The USM Kirwan Center for Academic Innovation welcomes the 2026-2027 cohort of Elkins SoTL Fellows – USM faculty will receive mini-grants and technical support to conduct projects focused on the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL).
The Elkins SoTL Fellowship Program was developed to support and elevate faculty research on teaching practice. Now in its fourth year, the program’s 2026-2027 cohort of Elkins SoTL Fellows will conduct research spanning areas such as educational leadership development, faculty grading practices, intercultural awareness and competence, and the integration of emerging technologies such as generative artificial intelligence into teaching and learning.
SoTL focuses on systematic investigation of student learning, instruction, and teaching innovations. Findings from SoTL research studies can help inform educators as they decide which instructional methods to use with students and as they design courses, helping to improve student performance and contributing to the knowledge base related to effective educational practices.
“I’m delighted to welcome this outstanding cohort of Elkins SoTL Fellows,” said Nancy O’Neill, Executive Director, USM Kirwan Center for Academic Innovation. “Their scholarship will advance our collective knowledge about what works for student success, and I am deeply grateful for their engagement in this important work.”
The 2026-2027 Elkins SoTL Fellows are:
Haitham Alkhateeb, Professor of Mathematics and Director of the Mathematics Program, University of Baltimore | Study: Student Views of the Arab Spring: Perceptions of Islamism, Democracy, and Rights
Ariel H. Bierbaum, Associate Professor of Urban Studies and Planning, University of Maryland, College Park | Study: Cross-Disciplinary Learning for Educational Leadership Development
Eun-Jeong Han, Associate Professor, Department of Communication, Salisbury University | Study: Conversation on Food and Identity: Enhancing Intercultural Competence and DEI Awareness through Cross-Institutional Collaborative Learning
Ioan Marginean, Associate Professor, School of Criminal Justice, University of Baltimore | Study: Assessing the Quality of AI-Generated Feedback on Short Writing Assignments
Megan Rhee, Assistant Professor, Yale Gordon College of Arts & Sciences, University of Baltimore | Study: Invisible Standards: A Survey of Grading Attitudes and Practices in Design Education
Tracy L.F. Worley, Adjunct Professor, Communication, Journalism & Speech, University of Maryland Global Campus and Adjunct 1, Yale Gordon College of Arts and Science, University of Baltimore | Study: The Impact of Visual Communication and AI Integration in a Composition and Research Course
