Teaching Trek: Reflections on Participation in the Indo-U.S. Teaching Professorship Program

Abstract

The American Society for Microbiology’s Indo-U.S. Teaching Professorship program (sponsored by the Indo-U.S. Science and Technology Forum) provides an opportunity for cross-continental teaching exchanges in the microbial sciences. In this article, I reflect on my experiences as a 2017 Teaching Professor at the University of Delhi, where I developed and delivered a curriculum about prion diseases and a workshop on scientific communication. Tips for preparation, informal assessments, and portable classroom manipulatives are presented for educators who are interested in participating in similar programs. International teaching exchanges provide a unique opportunity to develop skills in assessment and adaptability while meeting new colleagues from across the globe.

Leveraging Virtual Experiences for International Professional Development Opportunities during the Pandemic and beyond

“…For example, the American Society for Microbiology has the Indo-U.S. Teaching & Research Professorships in Microbiology ( https://www.iusstf.org/program/asm-iusstf-indo-us-professorship-in-microbiology ) ( 28 ), and the American University in Cairo has the Distinguished Visiting Professors Program ( https://documents.aucegypt.edu/Docs/faculty/DVP-Pol-Prov-Res-008-R0-Scan.pdf ). Notably, while Clubes de Ciencia (Science Clubs, https://www.scienceclubsint.org/ ) has traditionally been an in-person professional development opportunity for research instructors ( 29 ), in the light of the ongoing pandemic, in 2020 Clubes de Ciencia transitioned to an online format.…”