December 2019
AAN NEWS & NETWORKING
Ann Austin
Interim Associate Provost for Faculty and Academic Staff Development
AAN Supports Research Endeavors

The Academic Advancement Network (AAN) is dedicated to supporting faculty and academic staff across the domains of their work. In this edition of the AAN Newsletter, we focus on ways in which AAN and other units across campus support the advancement of our research endeavors. In the first article, Beronda Montgomery, Assistant Provost for Faculty Development and AAN team member, discusses the commitment to collaboration and connection that characterizes AAN’s approach to supporting research. In the next article, you will learn about a network of colleagues involved in program evaluation and ways you can connect with their expertise. Read further to hear from several other units providing important research-related resources—the Office of Research Facilitation and Dissemination as well as University Outreach and Engagement. Finally, take a moment to peruse the sections on Upcoming Events and Deadlines related to faculty and academic staff professional development, as well as the Thank an Educator column. We want to provide information and resources that help you advance your work and connect with others with related interests on campus. Please be in contact if you have suggestions and questions.
Making an Impact
Beronda Montgomery at the 2019 PBHS Annual Symposium

How is AAN Supporting the Development of Research across Campus?
The primary strategy that AAN uses to support research and scholarship is to provide support related to building and cultivating sustainable research, scholarship and creative activities of faculty and academic staff at MSU. Recognizing that research is one domain of an integrated academic career, we seek to develop and collaborate on opportunities that position individuals to leverage connections of scholarship and research to other career domains. Our efforts to date include...

Robert Malinowski: Exploring the
Competency-Based Review Model of CHM
Robert Malinowski
Robert Malinowski
 Lilly Fellow 2018-19  
"Participating in the Lilly program helped me to realize all of the research opportunities that are available with the launch of a new curriculum. My Lilly project was a great way to get back into the research frame of mind," wrote Malinowski.

Assistant Professor Robert Malinowski works in the College of Human Medicine’s Office of Medical Education, Research and Development (OMERAD). As a recent Lilly Fellow, Rob sought to learn more about the competency-based review process within the College of Human Medicine. Robert provides some insights on his project as a Lilly Fellow.

Learning through Collaboration & Connection
Interdisciplinary Evaluation Mixer
Have you ever wondered how to get support for writing the evaluation section of your grant proposal or conducting the evaluation when your proposal is funded?

Since November of 2018, Beronda Montgomery from the Academic Advancement Network and Miles McNall from University Outreach and Engagement have co-facilitated regular meetings of the MSU Evaluators’ Network (MSUEN) to discuss strategies for...

Grant writing workshop photo of participants in classroom setting
Strengthening Research
and Grant Activity
The Office of Research Facilitation and Dissemination (ORFD), a unit of the Office of the Senior Vice President for Research and Innovation, supports faculty and academic researchers in their pursuit of grant funding and research development. This office offers a variety of resources and events open to the university community including:
  • Community Coffee Breaks
  • Workshop on Writing Winning Grant
  • Consulting Services

University Outreach and Engagement
The Office for Public Engagement and Scholarship in University Outreach and Engagement coordinates opportunities for faculty, academic staff, and graduate students to learn about community-engaged research. Through one-time workshops, monthly meetings, and cohort programs, our offerings support beginners and experts alike in becoming increasingly sophisticated in their community collaborations and successful with their scholarship.

Upcoming Events
Explore the #iteachmsu Commons
in the Hub Flex Space: D101 Wells Hall
December 16: 11:30 am – 12:30 pm
The #iteachmsu Commons provides an educator-driven space for sharing teaching resources, connecting across educator networks, and growing teaching practice.
Bring your lunch and come prepared to log into the site!

Critical Friends Mentoring Session
for Department Chairs and School Directors
January 14: 9:00 a.m. - 10:30 a. m.
This new program focuses on developing a community of peers who can give and receive effective feedback to promote group problem solving.

Tending the Path Forward after Full Professor:
Career Paths for Women Professors
January 16: 9:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.
Participants will engage scholarship and expertise on career development, peer mentoring, and women’s leadership to guide our discussions, as well as personal and professional development.

Exploring Academic Leadership Lunch
Genuine Royal, Assistant Dean for Student Success Initiatives and Director of Neighborhood Student Success Collaborative
January 23: 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Informal opportunity to meet with academic leaders and explore the inner workings of their diverse positions.

Deadlines
Faculty Emeriti Association Awards Nominations
The MSU Faculty Emeriti Association promotes, facilitates and sponsors activities that enable faculty emeriti to be actively engaged with the University and the community and to share their lifetime of experience and expertise.

Big Ten Academic Alliance Leadership Program (ALP)
MSU yearlong program that provides intensive leadership
and managerial development, addressing the challenges of academic administration at major research universities .

Resources
Provides a solid cyberinfrastructure that connects researchers in academia and industry with advanced computational systems and tools.
Provides statistical support and services to MSU affiliated faculty, staff, and graduate students, and off-campus clients. CSTAT teaches workshops on a variety of statistical topics and software.
The NCFDD is an independent professional development, training, and mentoring community for faculty members, academic staff, postdocs, and graduate students. MSU’s institutional membership with NCFDD opens up many online resources for all academics at the University. Once you login to the NCFDD site, you can search past resources related to “Writing and Research Productivity” to find resources on topics such as “Building a Publishing Pipeline” to “Maintaining an Active Research Agenda on the Alt-Ac Track”. In addition to online videos and resources, you can sign up to take part in a Spring 14-Day Writing Challenge which provides an opportunity for you to experiment with daily writing and utilize an online community for supportive accountability.
Pedagogical research confirms what common sense tells us: people feel a sense of welcome and warmth when addressed by name. When an instructor uses a student’s name, it becomes clear to the student that they are an individual worthy of individual focus and attention in that classroom. Use the Name Game from the D2L toolbox to learn the names of students in your courses.
This list of resources is provided to increase awareness of the opportunities for learning and growth that are available to enhance our community and those that engage with it.
Impacts shared about another educator
via #iteachmsu Thank an Educator:
Thank you to:
Pallay Deka
“In the beginning of the semester, Dr. Deka told our pathophysiology class that it would be his first time teaching the class. Usually it is professors talking about how great it was to see students grow, but this time I'd like to acknowledge how much Dr. Deka has improved already in just one semester. He made the class interesting and enjoyable, even when the information got hard. He was willing to work with students when they needed help and often stayed after class. There was not one single day that Dr. Deka was not willing to go above and beyond for his students, or just be generally kind to them. Thank you for a wonderful semester Dr. Deka!.”
top of Beaumont Tower as graphic element