Summer Institutes have been a critical and steadfast component of my faculty development since 2010, when I first attended in Madison, WI. Since, I have actively served as a leader, facilitator, and speaker for Regional Summer Institutes, leader of NIST, and organizer for the Solve My Problem workshop, which is now in its third year under new leadership as ACT – Addressing Challenges in Teaching. The NIST community has regularly provided key insights and support to improve my professional development as Senior Lecturer at Stony Brook University where I primarily serve as the course director for all the introductory biology laboratories.
The NIST Secretary plays a central role in organization, maintenance of records, and communication across a large, diverse community of educators. My goals in this position are 1) to support the many creative and effective NIST programs designed to encourage and prepare educators to adopt evidence-based instructional practices, 2) to increase our pool of talent by inviting and supporting additional members to join working groups and hold NIST leadership positions, 3) to build on our rich tradition of supporting underrepresented minorities and women in STEM faculty positions, and 4) to improve connections and collaborations with other regional and national organizations that share a common mission.
I look forward to working with colleagues from around the country to spread the word, expand NIST programs, and share resources that can better address the teaching needs of current and future faculty.