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.

Fall 2025 Sessions

• 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.
• Engaging Students in Office Hours: Supports, Barriers and Solutions
  • Thursday, November 20 from 2-3 p.m. via Zoom, guest presenter Jeremy Hsu from Chapman University
    Office hours are one of the primary settings for student-instructor interactions outside of the classroom and provide a space for academic support, professional development, mentoring, and more. However, office hours are often underutilized by students. This workshop is designed to empower educators to design and implement strategies to promote student engagement in office hours, creating a more equitable space. We will share the results of our research examining student and instructor experiences in office hours across multiple institutions, and will engage workshop participants in discussions considering how the research findings can help participants increase engagement and support for students. Participants will have the opportunity to reflect on their own experiences, share ideas, apply the research findings to their own practice, and receive feedback from the group. The presenters will guide workshop participants in developing an action plan for their own office hour praxis to promote student engagement.
• 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.