environmental Science), Dhananjaya Katju (Professorial Lecturer, Environmental Science) & Carolyn Parker (Senior Professorial Lecturer and Director, Graduate Teacher Education, School of Education)

Our session will describe the NSF-funded project, Enhanced Teaching and Learning Through Problem-Based Pedagogy (AU: ETL), a collaboration between SOE and CAS faculty. We will discuss aligning ENVS-150 with problem-based learning (PBL), an approach that encourages students to explore real-world issues in collaborative settings, and we will highlight data showing increased student motivation. We will share successes, challenges, and lessons learned from this professional development experience.

Watch the recording of Session 401

Session 402: The Importance of Principled Use in Times of Technological Change

Presenters: Regina Curran (Director of Cyber Policy, Office of Information Technology), Gihan Fernando (Assistant Vice Provost of the Career Center), Alison Thomas (Assistant Dean for Academic Integrity and Hurst Senior Professorial Lecturer, Literature)

The Responsible Use of AI Working Group was convened during summer 2024 by Steve Munson and Vicky Wilkins to develop responsible use guidelines for the AU community’s use of artificial intelligence, with a focus on generative AI. With representation from across the University the working group engaged in research and conversation, including examining responses from other institutions. The group has begun to articulate principles and guidance applicable to AI use across university roles and functions. Participants will join members of the group in discussing and providing feedback on these principles and reflecting on what “Responsible AI” means to their role at AU.

Watch the recording of Session 402

Session 403: The Essential Role of AU Faculty in Student Success

Presenters: Ashlie Prioleau (Assistant Vice President for Student Success & Retention, Enrollment Services Administration), Amanda Getz (Associate Director of First Year Advising, Office of Undergraduate Education and Academic Student Services) & Michele Lansigan (Hurst Senior Professorial Lecturer, Chemistry)

This session will explore the critical role faculty play in student success, thriving, and retention. By understanding the various ways faculty can contribute throughout the semester, through authentic mentorship, early warning techniques, and academic wellness, we can collectively create a more supportive community for all students. The session will feature a data-enriched presentation, personal stories showcasing faculty’s impact on student success, and knowledge of helpful tools available at AU.

Watch the recording of Session 403

Session 404: Measuring and Increasing Societal Impact

Presenters: Susanna Campbell (Provost Associate Professor, Foreign Policy & Global Security) & Rachel Borchardt (Scholarly Communication Librarian, University Library)

The societal impact of research is increasingly emphasized by universities and grant funders, but can seem daunting and difficult to measure. In this session, two TRAC team members will discuss strategies for measuring stakeholder impact as well as methods to expand the reach of your work through research translation and open access.

Watch the recording of Session 404

Friday, January 10 Sessions:

Session 501: Teaching First Year College Students

Presenters: Alyssa Harben (AUx Instructor & Advisor, First Year Advising), Talia Burnside (AUx Instructor & Advisor, First Year Advising), Annie Kustasz (Adjunct Professorial Lecturer, Literature) & Roshan Abraham (AUx Instructor & Advisor, First Year Advising)

First-year students are a unique population as they have minimal experience in a college-level classroom and represent a diversity of pre-college backgrounds. This workshop will address questions such as: How will instructors measure and respond to students’ preparedness? How do we as educators foster a sense of belonging in the classroom with equity-based teaching practices? How can instructors of first-year students communicate college-level coursework expectations without a degree of rigor that is inequitable? How can faculty scaffold courses and encourage students to grow into independent learners?

Session 502: AI, But Make It Responsible: Teaching with Transparency and Trust

Presenter: Kristztina Domjan (CTRL AI in Teaching & Research Faculty Fellow and Senior Professorial Lecturer, Literature)

This hands-on workshop will provide faculty with practical strategies to ensure responsible and transparent use of AI in instruction. Attendees, bring your own device, bring a couple of your current course assignments, and let’s explore methods for integrating AI while maintaining ethical oversight and accountability through updated policies and tools like color-coded AI permission banners, rubrics, and explicit AI disclosure frameworks.

