Professional-Track Peer Networking Circles
Connect and share experiences with peers from across the University.
In Spring 2023, the Faculty Development team worked with Professor Gautami Shah, the 2022-2023 Provost’s Academic Leadership Fellow, and a team of three professional-track faculty facilitators to launch a pilot of a new program. Professor Shah, Associate Professor of Instruction, Department of Asian Studies, played a leading role in creating and implementing a new, campus-wide peer networking and career development program for professional track faculty—The Professional- Track Peer Networking Circle Program.
Due to the overwhelmingly positive response to the pilot, the program expanded in 2023-24 to offer five circles, designed for and facilitated by professional track faculty. The Professional-Track Faculty Peer Networking Circle program allows individuals to connect and share experiences with peers from across the University. Each “circle” will promote discussion of best practices centered on a particular theme. Facilitated by a professional-track faculty colleague, each circle will typically meet twice monthly for in-person discussions.
In addition to providing focused development on a particular theme, we anticipate participants will benefit by becoming constructive team players in a peer network, experiencing an increase in belonging in the University community, and gain visibility internally and among their national networks.
Applicants must be:
- Professional-track faculty who meet the following criteria:
- Have a benefits-eligible appointment at UT during the current academic year
Any eligible faculty member may nominate themselves to be considered for selection to the cohort.
Themes and Facilitators to be announced soon.
2023-24 Participants
Mindful Moments
Meaningful peer-led learning, engaging class discussions and experiences, and service-learning opportunities that build belongingness in our classrooms. This circle explored how to connect curriculum with museums, libraries, landmark installations, speaking events, university resources, and other unique spaces to build mindful moments, lasting learning, empathy, and connection.
Jacqueline Evans, Associate Professor of Instruction, College of Liberal Arts, Psychology (Facilitator)
Sarah Angulo, Associate Professor of Instruction, College of Liberal Arts, Psychology
Chikako Cooke, Assistant Professor of Instruction, College of Liberal Arts, Asian Studies
Amrita Kaur, Assistant Professor of Instruction, College of Natural Sciences, Computer Science
Li Chen Lin, Clinical Assistant Professor, School of Nursing
Stephanie Osbakken, Associate Professor of Instruction, College of Liberal Arts, Sociology
Jahanett Ramirez, Assistant Professor of Research, School of Social Work
Marialena Rivera, Assistant Professor of Instruction, Moody College of Communication, Stan Richards School of Advertising and Public Relations
Becca Robertson, Lecturer, McCombs School of Business, Information, Risk, and Operations Management
Astrid Runggaldier, Associate Professor of Instruction, College of Fine Arts, Art and Art History
Adrien Smith, Associate Professor of Instruction, College of Liberal Arts, Germanic Studies
Sarah Villanueva, Associate Professor of Instruction, College of Natural Sciences, Human Development and Family Sciences
Nick Winges-Yanez, Clinical Assistant Professor, School of Social Work\
Betty Jeanne Wolfe Taylor, Assistant Professor of Practice, College of Education, Educational Leadership and Policy
Creating a Public Image
An often-forgotten aspect of being a professor and expert is creating a public image. This circle explored creating a public profile by utilizing successful strategies for creating a public image, establishing individual goals for raising one’s profile as a field leader, as well as setting a plan for implementing individual goals.
Korey Pereira, Assistant Professor of Practice, Moody College of Communication, Radio-Television-Film (Facilitator)
Danielle Alsandor, Assistant Professor of Practice, College of Education, Educational Leadership and Policy
Micah Barber, Associate Professor of Practice, Moody College of Communication, Radio-Television-Film
Deborah Cohen, Assistant Professor of Research, Dell Medical School, Psychiatry
Lia Sifuentes Davis, Clinical Professor, School of Law, School of Law
Ariel Dulitzky, Clinical Professor, School of Law
Rhonda Evans, Associate Professor of Instruction, College of Liberal Arts, Government
Tina Fragale, Assistant Professor of Practice, College of Education, Special Education
Jennifer Flippo, Clinical Assistant Professor, School of Nursing
Justin Hart, Assistant Professor of Research, College of Natural Sciences, Computer Science
Elizabeth Klingbeil, Assistant Professor of Instruction, College of Natural Sciences, Nutritional Sciences
Carlos Jose Landaverde Alvarado, Assistant Professor of Instruction, Cockrell School of Engineering, McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering
Sofia Malik, Assistant Professor of Practice, College of Education, Educational Leadership and Policy
Michael Mrazek, Research Associate Professor, College of Liberal Arts, Psychology
Jim Nelson, Lecturer, McCombs School of Business, Managemen
Nina Palmo, Assistant Professor of Instruction, College of Liberal Arts, Sociology
Supporting Student and Faculty Mental Health
Student mental health is critical to academic success. This circle discussed how to establish flexible classroom practices while upholding academic rigor and maintaining our own well-being. Participants in this circle shared common challenges and struggles in implementing classroom practices that promote student and faculty well-being, as well as our successes and best strategies for maintaining high standards for achievement while supporting student and faculty mental health.
