Issue No. 38—Winter 2022-23
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A Message From Dean Gorman

Dear Rice Parents and Families,

It was thrilling to see so many parents during Owl Together, our Homecoming & Reunion and Families Weekend. Families were able to learn more about their student's experiences and get to know other Rice families while also enjoying vibrant homecoming activities. If you were not able to participate, I do hope we’ll see you next year — it remains a great way to connect to our campus and learn more about your student’s experience here at Rice.

One of the events held during Owl Together was especially near and dear to my heart: the Center for Teaching Excellence's (CTE) 10th anniversary. Founded in 2012, the CTE seeks to provide a transformative education through advocacy, community, inclusive pedagogy, innovative practices and scholarship. John Hutchinson, the former dean of undergraduates, along with current faculty fellows, founding faculty fellows (myself included!), faculty, staff and students were present to celebrate the first decade of the CTE. We have much to be proud of in the CTE. In a relatively short period of time, we have built a robust and vibrant resource for teaching and learning at Rice. The CTE offers a range of programs and resources, including one-on-one services like teaching consultations and class observations. The center is growing in national prominence and maintains relationships with departments across campus.

I’m also pleased to share that at the 10th anniversary event, we announced our new CTE director! Dr. Carissa Zimmerman, who has been a member of the Rice faculty in Psychological Sciences since 2011, brings many strengths to her new role. Her scholarship focuses on metacognition and memory, and she has been deeply involved in the teaching and learning community at Rice in various ways and has won multiple teaching awards (including the George R. Brown Award for Superior Teaching at Rice). Dr. Zimmerman was selected as our new CTE Director from a competitive search, and I look forward to seeing what she accomplishes in this new role.

I hope you all enjoyed a relaxing holiday surrounded by family and friends, and I look forward to welcoming students back to campus.

Sending my best wishes,

Bridget Gorman, Dean of Undergraduates