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Office for Faculty Excellence

Faculty Conversation Series

The Office for Faculty Excellence’s Faculty Conversation Series is designed to engage faculty in conversation around relevant topics that will be helpful as they teach. 

For each session, faculty will read a relevant article/paper about the topic (optional), receive question prompts, engage in conversation around the topic with other faculty members, and reflect on how the conversation may have changed thinking on the topic. All sessions will be facilitated by Maria Gallardo-Williams.

By participating, faculty will:

  • Have the opportunity to listen to others, share their experiences, receive insights and feedback from peers, engage in important, timely, and relevant conversations with other faculty who are interested in these topics
  • Be provided with readings to learn more about the issues that are the focus of the conversations, and
  • Build professional and social connections with other faculty.
Register in REPORTER

Fall 2025 Sessions

  • Using AI to Generate Teaching and Learning Materials
    • Thursday, September 4 from 1-2 p.m. via Zoom
    • Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming the educational landscape, offering unprecedented opportunities to personalize learning, streamline tasks, and enhance research capabilities. AI can be integrated into various aspects of teaching and learning, from content creation to search assistance and process automation. AI-based tools can help generate concise summaries, extract key information from voluminous texts, and create visually appealing learning materials, which is crucial for the generation of updated materials for students.
  • Avenues for internationalization at NC State, from COIL/virtual exchange to study abroad
    • Thursday, October 2 from 1-2 p.m. via Zoom
    • Discover how you can bring the world to your classroom—or take your classroom to the world! Join us for a discussion on expanding global learning opportunities at NC State, from Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) and virtual exchange to traditional study abroad programs. Learn how these avenues can enhance student engagement, foster intercultural competency, and enrich your teaching.
  • Discipline-Based Educational Research (DBER)
    • Thursday, November 6 from 1-2 p.m. via Zoom
    • Join us for an interest session to learn about Discipline-Based Educational Research (DBER). DBER is the scholarly investigation of teaching and learning within specific disciplines, aiming to improve educational practices in those disciplines. Whether you’re curious about DBER or want to learn about how to get involved in DBER at NCSU, this session is a great way to start. We’ll provide a brief presentation on what DBER is and how it can be applied to your teaching and research, followed by an open Q&A. This is an opportunity to connect with colleagues and explore how we can collaboratively improve student learning outcomes.
  • Beyond the Beaten Path: Journeys to Academic Administration
    • Thursday, November 13 from 1-2 p.m. via Zoom
    • Considering a move into academic leadership? Every administrative career is unique, and this session highlights just how varied those paths can be. Join Melissa Pasquinelli and Maria Gallardo-Williams as they share their distinct, often non-traditional, journeys from faculty roles into administration. Discover the diverse experiences, pivotal moments, and critical skills that propelled them into leadership, offering insights on their careers, choices, and challenges.