Four professors have been selected as the latest Faculty Fellows at Stony Brook University. The Faculty Fellows program, managed by the Division of Undergraduate Education, supports professors in creating and implementing innovative teaching strategies. The fellowship encourages faculty to explore new methods and topics in undergraduate education, including courses like SBU 102, a required seminar for freshmen, and university Honors Programs.
“These courses are designed to help students explore and engage with a topic that’s of interest to them,” said Rachelle Germana, senior associate provost for undergraduate education. “In the same way, we want faculty to be able to explore ideas and develop new ways of teaching. This fellowship program gives faculty extra support as they build or revise courses that will give students the best possible learning experience.”
During their three-year fellowship, each professor will receive a course release to focus on developing their projects. They will also receive support from the Division of Undergraduate Education staff and collaborate with experts from the Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching on instructional design and assessment.
“Excellent teaching — of the caliber we expect as the state’s top public university and a flagship — does not happen by accident, and this fellowship program supports and empowers our faculty interested in exploring new teaching methods,” said Carl W. Lejuez, executive vice president and provost. “I applaud our faculty for thinking creatively and asking for the support they deserve to make these classes even more interesting and powerful for students.”
Since its inception in 2023, the fellowship has aided 15 faculty members in creating eight courses, enrolling over 200 students.
“This program is an investment in the hard work that Stony Brook professors do developing teaching strategies and implementing them in the classroom,” said Richard Tomczak, director of faculty engagement at the Division of Undergraduate Education. “Our Division wants to promote the innovative work that our professors are doing around teaching and pedagogy.”
The four projects undertaken by this year's fellows include:
1. **How and Why Machines Learn: A Freshman’s Introduction to Machine Learning and Robotics**
Purwar aims to create a class for first-year engineering students focused on demystifying machine learning through mathematical models and AI-driven robotics projects. “The first year is crucial for sparking curiosity,” Purwar stated.
2. **The Future of History**
Scarlatos plans a course empowering students across majors to understand technology's role in cultural preservation. He emphasizes interdisciplinary learning through team-based service-learning projects with local cultural institutions.
3. **Filters and Transforms**
Belisle collaborates with Margaret Schedel from music department on a course exploring audio-visual filters' societal impact. "Our goal is that this class helps students develop both technical expertise," Belisle noted.
These initiatives reflect Stony Brook University's commitment to enhancing educational experiences through innovative pedagogical approaches.