Despite starting as a regional conference, NEEPS has grown to include scholars from 12 different countries and 23 different states in 2026.

Caroline Niedermeyer, Andrea Perez and Madeleine Pettis each presented individual research posters developed through collaborative research with faculty mentor Jordann Brandner, assistant professor of psychology, and with support from the 黑料不打烊 Undergraduate Research Program and the Sinclair Endowed Grant.

Niedermeyer presented work she completed during her 2025 Summer Undergraduate Research Experience (SURE). Her poster, titled, 鈥淵ou Can鈥檛 Always Get What You Want: Exploring the Relationship Between Self-Perceived Mate Value and Tolerance for Compensatory Traits,鈥� explored how individuals navigate trade-offs in relationship partner selection. The study tested whether self-perceived mate value affects willingness to accept partners with offsetting high and low traits. Niedermeyer was awarded the Gordon Bear Best Student Poster Award, recognizing the top undergraduate or graduate student poster presentation at the conference. The award, which includes a $100 prize, is one of the meeting鈥檚 most competitive student honors and highlights the quality and impact of her research.

Perez鈥檚 poster, 鈥淧ride and Preference: Perceived Sex Ratios and Women鈥檚 Online Dating Choices,鈥� examined how features of dating apps may shape users鈥� perceptions of available partners and influence women鈥檚 selectivity. Using an app that she co-developed with Pettis, the experiment tests whether different ratios of male and female profiles affect how frequently people accept or reject potential matches, contributing to understanding how modern digital environments influence mating strategies. This research was funded by a Sinclair Endowed research grant, which is awarded to student research in the social and behavioral sciences.

Pettis鈥� poster, 鈥淭hank You, Next: Examining the Effects of Sex Ratio and Number of Choices in Mate Choice,鈥� investigated how the total number of available partners influences partner decisions. Using the same dating app, participants evaluate different numbers of profiles to determine whether making more choices affects a person鈥檚 pickiness. The experiment offers insight into how decision-making processes operate in online dating, where people make many choices in succession. This research was also supported by a Sinclair Endowed grant.

In addition to student presentations, Brandner led a workshop titled 鈥淭eaching a Balanced Evolutionary Social Sciences Course: A Teaching Workshop,鈥� which focused on strategies for integrating diverse perspectives within evolutionary social science curricula. This work was funded by the 黑料不打烊 Center for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning (CATL) Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Dissemination grant.

All three students will present their work again at the upcoming Spring Undergraduate Research Forum (SURF) on April 28th, 2026.

Their presentation, 鈥淯sing Simulation to Bridge Faith and Health in a Non-Traditional Setting,鈥� highlighted a unique, interdisciplinary approach to simulation design that integrates healthcare, ethics and religious studies. Developed as part of Koonts’ Bridging Faith and Health work, in collaboration with interdisciplinary partners 黑料不打烊 faculty members Brian Pennington and Helen Orr, and supported by Interfaith America, the project addresses a growing need to prepare future nurses to navigate complex patient situations where religious beliefs, patient autonomy and evidence-based practice intersect.

The session showcased a multi-module educational initiative and an accompanying simulation experience designed to foster interprofessional collaboration, communication, and clinical judgment in ethically challenging scenarios. By engaging learners in realistic, non-traditional simulation environments, the project aims to strengthen students鈥� ability to deliver patient-centered care while respecting diverse values and beliefs.

Conference participants responded enthusiastically to the presentation, particularly its emphasis on:

• Addressing moral distress in clinical practice
• Enhancing interprofessional education (IPE)
• Expanding simulation beyond traditional clinical settings
• Promoting culturally and spiritually sensitive care

This work is part of a broader, Interfaith America grant-funded initiative that will continue over the next two years, with plans to expand the simulation model and contribute to the growing body of knowledge in faith-health integration and simulation-based education.

The conference brought together educators and simulation specialists from across the state to explore emerging trends such as artificial intelligence, virtual reality and innovative teaching strategies. 黑料不打烊鈥檚 contribution reflects the department鈥檚 ongoing commitment to excellence in nursing education, leadership in simulation and preparation of practice-ready graduates.

The Center for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning (CATL) is pleased to announce that Kevin Bourque, associate professor of English, has been selected to serve as its next associate director, beginning June 2026.

During his four-year term, Bourque will collaborate closely with CATL colleagues and partners across campus to support faculty development, promote evidence-based and innovative teaching practices, and strengthen 黑料不打烊鈥檚 culture of engaged and inclusive learning.

