Dr. Michele DiPietro, a leading figure in faculty development and pedagogy, will bring their wealth of expertise to Teaching in Turbulent Times: The 2025 University Teaching & Learning Symposium on Wednesday, January 8, at the Bone Student Center. Currently serving as the executive director for faculty development, recognition, and the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL) at Kennesaw State University, DiPietro is also a professor in the School of Data Science and Analytics. In their role, DiPietro oversees university-wide initiatives focused on faculty and graduate student development, encompassing pedagogy, career advancement, and leadership training.
DiPietro is a co-author of the influential book How Learning Works: 8 Research-Based Principles for Smart Teaching (second edition), which ranked third on the Chronicle of Higher Education’s “Top 10 Books on Teaching” list. Their scholarly contributions span a diverse range of topics, including learning sciences, diversity and inclusion, academic integrity, statistics education, and the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL). Their work also addresses the complexities of teaching during times of societal tragedy and upheaval.
DiPietro has delivered hundreds of workshops and keynote presentations across the United States—at prestigious institutions like Yale, Columbia, and the University of Chicago—and globally in countries such as Germany, Israel, Japan, and Italy. Their scholarship has been translated into multiple languages, including Chinese, Hebrew, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, and Arabic.
Their contributions to the field of educational development have earned them numerous accolades. They are the recipient of the Bob Pierleoni Spirit of POD Award, the highest honor in the field of educational development, recognizing their professional achievements and lasting legacy. They also received the POD Innovation Award for the creation of the online consultation tool Solve a Teaching Problem. Their innovative course, “The Statistics of Sexual Orientation,” has been featured in prominent publications, including the Chronicle of Higher Education.
DiPietro has served as president of the POD Network in Higher Education, chair of the Georgia Consortium of Centers for Teaching and Learning, and as a board member of the International Consortium for Educational Development (ICED).
As a distinguished educator and scholar, DiPietro brings a compelling perspective to the challenges and opportunities in higher education. Their keynote promises to inspire and engage, offering valuable insights into fostering inclusive and effective learning environments.
Save the date: January 8, 2025
The annual University Teaching & Learning Symposium is open to all faculty, staff, and graduate students at Illinois State University. The event will be held on Wednesday, January 8, at the Bone Student Center. It also includes a special afternoon reception to announce the winners of the 2024 Outstanding University Teaching Awards and the 2025 Williams Outstanding Technology Service Award.
A detailed schedule and registration information will be announced soon.
Teaching in Turbulent Times is is organized by the Center for Integrated Professional Development in partnership with several campus units and through the financial support of the Office of the Provost.
