Faculty Spotlight: Dr. Carlos Trejo-Pech
1. Tell us about your instructional background.
I started teaching financial management in 2001 at Universidad Panamericana Campus Guadalajara, Mexico. I have taught since then, with a few interruptions during my doctoral studies. I have also taught agribusiness finance at the University of Florida. Since 2016, I have taught agribusiness finance in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics at the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture.
2. TLI values the teaching philosophies of the university’s faculty.
My teaching philosophy is centered on providing students with real applications of the concepts studied in the courses I teach. This philosophy aligns with the motto of the UT Institute of Agriculture, which is “We create Real. Life. Solutions.”
3. With these examples in mind, would you please share how you have been able to positively impact your students?
I regularly use case studies in the courses I teach. Specifically, I use short or quick cases in undergraduate courses and long (traditional) cases in graduate courses. Case studies present real-world situations from industries or companies, showing how managers apply theories in practice. Some students have told me that cases help them synthesize concepts learned throughout their programs and understand how managers use these tools. Others have noted that studying cases about companies they know (Starbucks, for instance) motivates them to learn the concepts and to learn about these firms and their industries.
4. In your years of teaching students, do you have a specific experience that you draw on or a highlight that has significantly impacted your career?
Professional development has significantly impacted my career as an instructor. While I do not do this frequently due to time constraints, I participate in training-the-instructor programs. Each time I complete a program for instructors, it enhances my job performance and improves my teaching skills. Recently, I completed a ‘teaching with cases’ workshop at Harvard Business School, and currently, I am in the process of completing a one-year faculty teaching fellows program led by the Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communication at the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture. The fellowship program aims to ‘transform teaching into great learning’.
5. Based on your experiences and the professional perspective you have shared, what do you think about the future of teaching, learning, and faculty life in higher education?
Rapidly changing technologies and Artificial Intelligence specifically are transforming and will further transform the way we teach and students learn. We, students and instructors, are challenged to adapt our habits and our thinking about higher education.