Academy For Future Faculty
Academy for Future Faculty
The Academy for Future Faculty (AFF) is a CIRTL@TAMU program. The Center for the Integration of Research, Teaching, and Learning (CIRTL) is a National Science Foundation (NSF) funded network of research universities committed to preparing outstanding future faculty in STEM disciplines, with the ultimate goal of improving undergraduate STEM education in our country. The CIRTL mission is to enhance excellence in undergraduate education through the development of a national faculty committed to implementing and advancing effective teaching practices for diverse learners as part of successful and varied professional careers.
Job responsibilities for faculty vary both across and within institutions, requiring different levels of dedication to teaching, research, and service. As such, AFF is an introduction to life in the professoriate and a supplement to research-oriented graduate and postdoctoral programs in all disciplines where teaching experience may not be readily available.
As a CIRTL@TAMU program, AFF provides professional development opportunities for graduate students and postdoctoral scholars, both in STEM disciplines and far beyond. This organization allows participants four semesters to complete the AFF program at their own pace. Our program features weekly seminars covering a wide variety of topics, mentorship from current Texas A&M Faculty, and the opportunity to curate documents for their teaching portfolio (teaching philosophy, course syllabus, etc.). AFF participants leave the program prepared for entering careers in higher education.
AFF events are free and open to everyone in the Texas A&M academic community. Participants may choose to attend individual seminars or to participate in the program and receive their fellowship certificates. New fellows are recognized at the annual Graduate and Professional School Awards Ceremony. AFF is not active during summer semesters.
The registration link is below. Registered participants will be given access to the AFF Canvas community, where they will be able to track their progress toward the certificate and submit required documents.
We welcome you to contact AFF@tamu.edu with any questions about the AFF program.
Certificate Program
AFF Participants are given 4 Semesters (starting from the moment of registration) to complete the program from the time they register. The AFF is not active during summer semesters. To complete the two-year (4-semester) program and receive the Academy for Future Faculty Fellow Certificate, participants need to:Attend a minimum of 5 AFF Seminars in person and 3 Asynchronously.
Each semester, the AFF holds 8 or more seminars covering a wide range of topics related to teaching, education, and faculty development. Participants can attend any AFF-hosted seminar to earn an attendance point. To complete the program, participants must earn a minimum of 5 attendance points total.
- Core Seminars: There are four (4) topics that constitute the “core curriculum” of the AFF and are offered once each semester. Participants will be expected to submit three completed documents (see “Submit a copy of their Teaching philosophy, Syllabus and CV”) and one quiz (see “Complete 1 Learning Outcomes Quiz”) related to these core seminars. The Core Seminars are:
- Learning Outcomes
- Teaching Philosophy
- Syllabus Design
- Curriculum Vitae
- Elective Seminars: Each semester, four (4) or more elective seminars will be held. These seminars can cover a broad range of topics, including securing funding, engaging with students online, elevator pitches, and more. Each semester, new elective seminar topics will be offered, allowing the AFF to provide participants with a wide variety of seminars to attend. Participants are expected to complete quizzes associated with the Elective seminars they attend (see “Complete 4 Elective Quizzes”)
Find a Faculty Member
Participants in the AFF are expected to identify a mentor at Texas A&M to guide them throughout the program. The mentor must be a Texas A&M faculty member with a Master's or Doctoral degree; however, the mentor can be from any department. Participants cannot select their advisor (chair) or postdoctoral supervisor to be their mentor. We encourage participants to meet regularly with their mentors throughout the AFF program. Participants should use these meetings to reflect on seminar content, ask questions and solicit feedback on their required documents (see “Submit a copy of their Teaching Philosophy, CV and Syllabus”).
Submit a Copy of Their Teaching Philosophy, CV and a Course Syllabus
After attending these three core seminars (see “Attend a Minimum of 5 Seminars in person and 3 Asynchronously”), participants must draft a unique teaching philosophy, a CV, and a syllabus based on the information from the core seminars. Participants are expected to obtain and incorporate feedback from their AFF mentor to further develop each document. As proof of this, participants must have their mentor sign and date each document before uploading it to Canvas. Mentors may sign anywhere on the document, though it is encouraged that they sign either at the top or the bottom. Any documents submitted without a mentor's signature will not receive credit.
Complete 1 Learning Outcomes Quiz
After attending the Learning Outcomes core seminar (see “Attend a Minimum of 5 Seminars in person and 3 Asynchronously”), participants will be expected to complete a quiz over the information provided during the Learning Outcomes seminar. To receive credit for this quiz, participants must score at least 90%. Any score below 90% will not be accepted. Participants will be given three chances to take the quiz, with the highest overall score kept. This quiz does NOT count toward a participant's Elective Quiz credits (see “Complete 4 Elective Quizzes”) because it is a core seminar requirement.
Conduct 1 classroom observation and submit a feedback form through Canvas.