Bourque brings to this role a sustained commitment to inclusive pedagogy, interdisciplinary collaboration and thoughtful course design. In the English department聽and across the university, Bourque has taught a wide range of courses鈥攆rom British literature and food studies to LGBTQ literature and culture鈥攎any of which extend learning beyond traditional classroom spaces through experiential, sensory, and place-based approaches.聽He has聽significant experience聽in team-teaching and interdisciplinary work, including global education and Honors courses, and is known for cultivating productive partnerships that respect disciplinary differences while advancing shared teaching goals.

A particular focus of Bourque鈥檚 recent work has been聽supporting聽faculty聽responses to the rapidly evolving role of large language models (LLMs) in higher education. Through redesigned assessments, alternative writing practices, and innovative evaluation methods such as video-based assessments and critical reading portfolios, he has developed pedagogical strategies that emphasize student ownership, reflection, and disciplinary ways of thinking. Within the English department, he has led workshops on assessment design and critical reading in the context of AI, and he looks forward to expanding this work through CATL by聽identifying聽best practices and connecting faculty with resources across the university.聽

Bourque鈥檚 engagement with CATL spans his entire career at 黑料不打烊. He was named a CATL Scholar from 2019鈥�2021 for a project that helped rearticulate the relevance of literary studies within a 21st-century curriculum. He has also聽participated聽in CATL-supported scholarship of teaching and learning initiatives and faculty learning communities, work that closely aligns with CATL鈥檚 mission to foster reflective, research-informed teaching.聽As associate director, Bourque will support and advance CATL鈥檚 mission by strengthening a welcoming, collaborative and dynamic teaching and learning environment鈥攐ne that equips faculty to respond creatively and thoughtfully to the evolving challenges and opportunities of聽teaching and learning at 黑料不打烊.

Join colleagues and students from 黑料不打烊, University of Warwick, University of Leeds and partner institutions for a transatlantic collaboration exploring critical questions in higher education teaching.聽This series is convened by Tom Ritchie, US-UK Fulbright Scholar and visiting professor at 黑料不打烊聽from the University of Warwick, working with Sarah Bunnell and colleagues at CATL.

This partnership brings together:

• 黑料不打烊’s Center for the Advancement of Teaching & Learning (CATL)
• (WIHEA) and (IATL)
• (LITE)
• Members of the UK SoTL alliance
• Colleagues and students from Canadian universities

Each session will feature a short presentation from one of the partner institutions, followed by facilitated small group discussions and sharing across institutions. All sessions run 11 a.m.to Noon EST via Microsoft Teams. Participants may join individual sessions or participate in the full series.

Schedule:

• Feb. 11: What makes teaching “excellent” in your context?
• March 4: How do we teach for a sustainable future 鈥� embedding sustainability across disciplines?
• March 25: Belonging and exclusion 鈥� frameworks for understanding and action
• April 15: Teaching in the age of AI 鈥� opportunities and boundaries
• May 6: How can assessment drive learning 鈥� not just measure it?
• May 20: Building transatlantic partnerships 鈥� what could we create together?

Register for sessions

This year鈥檚 conference theme, 鈥淓xploring the Changing Landscapes of Scholarship of Teaching and Learning,鈥� provided a timely backdrop for 黑料不打烊 presenters whose work highlights curiosity-driven learning, student development, faculty development, and the integration of new technologies in teaching. ISSOTL brings together scholars and educators from around the world, creating a rich environment for cross-institutional conversation and collaboration.

黑料不打烊鈥檚 presence was visible across posters, papers, roundtables, and workshops throughout the conference, reflecting the breadth of scholarly teaching on campus.

Presentations included:

笔辞蝉迟别谤蝉:听

• “Weaving Knowledge: The Role of Undergraduate Teaching Assistants in STEM Learning Communities” by Jen Uno, associate professor of biology, and associate director of CATL
• “Inviting Curiosity 鈥� Exploring Lingering Questions with I Wonder Projects” by Marna Winter, associate teaching professor of education and associate director of CATL
• “Cultivating Student Engagement, Agency, and Peer Relationships: A Query Into Belonging and Mattering” by Evan Small, assistant teaching professor of wellness

