Academic Affairs

Provost Joan Lorden will host the campus conversation “Ebola: Understanding Facts and Confronting Fears” at 2 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 28, in Cone University Center, McKnight Hall.

Akin Ogundiran, Africana studies; Diana Rowan, social work; Shannon Sullivan, philosophy; and Beth Whitaker, political science and public administration; are panelists for this discussion on the epidemiology of Ebola, the reasons for its rapid spread in West Africa, the United States response and the current climate of fear.

The University Career Center for Work, Service and Internships is cosponsoring a “Peace Corps Alumni Panel and Information Session” at 6 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 29, in the College of Health and Human Services, Room 376.

UNC Charlotte alumni will share their experiences about living and working in communities overseas as part of their Peace Corps service, and local recruiter Deborah Buckley will provide information about the advantages of being a Peace Corps volunteer.

UNC Charlotte faculty members are actively engaged in the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, the disciplinary, cross-disciplinary and interdisciplinary study of teaching practice and student learning.

The Division for Academic Affairs has supported Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) through a grants program since 2009. Since its inception, the program has funded 32 faculty research projects across disciplines and colleges.

UNC Charlotte students interested in solving community social problems are invited to form teams to compete at the 2015 University of North Carolina Social Entrepreneurship Conference.The competition is open to teams of up to 10 members, including UNC Charlotte students and community representatives. Teams must be led by either undergraduate or graduate students in the competition, which will be held in February 2015. Statewide winners will receive cash prizes.

Heather Smith, professor of geography in the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, is the 2014 recipient of the Provost’s Faculty Award for Community Engagement.  Established in 2012, the award honors a tenured faculty member whose teaching, research and service embodies the University’s commitment to civic involvement and whose work strengthens the relationship between UNC Charlotte and the larger community.

The selection committee for the 2015 Bank of America Award for Teaching Excellence is soliciting nominees. This award is one of the most important and prestigious presented by the University, as it honors outstanding teachers on campus and provides an example of UNC Charlotte’s commitment to teaching excellence.

Joël Gallegos, assistant provost for international programs, was elected to the Board of Directors of NAFSA: Association of International Educators, widely regarded as the leading professional organization in the field of international education. He will serve a three-year term beginning January 2015 in one of three member-at-large positions. 

UNC-TV’s “North Carolina Now” will air a story about the Charlotte  Engineering Early College (CEEC) at 7:30 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 9.

A collaboration between the University and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, CEEC is located near EPIC. Its curriculum focuses on STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) with an emphasis on energy and engineering.

The Office of Academic Services is holding free workshops during October for University advisors on a number of topics. Prospective participants can complete an online form for session(s) they plan to attend.

UNC Charlotte recently hosted a formal ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Charlotte Engineering Early College (CEEC); the event coincided with on-campus meetings by the N.C. State Board of Education.

University, local and state leaders talked about how the CEEC was an example of innovative, educational concepts that have increased in popularity across North Carolina.