Christina Smith was in the 2014 cohort of the GCCUT program. She completed the GCCUT program in 2016 and graduated from OSU with a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering in 2017. She is currently the Assistant Director for Undergraduate Instructional Development and an Adjunct Lecturer in the School of Engineering at Brown University. 

Q&A with Christina Smith

Please briefly describe your new position and responsibilities at your job.

I support the development of undergraduate peer educators (e.g. undergraduate teaching assistants, tutors, peer mentors). The bulk of my work focuses on facilitating the Problem-Solving Fellows (PSF) program, launched in the Spring of 2018 as part of the Brown Learning Collaborative. This program aims to develop undergraduate educators to be more effective problem solvers through their teaching. The core component of the program is the course UNIV 1110: The Theory and Teaching of Problem-Solving. This course focuses on developing reflective learning and teaching practices, evaluating bias and identity in the problem-solving process, and creating a community of undergraduate peer educators. At the end of the term, PSFs engage in group projects that incorporate concepts around teaching, learning, and problem-solving within a Brown context.

My other responsibilities include designing and implementing workshops and seminars for undergraduates to improve their teaching; general undergraduate teaching assistant orientation; co-facilitating a Problem Solving Course Design Institute for faculty and graduate students; teaching observations; and supporting the rest of the Sheridan staff with their workshops and seminars.
 

What specific aspects of your participation in the GCCUT program impacted your job attainment process?

My participation in the GCCUT program impacted my job attainment process in two ways. The teaching portfolio I created was a great starting point for my application package. It was helpful to go through the process of writing a teaching statement and designing a CV with peer and instructor feedback prior to applying. I think my application was stronger because of it. As a graduate student, I designed workshops for undergraduate and graduate students as teachers. GCCUT gave me the tools to be able to design engaging workshops, some of which I used for my on-campus interviews. 

 

Is there anything else you would add about your GCCUT experience that you think would interest prospective students?

I loved my experience in the GCCUT program. Jessica is a fantastic and supportive educator. She was gracious enough to be on my dissertation committee and provided guidance and valuable feedback. I became close friends with some GCCUT students, all of which have continued on or will be continuing to jobs in higher education. GCCUT was a community that gave me the opportunity to think deeply about my teaching, both practically and theoretically, and was a great support when I would struggle with graduate student stress or insecurities.