The Searle Center for Advancing Learning and Teaching, based on the Evanston campus, provides seminars and workshops for faculty to improve numerous aspects of their teaching skills. These opportunities are open to all faculty members, and conducted on the Chicago as well as Evanston campuses.

One of its signature programs is the Searle Fellows Program, a multi-disciplinary, year-long program for early career faculty. Established in 1999, the program aims to provide faculty with the expertise and knowledge to implement evidence-based approaches to learning and teaching. Participants work with a senior faculty mentor to develop a teaching project related to a course they teach, attend a minimum of 3 faculty development events, and participate in all of the program related activities (including a 2-day retreat and multiple mentoring sessions). Since its inception, 86 Feinberg faculty members have benefited from the Searle Fellows Program. Since 2011, the medical school’s involvement has been coordinated by the Feinberg Academy of Medical Educators (FAME), which assists in the application and selection process for Feinberg faculty, ensures optimal coordination of participants’ and faculty mentor activities, and incorporates downstream from the program former Fellows’ skills in other Feinberg faculty development initiatives.

Participation in the program is also viewed favorably in tenure and promotion decisions.

Applications for the Searle Fellowship will open Spring 2020.

Expectations of Fellows

• Participate in an overnight retreat that includes workshops on teaching theories
• Select a more-senior faculty member from their own department to serve as their mentor
• Work with Searle Center staff and their mentor to develop a project that explores current literature on teaching and learning effectiveness
• Attend a recognition ceremony and dinner at the end of the spring quarter, attended by current fellows, mentors and University leaders