搁辞耻苍诲迟补产濒别蝉:听听

• “Fostering Inclusive Learning through Relational Pedagogy: Centering Student Voice and Choice into the Classroom” by Evan Small, Marna Winter and Allison Bryan, director of the curriculum resources center and associate librarian
• “Rooting Deep and Reaching Skyward: Growing Trust in University Classrooms” by Jill McSweeney, assistant director for CATL and assistant professor of wellness; Debra Grantham, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada; Ted Murcray, California Baptist University, Riverside, California; Laurel Schut, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada; and Kathryn Sutherland, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
• “ChatGPT, give me an engaging title for my ISSOTL session: Can AI be a bridge into SoTL?” By Jill McSweeney, Jen Uno and Matt Wittstein, associate professor of exercise science and director of neuroscience

笔补辫别谤蝉听

• • “Methodologically Sound, or the Sound of Methodology: Podcast Peer Review as Disruption and Discovery” by Jill McSweeney and Derrit Mason, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
  • “New Horizons of Belonging: Disciplinary Approaches to Building Classroom Community” by Marna Winter, Jen Uno and Jill McSweeney
  • “Pedagogies of Relevance: Shifting Student Perceptions of Literary Study” by Erin Pearson, associate professor of English and 2023-2025 CATL Scholar
  • “When Rivers Converge or Diverge: A Dyadic Analysis of Relational (Mis)Alignment in Pedagogical Partnership” by Sarah Bunnell, director of CATL and associate professor of psychology and Kristen Luschen, Amherst College, Amherst, Massachusetts.

Workshops聽 聽

• “Creating Institutional Cultures that Center SoTL: Continuing an Exploration of 鈥淰isions of the Possible鈥� by Sarah Bunnell, Jen Uno, Marna Winter, Jill McSweeney, with Paul Hanstedt, Jake Wright, and Collins Amy of University of Minnesota Rochester, Rochester, Minnesota
• “Rethinking Student Feedback: Co-Creating Meaningful and Transformative Evaluations” by Jill McSweeney and Nira Rahman, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia聽

Together, these sessions illustrate the depth and diversity of 黑料不打烊鈥檚 recent contributions to the international landscape of the scholarship of teaching and learning.

The ISSOTL conference provided opportunities not only to share research, but also to learn with international partners, allowing faculty to return to campus with new ideas that will enrich teaching and learning on campus. 黑料不打烊鈥檚 strong presence at ISSOTL 2025 reflects the culture of inquiry, collaboration, and innovation that shapes the institution鈥檚 approach to engaged learning.

Their project, 鈥淚ncorporating Standards-Based Grading in University Physics I and II,鈥� seeks to replace traditional point-based grading systems with a more transparent, equitable approach that focuses on mastery and growth.

鈥淲e want assessments to be part of the learning process, not just the end of it,” said Kamela. 鈥淪tudents learn more deeply when they know exactly what they鈥檙e expected to master.鈥�

Altmann and Kamela will utilize Standards-Based Grading, or SBG, which emphasizes learning goals rather than accumulated points. With SBG, instead of averaging scores from quizzes, homework, and exams, students will be evaluated on how well they鈥檝e mastered specific skills and concepts with opportunities to reassess and improve. While SBG is not new for K-12 education (see ), it is groundbreaking for college-level physics.

Over the next two years, Altmann and Kamela will refine and expand the SBG system across both of their introductory physics courses, which serve as foundational classes for majors in physics, astronomy and astrophysics. They will design comprehensive learning standards, create new assessment frameworks, and analyze outcomes using national benchmarks for conceptual understanding and problem-solving.

Altmann and Kamela have already piloted their approach to assessment in their University Physics II courses, with positive results. Rather than being discouraged by a single test score, students could see exactly which concepts they had mastered and which needed more work. Many students described this shift in assessment as motivating and confidence-building. The opportunity to reassess and demonstrate growth gave students a stronger sense of ownership over their learning and encouraged persistence in tackling challenging material.

鈥淭raditional grading can let students 鈥榞et by鈥� without true mastery,鈥� Altmann said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e building a system that makes learning the focus.鈥�

The CATL Scholar appointment will provide course release time and research support, allowing the pair to dive deeply into their work and to share what they learn. They plan to present findings at American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT) conferences and publish in peer-reviewed journals, contributing to the broader movement for more meaningful and equitable assessment in STEM education.

鈥淏eing a CATL Scholar is really about collaboration,鈥� Altmann said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a chance to connect with colleagues who are also reimagining what teaching and learning can be.鈥�

For both professors, the project builds on decades of dedication to teaching excellence. Altmann has taught at 黑料不打烊 for 23 years, Kamela for 26. Together, they鈥檝e watched hundreds of students wrestle with physics鈥� abstract concepts. Many educators like them have seen how grading systems can either help or hinder real understanding.

