Brian Lai, associate professor and DEO of the Department of Political Science, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, and Jodi Linley, associate professor in the Department of Educational Policy and Leadership Studies, College of Education, have been selected as Faculty Fellows for Excellence in Teaching and Learning.

"We are thrilled to have Jodi and Brian join our team,” says Tanya Uden-Holman, associate provost for undergraduate education. “Their dedication to teaching excellence and commitment to an inclusive learning environment make them ideal candidates to advance our strategic goals."

The roles were created to support progress towards the Excellence in Teaching and Learning goal outlined in the University of Iowa Strategic Plan for 2022-2027. Chosen from a competitive pool of applicants, Lai and Linley demonstrated effective teaching, strong communication skills, and understanding of diverse student learning needs.

As Faculty Fellows, they will focus on enhancing support, incentives, and structures that facilitate teaching excellence and student learning. Their responsibilities include creating and implementing a teaching effectiveness framework based on best practices at peer institutions and collaborating on additional projects that support the Excellence in Teaching and Learning goal.

Brian Lai

Lai has been an instructor at the University of Iowa since 2001, developing and teaching a wide range of courses at both the undergraduate and graduate levels while utilizing various teaching approaches and formats to meet the diverse learning needs of students. He has been involved in several curriculum development initiatives, including the creation of the international relations major, the Environmental Policy and Planning major, and the Masters of Science in Public Affairs. He has also played a crucial role in designing assessments of student learning and teaching effectiveness within his department.

He has served as the chair of the Academic Technology Advisory Council (ATAC) for the past four years and has worked on large college-wide programming aimed at promoting student success, research opportunities, and career development for students in CLAS. As a Faculty Fellow for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, he will bring his expertise in teaching, curriculum development, and interdisciplinary collaboration to support the university in achieving its goals.

Jodi Linley

Linley has more than 20 years of experience as an educator and administrator. She served as director of the Iowa Sciences Academy (ISA) at the University of Iowa for nearly a decade, developing innovative support structures for racially minoritized students pursing STEM PhDs. During that time, she also helped develop and launch the Iowa Edge program, which provides mentorship and community building for underrepresented students transitioning to Iowa.

While earning her Ph.D. at Michigan State University, Linley was a major contributor to an NSF ADVANCE grant and the launch of the AAU undergraduate STEM education reform initiative. She returned to the University of Iowa in 2014 and now serves as associate professor of Higher Education and Student Affairs. Her passion for teaching, learning, organizational change, and diversity is apparent through her work as an educator and administrator.  As a Faculty Fellow for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, she will bring her wealth of knowledge and experience to the broader University of Iowa community.