Author Biographies
Lauren Hays, PhD, is an Associate Professor of Instructional Technology at the University of Central Missouri, where she teaches courses on research and emerging technologies. She has presented widely on technology-related topics and is the co-editor of Integrating Digital Literacy in the Disciplines and the co-author of Digital Literacy Made Simple—a book for K–12 educators looking to integrate digital literacy into their curriculum. Her research interests focus on digital and information literacy and the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL).
Brett McCollum, PhD, is a 3M National Teaching Fellow, an Apple Distinguished Educator, a Nexen Scholar of Teaching and Learning, and the Director of the Centre for Excellence in Learning and Teaching at Thompson Rivers University (TRU). Prior to joining TRU, Dr. McCollum devoted 15 years as a faculty member at Mount Royal University (MRU), earning a promotion to Professor of Chemistry in 2016. He was also the Board of Governor’s Teaching Chair for Educational Leadership for 2019–2023. Dr. McCollum has contributed as the education columnist for the Chemical Institute of Canada News magazine, has served as the Chair of SoTL Canada, and is currently the Editor-in-Chief of The Canadian Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (CJSoTL). His passion for improving the student learning experience has been recognized through the MRU Undergraduate Research Supervision Award (2019), the MRU Student Association Open Education Champion Award (2020), and the Confederation of Alberta Faculty Associations Distinguished Teaching Award (2021).
Janice Miller-Young, PhD, PEng, is a Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Alberta. She has previously served as Academic Director of both a Centre for Teaching and Learning (University of Alberta) and an Institute for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (Mount Royal University). Her research focuses on engineering education, the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL), and educational development. In an engineering context, Janice is interested in fostering a teaching culture, and supporting student experience and inclusion. She conducts SoTL research on her own teaching practice and is also dedicated to advancing the broader field through the creation of frameworks, taxonomies, and models that inform both research and reflective practices.
Zoya Adeel holds an Honours BSc in Life Sciences and an MSc in Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences from McMaster University, where she contributed to the scholarship of teaching and learning and conducted research in cancer immunotherapy. She continues to advance her interests in science communication and pedagogy through her work with the School of Interdisciplinary Science at McMaster University.
Elisa Baniassad is a Professor of Teaching in Computer Science. She obtained her MSc and PhD in Software Engineering, from the UBC Department of Computer Science, working with Gail Murphy. Her PhD focused on relating design rationale to code structure. She went on to do an NSERC Post Doctoral Fellowship at Trinity College in Dublin, where she focused on Aspect Orientation in requirements documentation and software process. In 2002, Elisa took up a faculty position at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, where she worked at the intersection of Software Engineering and bespoke domain specific programming languages. During her tenure at CUHK Elisa was honored with a Faculty-wide teaching excellence award. In 2003, she joined the faculty at the Australian National University as an Associate Professor, continuing her work on experimental DSLs. It was here that she began to focus on the social psychology of student software teams, working with Dirk Riele in student group dynamics. After a decade away, Elisa returned to Vancouver and took up a faculty position at UBC CPSC, returning at first as a sessional instructor, then as a lecturer, and finally as EL faculty. During this time Elisa was honoured with the UBC Killam prize in teaching, and the national CS Can/Info Can Excellence in Teaching prize for Computing education. Elisa became the Deputy Academic Director for the Centre for Teaching Learning and Technology in 2021, serving as acting director for 18 months across 2022 and 2023. Elisa is now the academic director for the Learning Technology Innovation Centre.
Anna Bartosik is an educator, researcher, and faculty facilitator based in Toronto, Canada. She completed her doctoral studies in the field of language and literacies education at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) at the University of Toronto; she examined global networks of self-directed professional development in digital spaces. Anna’s interests also span tech ethics, language learning, academic integrity, artificial intelligence, learner retention, and higher education. Through her leadership and mentorship, she has inspired many educators to pursue their own passion for learner autonomy and to create meaningful educational experiences for their students. Anna’s most recent research involves investigating the roles of associates of learners and how they relate to learner success and retention in higher education.
Kate Brown holds an Honours BA in Indigenous Studies and Linguistics from McMaster University in Ontario, Canada, and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in higher education systems and leadership at the University of Toronto. Since 2017, she has worked to integrate provincial accessibility legislation into university culture at McMaster, focusing on disability inclusion and co-design approaches with students, staff, and faculty with disabilities. Working with an incredible team of Disabled and non-Disabled leaders (students, staff, and faculty), Kate’s current work and interests explores the intersections of teaching and learning approaches, disability accommodation processes, and broader university systems to better understand how her home institution—McMaster—among other Ontario universities can take immediate steps to prepare for forthcoming accessible legal requirements in education within the province.