Nina Palmo, Assistant Professor of Instruction, College of Liberal Arts, Sociology (Facilitator)
Audrey Blood, Lecturer, College of Fine Arts, Art and Art History
Christin Davis, Assistant Professor of Practice, College of Fine Arts, Theatre and Dance
Kelly Fulton, Assistant Professor of Instruction, College of Liberal Arts, Sociology
Smyth Johansson, Assistant Professor of Instruction, College of Liberal Arts, Germanic Studies
Professional Well-being
Professional-track faculty are in a unique position that places consistent demands on the capacity to support others who need assistance, and one of the best ways to help students is by giving to ourselves first. This circle provided a place where faculty discussed resources and practical skills as they relate to topics such as mindfulness and meditation, self-compassion, work/life balance, preventing and managing burnout, social support, and making meaningful connections in our professional lives.
Lara Latimer, Assistant Professor of Instruction, College of Education, Kinesiology and Health Education (Facilitator)
Sanchita Bhadra, Research Assistant Professor, College of Natural Sciences, Molecular Biosciences
Taylor Brown, Lecturer, McCombs School of Business, Accounting
Joe Cutbirth, Assistant Professor of Instruction, Moody College of Communication, Communication Studies
Jennifer Fritz, Assistant Professor of Instruction, College of Natural Sciences, Biology Instruction Office
Laura Gonzalez, Assistant Professor of Instruction, College of Natural Sciences, Integrative Biology
Moira Monge, Associate Professor of Pediatrics, Dell Medical School, Pediatrics
Moira Muldoon, Lecturer, Cockrell School of Engineering
Sarah Ozuna, Associate Professor of Practice, College of Natural Sciences, Human Development and Family Sciences
Safeer Siddicky, Assistant Professor of Instruction, College of Education, Kinesiology and Health Education
Katherine West, Assistant Professor of Instruction, Moody College of Communication, School of Journalism and Media
Amy Wright, Assistant Professor of Instruction, College of Liberal Arts, Human Dimensions of Organizations
Feedback Conversations
Professional careers are full of feedback conversations. This circle offered a safe, curious, reflective space to delve into the successes, joys, failures and challenges involved in feedback conversations in our professional lives.
Gretchen Fuller, Assistant Professor, Dell Medical School, Surgery and Perioperative Care (Facilitator)
Angelique Karditzas, Lecturer, College of Education, Health Education
Goheun Kim, Assistant Professor of Instruction, College of Natural Sciences, Molecular Biosciences
Sunguen Kim, Research Assistant of Pediatrics, Dell Medical School, Pediatrics
Janice Hernandez, Clinical Assistant Professor, School of Nursing
Michael McQuaid, Associate Professor of Instruction, School of Information
Monica Jane Milonovich, Associate Professor of Instruction and Director, Integrated Coordinated Program in Dietetics, College of Natural Sciences, Nutritional Sciences
Mary (Katie) Sanders, Clinical Assistant Professor, School of Nursing
Larry Schooler, Assistant Professor of Practice, Moody College of Communication, Communication Studies
Madeline Shaw, Lecturer, College of Education, Health Education
Dana Thomas, Lecturer, Jackson School of Geosciences, Energy and Earth Resources, Earth and Planetary Sciences
Liliana Valenzuela, Lecturer, Moody College of Communication, Journalism
Pilar Zazueta, Associate Professor of Instruction, College of Liberal Arts, Teresa Lozano Long Institute of Latin American Studies
2022-23 Participants
Building Community in the Classroom
Keely Finkelstein, Assistant Professor of Instruction, College of Natural Sciences, Astronomy (Facilitator)
Angie Beasley, Assistant Professor of Instruction, College of Natural Sciences, Computer Science
Antonia Chimonidou, Associate Professor of Practice, Natural Sciences, UTeach
Thomas Connolly, Assistant Professor of Instruction, Cockrell School of Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
Jennifer Flippo, Clinical Assistant Professor, School of Nursing, Pediatrics
Theresa Gage, Adjunct Associate Professor, LBJ School of Public Affairs
