Term instructional faculty study leave recipients for AY 2026-27

The College of Humanities and Social Sciences is pleased to announce the recipients of the AY 2026–27 Term Instructional Faculty Study Leave Awards.

Study leaves for term instructional faculty support professional development initiatives that advance scholarly research, teaching, and/or creative activity, including the development of innovative pedagogical approaches and methods. Supported activities may include, but are not limited to:

- The creation and/or revision of pedagogical materials and teaching methods
- Scholarly and/or creative work that draws on or informs the faculty member’s teaching
- Activities that maintain and/or advance knowledge, skills, and abilities relevant to teaching
- Other initiatives that support the missions and current priorities of the faculty member’s department or program, the College, the University, or relevant professional communities

Study leave awards are highly competitive and are granted based on the quality of the proposal, the merit of the proposed work, and its professional significance for the faculty member.

For Academic Year 2026–27, CHSS awarded two Term Faculty Study Leave awards, funded by the Office of the Provost. The College received an exceptional pool of proposals this year, reflecting the high level of scholarly and pedagogical engagement among our term instructional faculty.

AY 2026–27 Study Leave Recipients

Department of English

Tawnya Azar
“Asynchronous Writing Instruction in the Age of Generative AI”

Lisa Koch
“From Stone to Stane: Recentering Scotland in Harry Potter” —A Digital Humanities/AI Project for ENGH 305 Course Redesign

We congratulate our AY 2026–27 Study Leave recipients and look forward to the ways their projects will enhance teaching, curriculum development, and scholarly innovation within CHSS.