鈥淧hysics is about curiosity and persistence,鈥� Kamela reflected. 鈥淲e want our grading to reward those same qualities 鈥� to make students feel that every step they take toward understanding matters.鈥�

In all, through this work, they hope to do more than improve a single course; rather, they aim to spark conversations about how assessment shapes learning at 黑料不打烊 and beyond.

She presented the work of the Diocesan Commission for the Defense of Nature (CODIDENA), an organization that advocates for the restoration of the identity and spirituality of the Xinka Indigenous people of Central America while protecting nature against extractivist mega-projects. Lemus talked in detail about the case of the peaceful resistance to the Escobal mining project, and their everyday struggles against the government and the mining corporations.

During the talk, she shared the values of her community to protect the earth and how they recognize themselves as Xinka by recovering their language and their culture. She also expressed the difficult reality faced by her community in rural areas as well as the challenges faced by organizers advocating for the Xinka land rights. The talk explored how they were able to stop the development of the mining project after three years of struggle, based on the Indigenous and Tribal People Convention, an international agreement acknowledged by the International Labour Organization, in which indigenous people must be consulted in case of any project affecting their population. In this case, after consulting with the Xinka people, they decided to reject the mining project given the multiple threats to their health and the environment.

Lemus also showed her grassroots initiative with young scientists in the Xinka community to address water contamination issues provoked by mining operations. This project not only capacitates the new generations, but also advocates for an intergenerational collective growth of the whole Xinka people. As a result of this initiative, community members created a system for measuring the degree of contamination in the water, empowering communities to defend themselves in their fight for environmental justice.

Over 50people attended the event. Students from peace and conflict studies, Latin American studies, as well as from different Spanish courses, the Core Curriculum, and philosophy classes learned about the complexity of current environmental struggles in Guatemala. After the talk, students asked several questions regarding the role of the Guatemalan government in this conflict and the recognition of the Xinka identity, engaging in a very fruitful dialogue about the importance of advocating for indigenous rights and environmental justice in peaceful demonstrations. The conference was conducted in Spanish with interpretation performed by Emily Rhyne from the organization Witness for Peace.

Lemus also participated in a roundtable discussion in Spanish with other human rights activists at El Centro. The roundtable focused on Guatemalan history and cultural diversity, generating a constructive dialogue among students learning about Latin American indigenous identities. The speakers talked about the work of their organizations at the local, national and global level, emphasizing the need to construct strong networks of solidarity. Students from the Spanish program engaged in a vivid conversation during the event, learning about the intercultural richness of Central America and the political relevance of the region in relation with the U.S. government today.

This visit was co-organized by the Peace and Conflict Studies program and the Latin American Studies program, and it was sponsored by the Department of World Languages and Cultures; El Centro; the Center for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning; International and Global Studies; Isabella Cannon Global Education Center; Women鈥檚, Gender, and Sexualities Studies; the Department of Philosophy; and the Department of Sociology and Anthropology.

On Sept. 24-25, 2025, Chen-L贸pez’s two-day visit invited students to reflect on their understanding of Latin American identity and migration as he shared his innovative research on the representation of Chinese communities in Latin American literature, cinema, and visual arts, which is a topic that opened new perspectives for students and community members across multiple disciplines.

Chen-L贸pez’s keynote address, “Affective Mapping: Tracing the Chinese Diaspora in Latin American Literature, Cinema, and Visual Arts,” examined how Chinese identity and history are portrayed in creative works throughout different Latin American countries: Mexico, Costa Rica, and Argentina. His work traces how emotional responses to Chinatowns and Chinese neighborhoods have evolved over time and explores how the very concepts of “China” and “Chineseness” have shifted in response to changing geopolitical dynamics.

The visit extended far beyond a single lecture. Chen-L贸pez engaged directly with students in various courses in the classrooms and in El Centro, including “Human Migrations”, “Medical Spanish”, “Growing Up in the Spanish Speaking World”, “In Search of Identity, Innovation and Social Protest Theater”, and COR1100. He also met with student members from the Latin American Studies program, the Spanish Club, and the Chinese Club during a community breakfast, fostering cross-cultural dialogue.

