Center for Research on Learning and Teaching (CRLT) Staff Directory

Constance Cook has served as Director of CRLT since 1993 and Associate Vice Provost since 2006. Prior to becoming the director of CRLT, Connie served as executive assistant to the president of the University of Michigan and, from 1987-1990, Connie was coordinator of the FIPSE (Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education) Comprehensive Program at the U.S. Department of Education. Connie also was an associate professor at Albion College, where she chaired the political science department. She received her B.A. from Barnard College, her M.A. from The Pennsylvania State University, and her Ph.D. from Boston University — all in political science. Her expertise concerns American political interest groups, which is the topic of her two books: Lobbying for Higher Education: How Colleges and Universities Influence Federal Policy (Vanderbilt University Press, 1998), and Nuclear Power and Legal Advocacy: The Environmentalists and the Courts (D.C. Heath/Lexington Books, 1980). Her articles and presentations also concern topics related to teaching improvement, such as building multiculturalism into faculty development, using theatre to stage instructional transformation, the role of a teaching center in curricular reform, and creating a culture of teaching at a research university. As Director, Connie coordinates new initiatives at CRLT and represents both CRLT and the broader University community on issues of teaching and learning. As Associate Vice Provost, Connie leads Provost's Office initiatives, such as U-M department chair training and professional development for international higher education leaders. Connie is also clinical professor in the Center for the Study of Higher and Postsecondary Education in the School of Education, as well as adjunct associate professor in political science.

Crisca Bierwert joined CRLT in 2000, became Assistant Director in 2002, and became Associate Director in 2007. Before coming to CRLT, she obtained her Ph.D. degree in cultural anthropology from the University of Washington (Seattle), worked in the Native educational programs of the Coqualeetza Centre (Sardis, B.C.), and taught at Green River Community College (two years) and at the University of Michigan (10 years). Her major publications in anthropology and Native American Studies focus on text analysis, cultural politics, and environmental issues including Lushootseed Texts: An Introduction to Puget Salish Narrative Aesthetics, and Brushed by Cedar, Living by the River: Coast Salish Figures of Power. At CRLT, she consults with individual faculty members and faculty-GSI teams, provides workshops and consultations for departments and programs, and develops and coordinates CRLT programs. She leads initiatives on interdisciplinary, multicultural and technologically innovative teaching; promotes research on student and faculty learning, and contributes to institutional efforts to enhance diversity at the UM.

Dr. Cynthia Finelli earned B.S.E.E., M.S.E.E., and Ph.D. degrees from the U-M in 1988, 1989, and 1993, respectively. Prior to joining CRLT in April 2003, she was the Richard L. Terrell Professor of Excellence in Teaching, founding director of the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, and associate professor of electrical engineering at Kettering University. She is a strong advocate of active, team-based learning in the classroom and is engaged in several engineering education research projects. She is chair of the Educational Research and Methods Division of ASEE, and she is as associate research scientist of engineering education at U-M.

Virginia joined CRLT in 2007 after completion of her Ph.D. in Higher Education at the Center for the Study of Higher and Postsecondary Education (CSHPE) at the University of Michigan. She has served as a corporate trainer and faculty member in universities in France, Japan and the United States, as well as a program director at The American University of Paris, Temple University Japan, and Executive Education at the Ross School of Business. At CRLT, she provides consultations to faculty, including the collection of Midterm Student Feedback (MSFs). In addition, she is a practice teaching facilitator for the CRLT/ELI Graduate Student Instructor course, contributes to CRLT research, and organizes a variety of CRLT events. Virginia also currently teaches Accent Reduction for Deloitte Consulting through ARI/Novations.

Chad earned a B.S. in Biology from the University Scholars Program at Pennsylvania State University and an M.S. and Ph.D. in Biology from the University of Michigan. He also completed a Postdoctoral Fellowship in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at U-M. Chad has been teaching and/or mentoring at U-M since 1994, including lecturing at the Ann Arbor, Dearborn and, Biological Station campuses. Prior to joining CRLT in 2005, he worked at BioMedware, Inc., as a Research Scientist and Project Manager. At CRLT, Chad consults with faculty and GSIs on teaching and course design, participates in research, and facilitates workshops on teaching methods, such as Designing Effective Group Assignments and Activities, Classroom Assessment, and Teaching Critical Thinking. Additionally, he has coordinated or co-directed CRLT's campus-wide GSI Teaching Orientations, the Rackham-CRLT Preparing Future Faculty Seminar, the College of Engineering Graduate Student Mentor Program, and the U-M Graduate Teacher Certificate Program. Chad also performs with the CRLT Players in the U-M ADVANCE interactive theatre sketches on faculty mentoring, hiring, and tenure.