Watch the recording of session 502

Session 503: A Collaborative Approach to Modernizing the Core Curriculum at the Kogod School of Business

Presenters: Casey Evans (Associate Dean for Undergraduate Programs and Student Services, Accounting), Jay Simon (Associate Professor, Information Technology & Analytics), Tommy White (Senior Professorial Lecturer, Management), Bill Bellows (Professorial Lecturer, Management) & Garima Sharma (Assistant Professor, Management)

Join members of the Kogod faculty in a fast-paced engaging session on redesigning the business school’s core curriculum. We’ll share our collaborative journey, highlighting challenges faced and innovative strategies used. Using an experiential simulated exercise, discover how interdisciplinary cooperation led to a revitalized student experience and gain insights you can apply in your own curriculum redesign efforts.

Watch the recording of Session 503

Session 504: Transparent Biology: The Use of iMovie Trailers to Engage Students

Presenter: Holly Swanson (Professorial Lecturer and Director of Biology Laboratories, Biology)

Looking for an innovative way to hook your audience for a class, administrative meeting, or presentation? Or an engaging way to concisely situate a course concept within a larger framework? In this workshop, we will present the use of iMovie trailers to engage biology students this past semester. You will then have an opportunity to create your own bite-sized video!

Session 601: CTRL Student Partners Panel: What Students Think Faculty Should Know

Presenters: Hannah Jardine (Teaching & Learning Specialist, CTRL), Sahil Mathur (Adjunct Instructor, SIS, Graduate Assistant for Teaching & Learning, CTRL), Ayah Morsy (Graduate Assistant for Teaching & Learning, CTRL) & Reba Mathews (Undergraduate Student Partner, CTRL, Class of 2025)

CTRL Student Partners will share insights on impactful and inclusive instruction at AU, focusing on strategies for dialogue around contentious topics, creating an anti-ableist classroom, and engaging students outside their major. Their insights come from semester-long projects that draw on personal experience, interactions with other students and faculty, and ideas from coursework.

Watch the recording of Session 601

Session 602: Building a Culture of Academic Integrity: Teaching, Student Support, and Restorative Practice

Presenters: Alexis Glasgow (Academic Integrity Coordinator, Office of Academic Integrity), Stina Oakes (Hurst Senior Professorial Lecturer, Literature / Writing Studies), Amanda Getz (Senior Instructor & Advisor, First Year Advising), Alison Thomas (Assistant Dean for Academic Integrity) & Ubah Aden (Academic Advisor, School of International Service)

In this moderated session, panelists will frame academic integrity as an imperative of campus culture and our commitments to teaching and learning, recognizing that academic integrity violations can’t be attributed to a single cause, and often happen due to lack of skill, experience, or awareness. We (a faculty member, advisors, and an academic integrity expert) will share progress toward this initiative, and respond to specific questions about culture-building when it comes to academic integrity.

Watch the recording of Session 602

Session 603: Let’s SET You Up for Success!

Presenters: Kristi Gibson (Senior Coordinator of Student Evaluation of Teaching, Office of Institutional Research & Assessment) & Priya Doshi (Associate Dean for Faculty and Inclusive Excellence, Office of the Deputy Provost and Dean of Faculty)

In this session, faculty will learn about the role of SETs in teaching portfolios and faculty development, new SET policies and practices as of Fall 2024 and review all current SET reports available including their function, purpose, and practical application. Through hands-on activities, faculty will leave the session with a better understanding of SET usage and administration and how to use the provided SET data for faculty actions including files for reappointment, tenure, and promotion and professional development.

Session 604: Internationalization As a Tool for Development and Innovation

Presenters: Tashina Giraud (Director of International Partnerships and Strategic Initiatives, Office of Graduate and Professional Studies), Karen Knee (Associate Professor and Department Chair, Environmental Science), Sarah Menke-Fish (Assistant Professor and Senior Director of Experiential Learning, Film and Media Arts), Mieke Meurs (Professor, Economics) & Xuguang Sheng (Professor, Economics)

Through an interactive round table discussion, participants will explore how to leverage AU’s international networks and their own connections to develop teaching and research opportunities, attract talented international students, and foster innovative partnerships. The session will highlight recent faculty initiatives and showcase resources available at AU to support faculty in pursuing their internationalization goals.

