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Faculty Success, Diversity & Inclusion !Juntos Al Exito! 2021

College of Sciences Office of the Dean

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Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost People Search U Central Student Accessibility Services Vaqueros Report It Academic Calendar

¡Juntos al Exito! 2021 - Empowering Excellence Program

Schedule - All sessions begin at 4:00 PM

Date

Title

Panelists

Description

Session 1

January 26

Understanding student success: sense of belonging and culture in an HSI university.

 

1. What is an HSI?
Dr. Francisco Guajardo
fguajardo@mosthistory.org
CEO Museum of South Texas History

2. Culture: Maritza de la Trinidad
maritza.delatrinidad@utrgv.edu
Associate Professor
Mexican American Studies
Undergraduate Coordinator

3. Student success story: Sense of belonging
Gisel Garza

Moderator: Cristina Trejo
cristina.trejo@utrgv.edu

Coordinator NSF grant Improving Undergraduate Science Education (IUSE) Program COS

UTRGV is a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI). Unfortunately, many people do not fully understand this concept.

To be an HSI is not only about the % of Hispanic students that we have. It is more than that.

In this session we will explore student success, sense of belonging, and cultural aspects that are crucial to help us to succeed together as an HSI institution.

Session 2

February 23

 

Empowering Excellence – Community Engagement

 

1. Community Engagement
Dr. Christian Corrales
christian.corrales@utrgv.edu
Assistant Vice-President-Community Engagement

2. Faculty success story - Dr. Liang Zeng
liang.zeng@utrgv.edu
Physics and Astronomy Department; COS Faculty Excellence Awardees in Community Engagement.

3. Community leader:
Alicia Rodriguez
alicia.rodriguez@co.hidalgo.tx.us
San Carlos Endowed Center
Director

Moderator: Dr. Alex Racelis
alexis.racelis@utrgv.edu
Associate Pressor
SEEMS, COS

Community engagement is a core component of the COS and UTRGV.

Faculty, students and members of local communities work together with the main goal of creating bridges of trust between them.

In this session we will hear about opportunities to engage with the community as well as success stories from faculty and community leaders.

 

Session 3

March 23

Path to R1

 

1. Tips: grants – pre and post award
Mari Perez
mari.perez@utrgv.edu
Director-Sponsored Programs

2. Writing resources at UTRGV and Beyond.
Dr. Kristi Lowe,
kristine.lowe@utrgv.edu
Chair Biology Department

3. Faculty success story
Dr. Jasim Uddin,
mohammed.uddin@utrgv.edu
Chemistry Department; COS Faculty Excellence Award in Research- Chemistry Department

Moderator: Dr. Volker Quetschke
volker.quetschke@utrgv.edu
Associate Dean; COS

UTRGV is now an Emergent research institution!

Let’s walk the path to R1 together!

In this session we will hear about tips for successful grant submission and reporting as well as writing resources that you can find at UTRGV and beyond.

You will also hear the success stories of our 2019-2020 COS Faculty Excellence in Research Awardees.

Session 4

April 27

Empowering our pedagogical skills: Peer teaching observations and students’ evaluations

 

1. All about Peer Teaching Observations
Alyssa Cavazos
alyssa.cavazos@utrgv.edu
Center for Teaching Excellence-Director

2. Reflecting on student’s evaluations
Dr. Art Brownlow
art.brownlow@utrgv.edu
Professor of Music and the Deputy Provost’s Fellow for Academic Innovation

3.  Faculty success story: Dr. Tina Thomas
tina.thomas@utrgv.edu
Chemistry Department
COS Faculty Excellence Award in Teaching 2019-2020

Moderator:  Bonnie Gunn,
bonnie.gunn@utrgv.edu
Biology Department; Teaching Excellence Award COS, UTRGV, Student Accessibility Award; Biology Department

UTRGV has different resources that can help faculty to empower their pedagogical skills. However, probably the most powerful tools we have to improve them are the Peer Teaching Observations and students’ evaluations-comments.

In this session you will hear from the directors of the CTE and Provost’s Fellow for Academic Innovation on the different resources that their office offers for student success as well as the success story of a Faculty Excellence Award in Teaching awardee that has been able to enhance their courses through Peer Observations and students comments. She has also served as a Peer Teaching Reviewer.

Session 5

May 25

Faculty mentoring/Service at the COS, UTRGV and beyond

 

1. What is expected from a Faculty mentor? – How to be a better mentor?
Dr. Alcione Ostorga
alcione.ostorga@utrgv.edu
Bilingual & Literacy Studies

2. Faculty success story: Dr. Robert Gilkerson
robert.gilkerson@utrgv.edu
UTRGV Faculty Excellence Award in Faculty Mentoring

3. Why we should have Faculty Mentors?
Dr. Johnelle Sparks
johnelle.sparks@utsa.edu
UTSA Associate Dean of Faculty Success

Moderator: Dr. Cristina Villalobos
cristina.villalobos@utrgv.edu
Associate Dean; COS

Mentoring is crucial for junior faculty and any other faculty level that wishes to keep learning from their mentors.

In this session we will learn about best practices for being a Faculty Mentor and how to foster a culture of mentorships at UTRGV.

Session 6

June 29

Global Engagement

 

1. Explore USA and the World
Dr. Alan Earhart,
alan.earhart@utrgv.edu
Director of International Programs and Partnerships

2. Faculty success story: Dr. Rupesh Kariyat
rupesh.kariyat@utrgv.edu
2021 COS Faculty Excellence Award in Research Awardee

3. Student success story: Nora Sustaita
nbsustaita@gmail.com
Alumni-Past Study Abroad ambassador.

Moderator: Maria Leonard
maria.leonard@utrgv.edu
Assistant Professor of Practice - Department of Management, VCoBE

 

Global Engagement is a UTRGV priority!

In this session we will hear about study abroad programs, collaborative online international courses, bi-national research grant opportunities, international  students, and more!

Session 7

July 27

Balancing work and life

 

1. Managing conflict
Veronica Cano
veronica.cano@utrgv.edu
Ombudsperson, UTRGV

2. Work/life balance
Carla Lopez
carla.lopez@utrgv.edu
Employee Engagement Wellness Coordinator 

Moderator: Dr. Frederick Zaidan
frederic.zaidan@utrgv.edu
Associate Dean; COS

In this session we will hear about the resources that the university offers to help us balance our work and life as well as tips on how to achieve this balance.

Session 8

August 24

Preparing for the next academic year

 

1. FPT – dossiers
Vanesa Ceballos
vanessa.ceballos@utrgv.edu
Program Coordinator
Office of Faculty Success and Diversity

2. Best practices – tips for dossier submission
Dr. Paty Feria
teresa.feriaarroyo@utrgv.edu
Associate Dean; COS 

Moderator: Dr. Tim Huber
timothy.huber@utrgv.edu
Associate Professor / SMSS Chair 

In this session we will provide basic information that will help us be prepared for the coming semester.

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