Advance the mission of Northwestern University.
Recipients of the University Teaching Awards become Distinguished Fellows of the Searle Center, amplifying exemplary teaching practices through public engagements and enriching the Center’s work with their unique perspectives and approaches.
We approach Generative AI (GAI) with a “wicked problems mindset,” addressing concerns like hallucinations, bias, and ethical use while exploring innovative applications in education. Our resources and workshops build AI literacy, encouraging instructors to enhance learning with GAI tools. Committed to humanizing pedagogy, we advocate for responsible GAI use that enhances learning and preserves essential human interaction.
We design meaningful transitions for faculty new to Northwestern, followed by ongoing outreach to build community among the cohort and lay the foundation for career-spanning engagement with the Searle Center.
We collaborate with the STEM Education Advisory Board to guide departmental-/program-based curricular change projects with a focus on gateway, large-enrollment, lab, and high attrition courses, empowering change agents to design for student success and transform STEM education at scale so all students can thrive.
We heighten the visibility of teaching-line faculty’s pedagogical expertise, host events that fortify their purpose and sense of belonging, and increase their capacity to flourish by fostering an open dialogue attuned to evolving needs around feeling seen, respected, and supported.
We collaboratively create an annual online series of flexible, interactive sessions addressing “wicked problems” in higher education, combining theory with practical strategies that can be applied to diverse disciplinary and instructional contexts.