Academic Innovation Center opens in Walker

Generating, sharing and supporting the student body was the mentality ULM faculty had stepping into the new Academic Innovation Center room Tuesday evening in Walker Hall.

The center was created to “promote the development of the next generation of academic leaders, support collaboration, and offer opportunities for inspiration and shared knowledge.”

The space will give faculty an area to think beyond creative boundaries. Council members of the AIC will arrange documented meetings that will assist in the use of the room and the growth of the program. New equipment, such as the SMART Board, are just some of the features the new center has for faculty to share data, ideas and research amongst each other.

  “We’re going to see new academic programs generated,” said Eric Pani, Vice President of Academic Affairs and creator of the AIC. “I hope it will generate research projects.”

The Academic Innovation Council will schedule faculty events  this fall.

The AIC Council features faculty members from all three colleges in order to ensure a balanced voice for all falculty.

Leading Academic Innovation Council members Dr. Joydeep Bhattacharjee and Professor Cliff Tresner hosted the  opening event.

“There are plans for a series of presentations and talks geared toward faculty innovation and collaboration,” said Tresner.

While the short term goals are to create groundbreaking ideas to strengthen education, the “sky is the limit” for the long term.

“We believe that our faculty are already doing great things in the areas

of research, teaching and service,” said Bhattacharjee. “but this is a platform to bring like-minded faculty in one place and foster synergism.”

Bhattacharjee and Tresner both agree that the effects of the AIC will positiviely imapct students.