Watch the recording of session 604

January 10 Lunch Plenary Session: Keynote with AU’s 16th President Jonathan Alger

Join us in welcoming President Jonathan Alger to his first Ann Ferren Conference, where he will engage in a fireside chat with Acting Provost Vicky Wilkins, reflecting on his first semester at AU, sharing his vision for The Civic Life initiative, and discussing his approach to challenges that lie ahead.

Watch the January 10 Plenary Session

Session 701/801: Finalist Presentations for the 2025-2026 Signature Research Initiatives | Cohort 2: Research Informed Civic Engagement

Presenters: SRI RICE Finalists

The finalists of SRI RICE will provide a brief overview of their proposed projects followed by a discussion with the selection committee. The six proposed projects are: (1) Establishing Measures for an Institutional Designation for Teaching Excellence Colleges and Universities; (2) Translating hydrology and water quality research to advance education and environmental policymaking in American Samoa; (3) Making the Case for Higher Taxes; (4) USAID and Open Government in the Colombian Amazon: Learning from Local Perspectives on “Locally-Led Development; (5) Co-creating Insights to Bolster Positive Sustainable Procurement Impact; and (6) Translating public anthropology into research-informed civic engagement.

Watch the recording of Session 701/801

Session 702: Level Up Your Classroom: Gamify Your Teaching for Max Engagement!

Presenter: Evan Reister (Professorial Lecturer, Health Studies)

This session will explore innovative and dynamic methods of incorporating gamification into your classroom! Participants will discover why gamification is beneficial for students as well as how and when to apply gamified elements to courses to increase student participation and learning. Through gamification, transform lectures, discussions, and assessments to make classes more impactful (and fun!) for everyone.

Session 703: Teaching Quantitative Methods to Non-Majors: Tips that Work

Presenters: Bryan Daves (Professorial Lecturer, Justice, Law & Criminology), Nathaniel Herr (Associate Professor, Psychology), Jennifer Steele (Professor, School of Education) & Aarushi Sahejpal (Professorial Lecturer, Journalism)

Teaching a statistics course to non-statistics majors can be a challenge (students’ fear of math, being the only statistics instructor in the department, etc.). Faculty members on this panel will share their approaches/experiences in teaching statistics, discuss implementing best practices, and answer questions from the audience. We would like this to be the start of building a community of instructors that can provide guidance, support, and mentorship.

Watch the recording of session 703

Session 802: AI Avatar and Voice Generating Tools: The Next Frontier of Content Presentations

Presenters: Stephanie Schott (Senior Director of Product Management ODLS, Office of Graduate & Professional Studies), Nick DeMayo (Senior Instructional Designer, Office of Graduate & Professional Studies), Erran Carmel (Professor, Information Technology & Analytics) & Leif Ulstrup (Adjunct Professorial Lecturer, Information Technology & Analytics)

AI avatars – no longer the stuff of science fiction – are now available to anyone through tools that transform your written content into life-like audio and video. This presentation will discuss how to mitigate the risks of using AI avatars and showcase HeyGen and Eleven Labs, two innovative AI tools faculty can use to increase efficiency, create engaging presentations, and boldly go where higher education has never gone before.

Watch the recording of Session 802

Session 803: Reimagining Inclusive Practices: Addressing Ableism and Racism in Education

Presenter: Brandi Smith (Adjunct Instructor, School of Education)

This presentation aims to equip participants to assess instructional environments for ableist microaggressions, focusing on language as a systemic barrier and the impact of ableism in education. Participants will leave with actionable strategies to promote inclusive instructional design and advocate for systemic changes prioritizing disability justice and racial equity in education.

Watch the recording of session 803