Madeleine Holland, Assistant Professor of Instruction, Moody College of Communication, Communication Studies
Stephanie Houghton, Associate Professor of Instruction, College of Liberal Arts, Economics
Steph Osbakken, Associate Professor of Instruction, College of Liberal Arts, Health and Society Program, Sociology
Nina Telang, Professor of Instruction, Cockrell School of Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering
Liliana Valenzuela, Adjunct Lecturer, Moody College of Communication, School of Journalism and Media
Soo Hyun Yang, Associate Professor of Practice, College of Natural Sciences, Freshman Research Initiative
Building a Successful Professional Track Faculty Career
Stephanie Holmsten, Associate Professor of Instruction, College of Liberal Arts, Government (Facilitator)
Niveen Abi Ghannam, Assistant Professor of Instruction, Cockrell School of Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering
Jennifer Austin, Associate Professor of Instruction, College of Natural Sciences, Mathematics
Laura Gonzalez, Assistant Professor of Instruction, College of Natural Sciences, Integrative Biology
Katie Gray, Professor of Instruction, McCombs School of Business, Information, Risk, and Operations Management
Layla Guyot, Assistant Professor of Instruction, College of Natural Sciences, Statistics & Data Sciences
Guan-Soon Khoo, Associate Professor of Instruction, Moody College of Communication, Advertising & Public Relations
Lara Latimer, Assistant Professor of Instruction, College of Education, Kinesiology & Health Education
Jeremiah McCallister, Lecturer, Cockrell School of Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
Dana Stauffer, Associate Professor of Instruction, College of Liberal Arts, Government
Ann Thijs, Assistant Professor of Instruction, College of Natural Sciences, Biology Instruction Office
Pilar Zazueta, Associate Professor of Instruction, College of Liberal Arts, Lozano Long Institute of Latin American Studies
Anastasia Zervou, Assistant Professor of Instruction, College of Liberal Arts, Economics
Inclusive Classroom Content
Diane Rhodes, Senior Lecturer, School of Social Work (Facilitator)
Laura Brown, Assistant Professor of Practice, Moody College of Communication, Communication Studies
Chikako Cooke, Assistant Professor of Instruction, College of Liberal Arts, Asian Studies
J.E. Johnson, Assistant Professor of Practice, College of Fine Arts, Theatre and Dance and Scenic Studio Supervisor
Joanna Mendez, Adjunct Assistant Professor, School of Social Work
Kelvin Phan, Clinical Assistant Professor, College of Education, Kinesiology & Health Education
Sally Ragsdale, Associate Professor of Instruction, College of Natural Sciences, Statistics & Data Science
Carol Ramsey, Assistant Professor of Instruction, College of Natural Sciences, Computer Science
Eleanor Reynolds, Assistant Professor of Practice, Cockrell School of Engineering, Civil, Architectural, & Environmental Engineering
Danica Sumpter, Clinical Associate Professor, School of Nursing
Oksana Lutsyshyna, Assistant Professor of Instruction, College of Liberal Arts, Slavic & Eurasian Studies
Difficult Dialogues
Gautami Shah, Associate Professor of Instruction, College of Liberal Arts, Asian Studies (Facilitator)
Mary Beer, Clinical Assistant Professor, School of Social Work
Robert Carroll, Assistant Professor of Instruction, Moody College of Communication, Communication Studies
Jennifer Fritz, Assistant Professor of Instruction, College of Natural Sciences, Biology Integrative Office
Kristie Loescher, Associate Professor of Instruction, McCombs School of Business, Management
Angela McDermott, Lecturer, McCombs School of Business, Management
Sarah Norris, Assistant Professor of Practice, School of Information
Nina Palmo, Assistant Professor of Instruction, College of Liberal Arts, Sociology
Tom Rauzi, Lecturer, McCombs School of Business, Management
Michael Romero, Clinical Assistant Professor, School of Social Work
Jennifer Smith, Assistant Professor of Instruction, College of Education, Curriculum & Instruction
Eligibility
Professional-track faculty
Important Dates
Circles will run on either a semester or yearly basis.
Applications for facilitators are due by noon on Friday, May 23.