Jeremy Herhusky-Schneider is an Applications Analyst for the City of Bloomington, Indiana, where he designs in-house web applications and administers enterprise systems. His work focuses on open data for the public, digital accessibility, and streamlining public assistance programs. Prior to this, he was a Indiana University Bloomington Graduate Assistant for the Center of Learning Analytics and Student Success while completing his Masters in Human Computer Interaction and Design.
Charmian Lam, PhD, is the Senior Assistant Director of Assessment and Scholarship at University of Chicago’s Center for Teaching and Learning. There, she promotes evidence-based teaching practices, supports academic units in program assessment, and engages faculty and instructors in the critical exploration of their pedagogical approaches. Previously, she held administrative positions at Indiana University Bloomington and faculty positions at Virginia Commonwealth University and Brightpoint Community College. Her research interests include equitable assessments, student belonging and inclusion, gamification, writing pedagogy, and how faculty shift their pedagogical practices with evidence of teaching and learning. She earned a PhD in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies from Indiana University Bloomington (IUB).
Dr. Rachael A. Lewitzky has worked in the education space for over a decade. Her approach to designing and facilitating learning experiences is shaped by her varied journey as a K–12 and post-secondary educator, instructional developer, coach, fitness instructor, curriculum specialist, and instructional technology specialist. When she is not working, Rachael can often be found reading or playing guitar.
W. Stephen McNeil, PhD, is an Associate Professor at the University of British Columbia’s Okanagan campus. His career has included teaching at two-year college, four-year undergraduate, and research-intensive post-graduate institutions. He is a recipient of the UBC Okanagan Killam Teaching Prize, the Chemical Institute of Canada Chemistry Education Award, and the BC Teaching and Learning Council West Coast Teaching Excellence Award. His chemistry education research interests include the development and assessment of active- and collaborative-learning methods and innovative student-engagement strategies in introductory chemistry, and the impacts of active learning and context-embedded science curricula on affective learning constructs including student senses of identity and belonging.
Stefan M. Mladjenovic is a PhD candidate and Vanier Canada Scholar in Dr. Warren Chan’s lab at the University of Toronto. His pedagogical research focuses on improving student learning through different modes of accessible communication and learning styles. His doctoral research investigates the delivery of therapeutic nanoparticles to tumours to improve clinical outcomes. Both his pedagogical and biological streams of research have taught him the importance of “getting the right things to the right place at the right time.”
Katie Moisse is an Associate Professor in the School of Interdisciplinary Science at McMaster University. She holds an MSc in Neuroscience from King’s College London, a PhD in Pathology from Western University, and an MSc in Journalism from Columbia University. Katie primarily teaches science communication, which challenges students to think critically about how to engage diverse audiences with the process and outcomes of science. Her pedagogical interests include accessibility and flexibility in higher education, technology-enhanced teaching and learning, and community-engaged experiential learning.
Riley J. Petillion, PhD, is an Educational Consultant specializing in teaching assistant and student development at the University of British Columbia’s Okanagan campus. His expertise encompasses qualitative research, the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL), active learning pedagogies, and classroom facilitation strategies. Dr. Petillion’s research focuses on enhancing student learning experiences and engagement. Notably, his work in the field of Chemistry Education explores advancements in course delivery and instructional design to achieve both cognitive and affective learning outcomes. He completed both his undergraduate and graduate studies with UBC, taught at UBC, and continues his career at UBC in the Centre for Teaching and Learning—which is probably why he enjoys travelling so much.
George Rehrey is the Principal Instructional Consultant with Indiana University’s Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning, where he directs the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Program (SOTL), advising and supporting faculty of all ranks as they conduct classroom research, form communities of inquiry, and disseminate their work locally, nationally, and internationally. The most recent example of his collaborative work with IUB faculty is the publication “Looking Back to Move Ahead: How Students Learn Geologic Time by Predicting Future Events” (Journal of College Science Teaching — Feb 2012). Rehrey’s own teaching and learning research includes using taxonomies to further faculty conversations about the evidence of student learning and investigating how a responsive teaching model can be integrated with backward course design methods to improve student learning.
