RHSE invests in interdisciplinary, professional development for faculty
By
Sarah McMahon
Funding will support the exchange of ideas and best practices in teaching and research supervision across 8 departments in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto.
"We are thrilled to have the opportunity to support the continued professional development of our outstanding faculty, and by extension, the growth of our exceptional students,” said Professor Justin Nodwell, Vice Dean, RHSE. “One of our aims at RHSE, is to integrate our educational objectives in the health sciences with our vast research enterprise, and vice-versa. The BMS Teaching Seminars align well with this goal. Moreover, these seminars facilitate a sense of community and collaboration, principles that we wholeheartedly embrace and foster at RHSE. We are proud to contribute to such a worthwhile endeavour.”
Initially with a strong focus on teaching at the undergraduate level, the original series was established in 2017. It was hugely successful, bringing together over 250 faculty members to engage in discussion and growth. Professors Stavroula Andreopoulos of biochemistry, Michelle Arnot of pharmacology & toxicology and Michelle French, of physiology, created the series with funding from their individual departments and the former Graduate and Life Sciences Education (GLSE).
When Arnot and French needed to step back from their roles in this initiative, and GLSE merged with what was then the Office of Research and Innovation (R & I) to form RHSE, Andreopoulos embraced these changes as an opportunity to reimagine the seminar series.
We are proud to contribute to such a worthwhile endeavour.
Justin Nodwell
Partnering with Professor Martina Steiner of molecular genetics, who is a former participant in the workshops, they set out to expand the scope of the seminars to better reflect the vision of the newly formed RHSE, to integrate educational objectives in health sciences with Temerty Medicine’s research enterprise. For the first time since its inception, the BMS Teaching Seminars, now fully funded by RHSE, will explore topics beyond undergraduate level teaching, delving into areas such as graduate research supervision.
The first BMS Teaching Seminar of 2024 is scheduled for February 6 and will discuss how to create equitable lab environments for students. Faculty from any basic medical science program are encouraged to attend. To learn more and register, visit the RHSE website.