Participants will select a Texas A&M faculty member and observe their teaching for one class period. This does not have to be done with the participant's AFF mentor; it can be any faculty member at the University, so long as the participant has permission to do so. Always request permission beforehand from the professor you would like to observe! Using the observation form on Canvas, participants will answer questions about the classroom environment, the teaching methods used, and the overall effectiveness of instruction during their observation. They will then submit the observation form through Canvas. This document does not have to be signed by the participants' AFF mentor.
Complete 4 Elective Quizzes.
Not located at the College Station (main) campus?
Graduate students and postdoctoral scholars located at Texas A&M branch campuses (Galveston, Qatar) or academic and research units (Texas A&M Health, etc.) may submit a Distance Document, allowing them to participate in the AFF program remotely. Distance participants are expected to meet all other requirements, aside from attendance (which is waived in the distance document), using seminar recordings and slides posted on the Canvas page. As mentioned above, the recording of seminars is at the presenters' discretion. Distance participants can email AFF@tamu.edu for confirmation on which seminars will be available on Canvas.
Fall 2026 AFF Session Schedule
Session Schedule
|
Date |
Time |
Type |
Topic |
Location |
|
September 2 |
5:45-6:45pm |
Kick-off |
Kick-off/Orientation |
BLOC 150 |
|
September 9 |
5:45-6:45pm |
Elective |
Student Engagement |
BLOC 150 |
|
September 16 |
5:45-6:45pm |
Core |
Learning Outcomes |
BLOC 150 |
|
September 23 |
5:45-6:45pm |
Elective |
Interviewing as Prospective Faculty |
BLOC 150 |
|
September 30 |
5:45-6:45pm |
Core |
Teaching Philosophy |
BLOC 150 |
|
October 7 |
5:45-6:45pm |
Elective |
Accessibility in the Classroom |
BLOC 150 |
|
October 14 |
5:45-6:45pm |
Elective |
Understanding Academic Institutional Structure |
BLOC 150 |
|
October 21 |
5:45-6:45pm |
Core |
CV |
BLOC 150 |
|
October 28 |
5:45-6:45pm |
Elective |
TBD |
BLOC 150 |
|
November 4 |
5:45-6:45pm |
Core |
Syllabus Design |
BLOC 150 |
|
November 11 |
5:45-6:45pm |
Elective |
TBD |
BLOC 150 |
|
November 18 |
5:45-6:45pm |
Elective |
Micro-Teaching |
BLOC 150 |
Ready to Get Started? Register for AFF today!
Enrollment for AFF is open year-round, so join anytime you are ready.
Sign UpFAQ Section
When does the 4-semester timeline start after I register for the program?
From the moment a participant is granted access to the AFF Canvas page, their timeline begins. Even if a participant does not attend seminars or participate in the program at all during this time, they are still only given 4 semesters to complete the program.
When will I receive my AFF certificate?
Certificates are distributed once a year in late April/early May. This usually occurs at the annual Awards Ceremony. If the Ceremony is cancelled, participants will receive their certificates electronically by email.
Is there a due date for any of the requirements?
All documents are due the semester the participant wishes to complete the program, and quizzes are due the semester they’re released. Documents can be turned in at any time, even when the AFF is not active. However, grading may be delayed. Participants should strive to complete all program requirements by late March/early April if they wish to receive their certificate that Spring semester. However, Participants can complete the program at any time within the 4-semester timeframe; they just won't receive a certificate until the Spring following their completion.
What days and times are AFF seminars offered?
AFF seminars are offered during weekdays (Monday through Friday). The exact days of the seminars vary from semester to semester. All seminars take place after 5 pm.
What is required to be a Distance participant?
The AFF offers a distance option for participants who are not located in the College Station/Bryan area or are enrolled fully online. The distance option is not available to participants in the main College Station/Bryan area unless explicitly approved by the AFF directors and/or Advisors.
2026-2027 Co-Advisors
Co-Advisor - Jamie L. Thompson
Dr. Jamie L. Thompson is an experienced educator and instructional designer dedicated to enhancing teaching and learning through innovative strategies and emerging technologies. As the Assistant Director of Teaching Excellence at Texas A&M University's Center for Teaching Excellence, she collaborates with faculty to develop effective curricula, integrate instructional technologies, and improve student engagement. Her research focuses on Universal Design for Learning (UDL), digital accessibility, and generative AI, fostering a supportive, engaging, and collaborative learning environment. With expertise in curriculum development and pedagogical best practices, she works to create adaptable and accessible learning environments that support diverse learners. Dr. Thompson is committed to leveraging technology to enhance instructional effectiveness, empowering educators to implement forward-thinking, research-based approaches. Through her leadership, she advances faculty development initiatives that foster innovation and improve learning outcomes in higher education.
Co-Advisor- Jordan Lauhoff
As an Educational Consultant at the Center for Teaching Excellence, Jordan Lauhoff supports the professional growth of all graduate students interested in developing their teaching skills, whether their paths lead to academia or other fields. Jordan's focus is in collaboration with the Graduate and Professional School, which includes the Teaching Assistant Institute, the GSPDT Professional Development Workshop Series, the Graduate Teaching Consultant Program, and the Academy for Future Faculty. Jordan brings a background in K-12 education, including instructional coaching and program leadership. She values collaboration, strategic mentorship, and holistic support, and her approach centers on empathy, positivity, and building strong relationships with the educators she works alongside. Jordan is passionate about helping educators discover their passion for their content and turn that knowledge into practical, engaging, and effective teaching. She is dedicated to empowering graduate students to grow into confident, capable instructors who make a lasting, positive impact on the students they teach.