Matt joined CRLT in 1994, after working for three years at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Center for Teaching and Learning. He has a Ph.D. in comparative literature from UNC where he taught Great Books and courses in German language and literature. Matt became CRLT's assistant director in 1999, associate director in 2001, and managing director in 2007. He currently focuses on university–wide initiatives – e.g., Provosts Seminars on Teaching, assessment and reaccreditation, evaluation of teaching – and external projects, such as a U–M’s Difficult Dialogues project, an initiative funded by the Ford Foundation to explore the role of religion in a public, research university. He oversees the Thurnau competition, the University’s highest undergraduate teaching award, and U–M’s competition to nominate faculty for the National Professors of the Year award. Matt has published articles on the academic hiring process, the use of interactive theatre as a faculty development tool, and the evaluation of teaching. He has co–edited a volume of New Directions for Teaching and Learning on The Scholarship of Multicultural Teaching and Learning (Jossey-Bass, 2007) and two volumes of To Improve the Academy (New Forum Press, 1998 & 1999).

Deborah Meizlish joined CRLT in 2001. Debbie earned a B.A. from James Madison College at Michigan State University and an M.A. and Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Michigan. Prior to joining CRLT, she taught courses in American Politics and public policy. At CRLT, Debbie consults with administrators, faculty, and GSIs on course and curricular issues, including the scholarship of teaching and learning; plans University-wide programs on teaching and learning; and conducts seminars such as Evaluating Writing, Effective Student Presentations, and Academic Integrity in the Classroom. Debbie has co-taught CRLT's Preparing Future Faculty Seminar and coordinated the Center's Graduate Teaching Consultants. Debbie has published on the academic hiring process, academic integrity, and political science pedagogy.

A.T. Miller, who earned an A.B. from Davidson College and a Ph.D. in American civilization from the University of Pennsylvania, came to CRLT from Union College in New York. While at Union College, he initiated and then directed the Africana Studies program, chaired the College's Multicultural Advisory Group, led semester abroad programs, and taught courses on African and African-American history. In addition, A.T. served as the head of a Quaker community secondary school in East Africa and collaborated on a project to help prepare African-American high school youth for higher education in North Carolina. He has published and presented on multicultural teaching topics, African history and culture, and the impact of African heritage on American social institutions. A.T. has worked extensively on mentoring programs for students and faculty from under-represented groups. In his role as CRLT's coordinator of multicultural teaching and learning services, A.T. works to further the goal of creating inclusive learning environments across the UM campus.

Chris O’Neal earned his Ph.D. in biology from the University of Michigan. Chris has been with CRLT since 1999 and is currently the team leader for the Center’s sciences, technology, engineering, and math team. Chris focuses on science instruction and has contributed to the design and development of campuswide workshops on active learning, teaching problem solving skills, and engaging students. In his customized services to various departments, Chris has addressed issues such as curriculum revision, the scholarship of teaching and learning, clinical instruction, and implementation of team-based learning. Chris has also co-coordinated the Rackham-CRLT May Seminar on Preparing Future Faculty.

Dr. Tershia Pinder-Grover earned her B.S. degree in Fire Protection Engineering from the University of Maryland in 1999 and her M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Mechanical Engineering from the U-M in 2002 and 2006, respectively. In addition to numerous academic and leadership awards, Tershia received the National Collegiate Engineering Award and the U-M Scholar Power Ph.D. Student Achievement Award. She has been a GSI and an Engineering GSI Mentor, and she joined CRLT North in August 2005. Tershia oversees the Engineering GSI Mentor Program, plans teacher training for new engineering GSIs, and develops workshops and seminars, and consults with faculty and GSIs.

Mary Piontek earned a B.A. and M.A. in English Literature and a Ph.D. in measurement, research, and evaluation. She has considerable experience doing evaluation research in educational settings and has consulted with foundations, schools and districts, institutions of higher education, and organizations on program evaluation and educational research issues. In her current role, Mary works with individual faculty members, schools, and departments that need assistance assessing the effectiveness of initiatives to improve teaching and learning. She is the co-author of Evaluation Strategies for Communicating and Reporting: Enhancing Learning in Organizations, 2nd Edition (Sage, 2005).

Jeffrey Steiger has experience in the classroom as well as on stage. He has taught courses on performance art, comedy, and acting for non-actors both at UM and at Ann Arbor's Community High School. At the same time, he has been writing, directing, and producing original works for the stage. At CRLT, Jeffrey runs the CRLT Theatre Program, which involves creating original scripts, recruiting and rehearsing actors, consulting with faculty and GSIs on voice and communication issues, and working with academic units to apply theatre to their faculty development needs. Jeffrey is currently developing scripts on mentoring, international faculty, sexual orientation, race, and other multicultural topics.

Mary Wright is Coordinator of Graduate Student Instructor (GSI) initiatives. She earned an A.B. in sociology from Princeton University, a M.A. and Ph.D. in sociology from the University of Michigan, and a M.A. in higher education administration from U–M’s Center for the Study of Higher and Postsecondary Education. Mary’s work at CRLT focuses on Preparing Future Faculty initiatives and GSI programs. She coordinates the Graduate Teaching Consultant (GTC) program, co-teaches ELI 994, a course for prospective LSA GSIs who were educated abroad in a non-English medium and also works on several graduate student mentorship programs. Her research and teaching interests include faculty–institutional congruence of values, retention in the sciences, and qualitative research and evaluation methods. Her book, Always at odds?: Creating alignment between faculty and administrative values, is forthcoming from SUNY Press.

