Teaching Institute: Theory, Practice & Navigating STEM Higher Ed (2025)
HMS/HSDM Office for Postdoctoral Fellows and Center for Excellence in Teaching at Simmons University are offering a 4-day intensive Teaching Institute for HMS postdoctoral fellows and junior faculty at Simmons University
When: Monday, August 11 - Thursday, August 14, 2025 | 9:00am - 5:00pm Daily*
Where: Harvard Medical School, Countway Library
*subject to final schedule
Application will open on Monday, June 23, 2025 - and will close on Wednesday, July 16, 2025, 11:59pm (EDT) Application may close when/if the number of qualified applicants is received. APPLY HERE.
Application Materials Include: Name, Email, Position, Department, as well as a brief statement of interest. Statement of interest should not exceed 250 words.
Eligibility: This program will be limited to 20 participants. You must be a Harvard/HSPH/HMS/HSDM-affiliated postdoc, lecturer, or instructor to apply. Preference will be given to Quad-based postdocs, and to individuals who have previously applied to the Teaching Institute but were not accepted. Please contact the Postdoc Office if you are uncertain of your eligibility.
Those underrepresented in STEM professions are STRONGLY encouraged to apply.
Please note: Completing the application does not guarantee your participation in the course. You will receive a notification email by 3:00pm on Friday, July 18.
Upon confirmation of your participation in the course, you will be required to pay the course fee before receiving the course materials. We will provide more details in the notification email.
Read below for a detailed overview of the Institute and what you can expect to learn:
Course Instructors: Jennifer Herman, PhD, Associate Professor of Practice in Education and Director, Center for Excellence in Teaching, Simmons College (Bio)
Sarah Rose Cavanagh, PhD, Senior Associate Director for Teaching and Learning, Center for Excellence in Teaching, Simmons College (Bio)
Workshop Description: This four-day Institute on college teaching is designed to equip postdoctoral fellows in the STEM professions with the knowledge and skills needed to prepare them to teach and design undergraduate courses in a PUI or teaching-focused institution. The curriculum integrates a discussion of theory and current research related to teaching in higher education with actual practice. Participants will be actively engaged in designing and delivering multiple lessons using best pedagogical practices, including theory and application in their particular discipline. Participants will work collaboratively throughout the Institute to discuss readings, provide peer feedback, reflect on their experiences and course content, and build a teaching toolkit through hands-on experiences.
Each day will conclude with co-facilitators and guest STEM faculty leading a mentored discussion on the evolving life of the academic that introduces participants to the broad landscape of higher education today and its impact on career advancement. The participants will hear from leaders in the field and build a tool kit that will help trainees successfully navigate an academic appointment in STEM Higher Education. This institute will provide the knowledge and skill set needed to succeed and advance in a tenure-track position. Individual participants will gain confidence and leadership that will allow them to transform the culture as they advance through academia.
All course activities and materials are incorporated into a resource book that participants can use throughout their teaching careers.
Participant Learning Outcomes: After completing this course, participants will be able to:
- Analyze, share, and reflect on theories of student learning;
- Discuss and reflect on a variety of college teaching methodologies;
- Apply the backward course design model to lesson development;
- Apply a variety of teaching techniques to enhance student learning;
- Reflect and discuss the influence of the STEM professions on teaching theory and practice;
- Design and deliver a lesson in their discipline based on best pedagogical practices;
- Incorporate reflective practice into their work;
- Explain common challenges in navigating STEM academia;
- Develop peer and professional networks in STEM academia.
Daily Schedule: Coming Soon!
Additional Details: Reflective Practice Notebooks: Each participant will receive a Reflective Practice notebook once they have been accepted to the course and have submitted the required payment. This notebook will be used for pre-homework, reflections on assigned readings, documentation of in-class activities, and applications to individual disciplines. This is meant to be a resource book that participants can then use later in practice. The notebooks will also contain course readings, PowerPoint slides, and other handouts.
Pre-Homework: These include readings and tasks that are to be completed prior to each day. Specific readings and tasks are listed on the course syllabus, which will be included in your reflective proactive notebook. All readings are available in the Reflective Practice notebooks as well, and many of the resources are also available online.