2026-2027 Executive Committee
Director - Carli Copell
Carli is a fourth-year Ph.D. Candidate in the Department of Sociology in the College of Arts and Sciences. She earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology and Sociology from Ouachita Baptist University and her master’s degree in Sociology from the University of Houston. Her master's thesis explored how millennial mothers in East Texas actively negotiated the ideals of intensive mothering, drawing on their own educational experiences to shape their visions for their children’s academic futures. It also examined how these women adopted a framework of “mothering with grace,” grounded in compassion, resilience, and cultural values. Carli earned her AFF certificate in Spring 2025 and found the program instrumental in developing her teaching skills and academic confidence. Motivated by the program’s role in her growth as an educator, she joined the committee to contribute and support others on similar paths. Carli looks forward to encouraging fellow graduate and professional students by sharing resources, offering support, and helping them build the skills needed to thrive in the classroom and beyond.
Dr. Reham Touni
Dr. Reham Touni is a postdoctoral research associate in the Arch H. Aplin III '80 Department of Hospitality, Hotel Management and Tourism at Texas A&M University's College of Agriculture & Life Sciences. She also serves as Event Coordinator for the TAMU Postdoctoral Association. She earned her Ph.D. in Hotel Management (Electronic Marketing) from Minia University and Florida State University through a Joint Supervision Scholarship in 2019. Her career includes roles as a research associate at the International Center for Hospitality Research and Development (ICHRD), Florida State University; Managing Editor of the Minia Journal of Tourism and Hospitality Research; and Journal Operations Coordinator for Tourism, Culture and Communication. With 18 years of teaching experience in hospitality management, her expertise spans marketing, human resources, and information technology applications in the field. She has published numerous peer-reviewed articles and is active in social service as a member of the National Council for Women in Egypt. Dr. Touni earned her AFF certification in Spring 2026, which strengthened her teaching skills and motivated her to join the committee, where she now supports fellow graduate and professional students in building skills for success in the classroom and beyond.
Edward Smith
Edward is a fifth-year Ph.D. Candidate in the Department of Sociology with the College of Arts and Sciences. He obtained a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Texas A&M University, and a master’s degree in sociology from Texas State University. His research explores why people continue to find meaning in shared cultural life even when they openly recognize that the institutions and traditions around them are imperfect, contradictory, or changing. Outside of his research, Edward enjoys popular culture across television, gaming, and films. He believes that what people watch, play, and laugh at builds strong communities and groups. Edward earned the Academy of Future Faculty (AFF) certificate in the Spring of 2026 and serves as an executive committee member of the Texas A&M University Academy of Future Faculty. Edward views teaching as a calling to build each student as a thinker by drawing on their own lived experiences within the classroom, encouraging reflection, and creating the conditions for genuine discussion that deepens understanding.
Roly Malaker
Roly Malaker is a Ph.D. student in the Department of Soil and Crop Sciences at Texas A&M University. Originally from Bangladesh, she completed her B.Sc. and M.Sc. in Microbiology and brings over seven years of research experience from the country’s largest pediatric hospital. Her previous work focused on childhood infectious diseases such as pneumonia and meningitis, evaluating pneumococcal vaccine impact, conducting COVID-19 surveillance, and applying metagenomic analysis to investigate unexplained meningitis cases. Currently, Roly is a graduate research assistant in the Crop Genome Editing Lab at Texas A&M. Her research centers on enhancing crop resilience through genome editing, with a particular focus on improving high daytime and nighttime temperature tolerance in rice and wheat. She is also exploring the application of Raman spectroscopy to measure nighttime heat stress in rice. Her goal is to help develop thermotolerant elite cultivars that support global food security in the face of climate change. Outside of research, she enjoys gardening, reading, listening to podcasts and music, traveling, meditating, and practicing yoga. She is also passionate about giving back to the community and is committed to supporting underprivileged children through education and empowerment initiatives.
Dr. Sudip Biswas
Sudip Biswas is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow and Lab Manager in the Department of Soil and Crop Sciences at Texas A&M University. His research focuses on plant molecular biology, genome editing, crop transformation, and functional genomics. He applies CRISPR-based technologies, RNA sequencing, and advanced molecular approaches to improve stress tolerance, nutritional quality, and productivity in crops such as rice, cowpea, peanut, and cotton. Sudip has published more than 30 peer-reviewed articles and has extensive experience mentoring undergraduate and graduate students and coordinating multidisciplinary research projects. He is committed to research, teaching, and inclusive mentorship and aims to establish an independent academic program that integrates innovative biotechnology with sustainable crop improvement. As a member of the AFF Executive Committee, he looks forward to supporting professional development and community-building opportunities for future faculty.