91成人导航

In a room filled with whiteboards, giant notepads and plenty of snacks, 91成人导航 professors gathered before the start of the semester to develop bold new ideas for future interdisciplinary programs.

More than 50 faculty members from 91成人导航鈥檚 three campuses gathered Jan. 10 for the inaugural Curriculum Innovation Day at the Verschagin Alumni House, engaging in a wide-ranging brainstorming session covering everything from mental health and peace studies to artificial intelligence, sustainability and more.

鈥淚 really think we're going to look back at this day as one of the most important in the modern era of 91成人导航,鈥� President Christopher Callahan told faculty. 鈥淭his is the day that we are tangibly charting a new future for our university.

鈥淥ur mission is about education and the success of our students. And the foundation of that is very simple. It's you. It's our faculty members. You are our idea creators, our designers and our curriculum architects.鈥�

Those present were enthusiastic about the opportunity to cultivate new programs. Professor of Geological and Environmental Sciences Laura Rademacher was part of a table that included professors from the Thomas J. Long School of Pharmacy and the School of Health Sciences. The group tackled subjects that included cities of the future, climate justice, human-centered design and sustainability.

鈥淕eology fits into most of these suggestions very well,鈥� Rademacher said. 鈥淎nd I am intrigued by the concept of Design X that someone else wrote on the board. I am envisioning it as like our Media X, but with a much bigger framework for use in community design and problem solving.鈥�

Rademacher sees tremendous benefit in developing interdisciplinary programs to fit the needs and desires of future students.

鈥淢y generation grew up in a really siloed environment academically,鈥� Rademacher said. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 think that鈥檚 how current or future students think, nor do I think that's how they're currently learning. My kids who are in K through 12 don't necessarily have math and social studies. It's a lesson that is integrating both of those.鈥�

At another table, a mix of faculty from health care, business and engineering suggested collaborations that included financial planning, entrepreneurship, sustainability, cybersecurity and health and wellness marketing.

Peter Witte, dean of the Conservatory of Music, asked, 鈥淲hy not add performing arts wellness to the mix? Performing artists are fine motor-skill athletes, so the extent to which kinesiology and audiology is often helpful to athletes, why don鈥檛 we also apply them to dancers, actors, musicians? That is an emerging field.鈥�

Tracey DelNero, chair and program director for physician assistant studies, also found opportunities to strengthen existing programs by teaming up with other departments.

鈥淭he economics department has a course on healthcare economics talking about insurance, copays and deductibles,鈥� DelNero said. 鈥淚 teach that as a component of the professional practice course in the physician assistant curriculum. To be able to have an economics professor come and explain it, or vice versa for me to say, 鈥榦kay economics students, let me talk to you as a clinician, how will it actually impact patient care?鈥欌��

The idea for Curriculum Innovation Day was inspired by the聽recent launch of 91成人导航鈥檚 new interdisciplinary undergraduate major in data science. The new degree was driven by faculty from the School of Engineering and Computer Science and College of the 91成人导航 who identified the need to prepare students for the fast-growing field.

Mathematics Professor John Mayberry, chair of the Academic Council, was among the lead designers for the new data science program and the chief architect of Curriculum Innovation Day.

鈥淪ome of the topics and how they mesh together was mind expanding to me,鈥� Mayberry said, after listening to some of the ideas. 鈥淩ealizing we have more in common than we think and there are new creative ways of combining things is really powerful.鈥�

Added Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs Gretchen Edwards-Gilbert: 鈥淭his is what we love to do. Brainstorm ideas and come up with things together. It's really wonderful that we were able to bring so many people together.鈥