Erping Zhu earned a Ph.D. in instructional systems technology from Indiana University. Erping consults with faculty about integrating technology into their teaching and developing courses that incorporate instructional technology. She collaborates with colleagues from UM technology units to provide services and programs to faculty, such as the Enriching Scholarship. She also co-directs the Teaching with Technology Institute. She co-authored a chapter, “Technology and Teaching,” for W. McKeachie’s Teaching Tips (Houghton Mifflin, 2002) and a monograph entitled “Technology and Teaching: Characteristics and Implications of an Integrated Approach” (Global Learning Center, University of Michigan Business School, 2001).

Lori Dickie earned a B.B.A. in accounting from Eastern University. With 22 years of experience in the UM Development Office, Lori has an important background in administration and finances. As an administrative associate, she administers the payroll and benefits system for CRLT and is responsible for managing CRLT’s budget.

Ryan Hudson studied political science at Carleton College as an undergraduate student, and she received a master's degree from the University of Michigan in the same discipline. She has also been certified to Teach English as a Foreign Language by the University of Liverpool and did so in Prague 1989-91. Ryan has more than ten terms of experience as a Graduate Student Instructor and Concentration Advisor for UM’s department of political science. In September 2006, she joined CRLT as Program Coordinator. She leads the event planning team, assists Mary Piontek with grants competitions, and provides general research and editing support.

Marie joined CRLT in September 2007. She has an M.A. in Higher Education and Student Affairs from The Ohio State University and recently earned her Ph.D. in Higher Education through the Center for the Study of Higher and Postsecondary Education (CSHPE) at the University of Michigan. At CRLT, Marie assists with program and curricular assessment, benchmarking initiatives, and event planning. She also provides support for the Public Goods Council, Preparing Future Faculty Conference, and Michigan-China University Leadership Forum.

Katie Carrico earned her bachelors degree in History of Art from the University of Michigan in 2007, and shortly thereafter she joined CRLT. As a Program Assistant, Katie provides support for GSI Teaching Orientation, the one-day Preparing Future Faculty conference, the International Faculty Reception, and other CRLT events.

Autumn Fabricant earned her B.A. in Comparative Literature from the University of Oregon. Prior to joining CRLT in January 2008, she worked as an AmeriCorps service worker in Banks, Oregon and an English language assistant in Linz, Austria. As a Program Assistant, Autumn provides support for EGSI Teaching Training, the CRLT seminar series, and other CRLT events.

Stella Gorlin earned her B.A. in History from the University of Michigan and her M.F.A. in Dramaturgy and Theatre Studies from the Institute for Advanced Theatre Training at Harvard University. As logistical coordinator of the CRLT Theatre Program, Stella handles the scheduling and event planning responsibilities, maintains informational databases, and oversees communications within the program.

Amy Hamermesh is the Center's computer systems specialist. Before joining CRLT, Amy received her M.A. in linguistics from the University of Michigan and worked as the Departmental Administrator at the University of Michigan's Frankel Center for Judaic Studies. Amy provides support for all of CRLT’s computer-related technology,including research and training for CRLT staff. In November 2002, she became an Apple Certified Technical Coordinator.

Jeri Hollister earned her B.A. in History of Art and her M.F.A. from the School of Art at the University of Michigan. Prior to joining CRLT as a Program Assistant in August of 2004, she worked in the Visual Resources Collections in the Department of the History of Art in LSA. Jeri provides support for various programs, including the 5 week Preparing Future Faculty seminar each May, maintains the CRLT web site, and provides some of the graphic art work needed to publicize CRLT events.

Carrie Holmes earned her B.A. in Political Science from the University of Michigan, and is currently attending Eastern Michigan University working toward her elementary education teaching certificate. As a Program Assistant, Carrie plans, and provides support for a variety of events at CRLT.

Carolyn Parker earned a B.S. in Kinesiology/Education from the University of Michigan. Before joining CRLT in September 2002, she was a substitute teacher for the Chelsea and Dexter school districts. Carolyn provides administrative secretarial support to the director and to the associate and assistant directors. Carolyn also plans and coordinates several campuswide events: New Faculty Orientation, the Provost’s Seminars on Teaching, and the Rackham-CRLT May Seminar on Preparing Future Faculty.

Melinda Thompson joined CRLT in January 2004. She attended Washtenaw Community College in their Administrative Assistant Program. She has over 10 years of combined clerical and customer service experience. Most of the knowledge gained was through the University of Michigan working in several different departments that included, The Housing Information Office and Facilities Information Center.

CRLT • University of Michigan • 1071 Palmer Commons • 100 Washtenaw Ave. • Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2218
Phone: (734) 764-0505 • Fax: (734) 647-3600 • Email: crlt@umich.edu
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