Robert Talbert, Ph.D.

CTE Functional Area: Executive Director

Areas that I can help with:

• Teaching and learning innovation
• Cross-institutional collaboration
• Active learning
• Alternative grading practices
• Flipped instruction

CTE Position and Role

Dr. Robert Talbert serves as the Executive Director of the Center for Teaching Excellence at Texas A&M. He oversees the development, implementation, and assessments of programs in all functional areas of the CTE; collaborates with colleges and departments to identify research and grant opportunities as well as programming needs to serve faculty and students; and helps to build the cultural and strategic vision of the CTE and of the educational mission of the university. He also has an appointment as Instructional Professor in the Mathematics Department.

Relevant Academic and Professional Experience

Dr. Talbert holds an honors B.S. degree in Mathematics with minors in Psychology and English from Tennessee Technological University, and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Mathematics from Vanderbilt University. He served for 30 years as a faculty member, teaching Mathematics and Computer Science and serving in leadership roles at Bethel University (Indiana), Franklin College (Indiana), and Grand Valley State University before coming to Texas A&M in 2026 to lead the CTE. He is the author of twelve peer-reviewed publications in the teaching and learning of mathematics, as well as two books, Flipped Learning: A Guide for Higher Education Faculty​ and Grading For Growth​ and two Substacks, Grading For Growth and Intentional Academia.

Professional Profile

Dr. Talbert has advocated for, and put into practice, innovations in teaching and learning for over three decades. A pioneer of flipped learning in higher education and a leading proponent of alternative grading and grading reform, he has focused his career on challenging core assumptions and systems in higher education, building practical solutions, and helping faculty adopt and implement those solutions to improve student learning. A former department chair and Presidential Fellow at Grand Valley State University and alumnus of Georgetown University/Arizona State's Academy for Innovative Higher Education Leadership, he now brings his focus on rigorous, evidence-based teaching innovations to lead efforts in making Texas A&M the world leader in innovative teaching and learning.