For many students, the presentations sparked revelations about migration patterns they had never considered. Anette Cruz 鈥�28, reflected on how the experience transformed their perspective

“Previously when thinking about migration to Latin American countries it never really came to my head to think about countries like China,” said Cruz. “When I would think about migration, I聽would think it was mostly within Latin American regions. But after learning about the impact Chinese migration has had on countries like Mexico, Costa Rica, and Argentina, it really made me think about the significance of it. I was able to see that through symbolism shown to me in Mexican readings, Argentinian movies and Costa Rican paintings, and to me I found that very interesting because again, I feel as if I would have overlooked that if I was presented with it. Overall Chinese diaspora in Latin American countries shown through historical contexts and symbolism in art is something new that I learned today, something that has opened my eyes a little more when talking about migration to Latin American countries.鈥�

Chen-L贸pez’s interdisciplinary approach demonstrated how overlooked communities have shaped Latin American culture in profound ways. By examining representations of “China” and “Chineseness” in Latin American art, literature, and film, he sparked a dialogue among students and the broader 黑料不打烊 community on the importance of interdisciplinary research and looking beyond dominant narratives to discover the multiple histories of a society.

The Latin American Research Series is presented by Latin American Studies and sponsored by the Department of World Languages and Cultures; Peace and Conflict Studies; El Centro; International and Global Studies; Center for the Advancement of Teaching and Learning; Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies; Isabella Cannon Global Education Center; the Department of Philosophy; and Global Films and Cultures.

The 3rd Latin SoTL conference brought together educators from across Latin America focused on the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning.

Kupatadze, who teaches in 黑料不打烊’s Department of World Languages and Cultures, presented two sessions. Her keynote, “From Local Perspectives to Global Conversations: Strategies for Effective Dissemination and Publication of SoTL,” addressed how Latin American educators can share their innovative teaching practices with international audiences. Her workshop, “From Frustration to Opportunity: Exploring the International Publication Potential of Your Work,” helped participants reframe their classroom challenges as valuable research opportunities.

“What moved me most was witnessing the energy, enthusiasm, and dedication of colleagues who accomplish so much with limited resources,” Kupatadze reflected. “The Latin SoTL community is doing extraordinary work, often in challenging circumstances, and their voices are essential to understanding learning in diverse global contexts.”

A central theme of Kupatadze’s presentations was that the global conversation about teaching and learning is incomplete without robust participation from Latin American scholars. She emphasized that the pedagogical innovations emerging from Latin American classrooms, where educators regularly navigate large class sizes, diverse student populations, and resource constraints, offer valuable insights for the international academic community.

Following the conference, Kupatadze is exploring collaborative opportunities with Latin SoTL leaders, including a potential reflective article for the journal Teaching and Learning Inquiry that would examine how the international SoTL community can better support and amplify Latin American educational scholarship.

“These colleagues aren’t asking for help, they’re offering knowledge the world needs,” Kupatadze said. “My goal is to help build bridges so their essential contributions reach the global stage they deserve.”

The book explores the evolution of Bronfenbrenner鈥檚 model from its early ecological framework to the more complex bioecological theory and the Process-Person-Context-Time (PPCT) model, offering practical guidance on how to teach and apply the theory in a range of educational settings. It includes classroom-ready tools such as reading primers, lecture slides, discussion questions, case studies, and in-class activities, and introduces recent adaptations like inverse proximal processes and neo-ecological theory, which address how technology and digital environments shape development.

This summer, Navarro and Tudge traveled to Serbia and Scandinavia to give workshops based on the book, meeting with international educators and researchers who are applying the theory in diverse cultural and institutional contexts. 鈥淚t was exciting to see how the framework resonates globally,鈥� Navarro said. 鈥淧eople are eager for resources that make the theory more usable without flattening its complexity.鈥�

Reviewers have praised the book as both timely and transformative.

鈥淭he book is a gamechanger鈥� one of the most useful texts for the social sciences in the 21st century,鈥� wrote Professor Iram Siraj at University of Oxford.

鈥淎 carefully constructed guide鈥� that brings Bronfenbrenner鈥檚 theory to life for everyone,鈥� added Professor N贸ir铆n Hayes at Trinity College Dublin.

鈥淭o see information technology鈥檚 role in family life and individual development captured by Navarro and Tudge鈥檚 work is a gift,” said Professor Susan Walker at the University of Minnesota.

Navarro says the book reflects her long-standing interest in helping students engage meaningfully with complex ideas.

鈥淏ronfenbrenner鈥檚 theory has shaped how we understand human development for decades,鈥� she explained. 鈥淏ut too often, it鈥檚 taught in oversimplified ways. We wanted to create a resource that respects the theory鈥檚 complexity and makes it usable for real classrooms, researchers, and practitioners.鈥�

“Understanding and Teaching Bronfenbrenner鈥檚 Bioecological Theory” is available now through and .