Rosmawati is an Assistant Professor at the Singapore Institute of Technology’s (SIT) Centre for Professional Communication, and a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. Her primary research interests include language education and research methodology. She guest-edited a special issue on action research in tertiary-level language classrooms for the Journal of English for Academic Purposes, and co-edited a volume showcasing curriculum and pedagogy in language classrooms worldwide (Routledge), as well as a forthcoming volume on innovative research methods from a Complex Dynamic Systems Theory perspective (John Benjamins). She recently spoke in the TBLT2025 conference at the University of Groningen about the application of AI to enhance students’ writing skills through an integrated approach to feedback. Her current projects include a Science of Learning research initiative on the role of adaptive memory in experiential learning and an Online Trust and Safety research project on technology-based intervention on critical thinking skills.
Michael Sauer, MPA, is a Senior Analyst and Bloomington Campus Data Manager at Indiana University Bloomington (IUB) within the university’s Institutional Analytics office. He has served the university faculty and administration for over 20 years, providing data and analytic support for a variety of purposes centered around institutional improvement and decision making. Michael earned a Master’s degree in Public Affairs from Indiana University Bloomington (IUB).
Kelly Schrum, PhD, is a professor in the Higher Education Program and Interim Director of Graduate Programs in the School of Integrative Studies. Schrum’s research and teaching focus on digital pedagogy, digital humanities, and the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL). A historian by training, Schrum has directed more than 60 digital projects with funding from federal and state agencies and foundations. Schrum has published widely, including recent articles on SoTL, scholarly digital storytelling, and teaching history. She regularly presents her work nationally and internationally. Schrum received a BA in history and anthropology from U.C. Berkeley and an MA and PhD in history from Johns Hopkins University.
Linda Shepard, PhD, is the Senior Assistant Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education and Director of Bloomington Assessment and Research at Indiana University. Linda provides leadership for the campus in the development of institutional resources used to inform campus policy and strategic initiatives. Linda has served in numerous professional capacities, as a faculty member, in leadership roles at IU, and institutional research professional organizations both locally and nationally. She holds MS and PhD degrees from Indiana University in Educational Psychology with a minor in Psychology.
Sara Smith is an Assistant Professor of Ecology in the Department of Biology at Mount Royal University. She earned her BSc in Marine Biology & Oceanography from the University of Victoria and her PhD in Ecology from the University of Calgary. She then completed postdoctoral fellowships with the Informatics Group at Harvard University and a large interdisciplinary group with the University of Victoria working on comparative genomics and evolutionary genomics. Her research interests include the ecology and evolution of physiology and behaviour under climate change, population genomics, and conservation genomics.
Seah Hock Soon, PhD, is a professor at the College of Computing and Data Science (CCDS) at Nanyang Technological University (NTU), Singapore, and a Fellow of the Singapore Academy of Engineering. His research interests include geometric data modelling, image sequence analysis, non-photo-realistic rendering, computer animation, games, and virtual and augmented reality. As a faculty member, he teaches artificial intelligence in games and virtual and augmented reality. Previously, he taught 3D modelling and animation, computer game programming, computer vision and image processing, and computer graphics. He is the inventor and principal investigator of the Computer Assisted Cel Animation (CACANi) software system and co-pioneer of the Disk B-spline Curve (DBSC), which extends the capabilities of the disk Bézier curve, allowing for more complex and flexible 2D shape representation.
Budianto Tandianus, PhD, is an academic staff member at the Singapore Institute of Technology’s (SIT) Centre for Digital Enablement, specializing in computer graphics, virtual reality and augmented reality, multimedia, animation, image processing, game technology, and computer vision. At SIT, he leads UniverseSITy, a virtual campus initiative that integrates metaverse concepts to deliver immersive and interactive applied learning experiences, highlighting his dedication to transforming education through technology. Dr. Tandianus has significantly advanced AI applications in education, notably developing Reviewer #2, an AI-powered chatbot that helps researchers refine grant proposals in alignment with funding agency guidelines. He also co-authored influential research presented at the ACM CHI Conference in Yokohama, Japan, examining the impact of avatar representations in AI chatbot tutors on learning. An active contributor in his field, Dr. Tandianus frequently speaks on the transformative roles of digital twins and the metaverse in education and entertainment, showcasing his expertise and commitment to advancing educational practices through innovative technologies.
Dr. Alice Watanabe is a philosopher and educationalist, working as a researcher at the Hamburg Centre for University Teaching and Learning at the University of Hamburg. Her research focuses on the philosophical analysis of AI in higher education, with a particular emphasis on political philosophy, the ethics of technology, and the educational principle of research-based learning.
