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Our Team

This is a head shot of Ferlin McGaskey, director of faculty development Ferlin McGaskey
Interim Associate Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs & Executive Director of Teaching & Learning Innovation
fmcgaske@utk.edu | 865-974-3931

  • Serves as the Department Head for Teaching & Learning Innovation
  • Cultivates and maintains campus partnerships to further TLI’s mission to facilitate instructional excellence and support those we serve in achieving their work life goals to foster a culture of success for faculty across the university
  • Responsible for leading the development and implementation of strategic direction for TLI, in alignment with the Chancellor’s, Provost’s, and Vice Provost for Faculty Affair’s priorities for faculty development at UTK
  • Serves as a Senator on the university’s Faculty Senate, as an ex-officio member of the university’s Undergraduate Council, undergraduate Curriculum Committee, the S, R, and N subcommittees that review and recommend courses to carry the campus’s experiential learning designations, and all TLI Advisory Boards
  • Oversees and coordinates all of TLI’s workshops, programs, and campus professional development offerings each semester, including TLI’s annual Innovative Teaching & Learning Conference

Virginia Stormer
Associate Director for Curriculum
Development & Design
vstormer@utk.edu | 865-974-8861

  • Leads and provides day to day management of TLI’s experiential learning and service-learning initiatives
  • Serves as chair of the university’s S designation subcommittee, as well as manages the review, initial approval and recommendation of courses submitted to carry the S designation to the university’s Curriculum Committee, and the review of previous courses that already carry the designation
  • Provides strategic management of TLI’s Teaching Support Awards program, which is intended to support UTK instructional faculty related to participating in professional development experiences in the areas of teaching and learning
  • Provides strategic management of TLI’s Course Redesign Institute, Curriculum Refresh Collaborative program, and represents the unit related to its work the Student Success Grants program

Headshot of Chris Kilgore Chris Kilgore
Associate Director for the Scholarship
of Teaching & Learning
ckilgor4@utk.edu | 865-974-9936

  • Leads TLI’s new Scholarship of Teaching & Learning initiative, and provides additional support to instructors on teaching-related writing projects
  • Has expertise in writing instruction, writing across the curriculum, and writing in the disciplines, and can provide individual and group support
  • Has expertise and can provide support on effective faculty-to-faculty mentoring relationships and networks, as well as faculty-to-student mentoring needs and responsibilities
  • Maintains expertise and can provide guidance related to faculty worklife support, adjunct faculty resources, and launching and developing faculty research agendas in specific academic fields
  • Serves as TLI’s representative related to the campus invisible labor project and Diversity Action Plans, with the UT Division of Diversity & Engagement
  • Leads and supports TLI’s response to in-person teaching during COVID-19, as well as best practices for teaching in physically distanced classrooms

Robert Jacobsen headshot Robert Jacobsen
CIRTL Institutional Leader
rjacobse@vols.utk.edu

  • Co-leads advisory board and faculty support network for the Developing Future Faculty initiative
  • Teaches the seminar Facilitating Undergraduate Evidence-based Learning (FUEL) for graduate students and postdocs.
  • Co-leads advisory board and faculty support network for the Developing Future Faculty initiative
  • Expertise in evidence-based practices applied to STEM labs
  • Provides GTA training in best practices for departments
  • Available for consultations with GTA’s and postdocs

Susan Groenke

Faculty Leader for Inclusive Teaching

sgroenke@utk.edu

  • Developing workshops that highlight evidence-based inclusive teaching practices.
  • Convenes and leads TLI’s Inclusive Teaching Advisory Network
  • Supporting TLI’s current Inclusive Teaching Certificate Program

 

Josie Andrews

Faculty Consultant

jandrews@utk.edu | (865) 974-4956

  • Provides consultation support to faculty, graduate students, and post-docs as it relates to best practices for teaching and learning and creating welcoming learning spaces
  • Collaborates with other campus units on partnership endeavors where professional development activities and opportunities are essential to the outcome or goal of the project
  • Supports course and curriculum (e.g., individual, departmental) design, development, and assessment
  • Researches, authors, and develops additional resources and professional development opportunities as needed in collaboration with all members of TLI related to its programs, workshops, and events throughout the academic year

Photo of Wes Romeiser Wes Romeiser
Administrative Specialist II
wromeise@utk.edu | (865) 974-3807

  • Provides administrative support to TLI by scheduling meetings, organizing internal record keeping, managing internal unit practices, and calendar management for all TLI staff members,
  • Provides direct support to unit directors, and other members of TLI, regarding the management of records, communication, and distribution of TLI award funding. Examples of support include TLI’s Teaching Support Awards program and the First Year Course Academy.
  • Supports the unit with initial monthly ledger review, internal expense reconciliations, and entering information into IRIS
  • Provides administrative support for departmental searches
  • Coordinates reservations for TLI workshops and advisory board meetings with campus event services, as well as serves as a point of contact regarding logistical needs for general TLI programming
  • Provides additional research support to unit directors, and other members of TLI, related to TLI workshops and meetings, as well as developing innovative strategies and interventions for future faculty development opportunities