ASU joins Center for the Integration of Research, Teaching and Learning to better prepare future faculty

The ASU Graduate College has announced that Arizona State University is now a member institution of the Center for the Integration of Research, Teaching and Learning Network. The CIRTL Network seeks to develop a national faculty by engaging graduate students committed to enhancing excellence in undergraduate education through effective teaching practices for diverse learners.

CIRTL was founded in 2003 as a National Science Foundation Center for Learning and Teaching in higher education. The core ideas of the network are to provide professional development graduate training through diversity, teaching as research, and learning communities.

ASU joins 42 other member research universities, including the University of Arizona, Yale, Stanford, UCLA, Penn State and Caltech, among others.

“The Graduate College shares CIRTL’s mission to support and better serve the professional development needs of graduate students and postdoctoral scholars,” said Elizabeth A. Wentz, vice provost and dean of the Graduate College. “We are excited about adding CIRTL offerings to our professional development resources for future faculty.”

All CIRTL Network member institutions collaborate to learn and share strategies for building local learning communities in support of graduate students and postdoctoral researchers. 

“Universities don’t always do a great job of teaching graduate students and postdocs how to teach, which is often a crucial part of a successful career as a faculty member,” said Tamara Underiner, associate dean of professional development and engagement in the Graduate College. “We joined CIRTL precisely to help fill that gap.”

CIRTL offers a wide range of online programming. A variety of credit-bearing and non-credit-bearing classes are available for graduate students and postdocs, both via the national network and through offerings specific to the ASU community. Some of CIRTL’s core classes include: "Diversity in the College Classroom," "Teaching with Technology" and "Research Mentor Training."

CIRTL's workshops give graduate students and postdocs an opportunity to develop a specific material or set of materials to help advance their career development, such as writing a teaching philosophy or CV. Participants can also join online learning communities that cover a range of topics.

Get certified with CIRTL

All members of the ASU Community are welcome to participate in any of the free ASU/CIRTL offerings. Additionally, graduate students and postdocs wishing to become certified by CIRTL may do so at three tiered levels — associate, practitioner and scholar — representing certain benchmark achievements.

“Once you’re certified for any one of those levels and then apply for a job at another of the 42 CIRTL member institutions, they recognize that as a sign that you have given serious thought to pedagogy and teaching in your discipline,” Underiner said.

Learn more about CIRTL certifications.  

Get your CIRTL account

Through CIRTL membership, graduate students and postdocs have expanded opportunities for future faculty preparation, are able to connect with a national network of future and current faculty, and learn more about evidence-based research and teaching as research.

Interested ASU graduate students, postdocs and faculty should create a CIRTL Network account. 

The Graduate College will be offering information sessions for graduate students, postdocs and faculty in the spring.

Written by Jenna Nabors