UW-Platteville faculty to showcase sabbatical work in November

"The work (instructors) have done during a sabbatical feeds right back into the classroom and directly impacts students, who get the benefit of being trained by faculty who have recent research experience and are up to date on changes in their fields."

- Assistant Provost David Gillota

UW-Platteville faculty are preparing to present the results of last year's sabbatical work.

The annual Sabbatical Showcase is set for 1-3 p.m. Nov. 19 in Nohr Galley in Ullsvik Hall. The event features posters presentations highlighting work done through the Universities of Wisconsin Faculty Sabbatical Program. 

Sabbaticals give Pioneer faculty the chance to pursue intensive study, research or other professional activities while on leave from their universities. Faculty can take sabbatical leave for one academic term and receive financial support up to their maximum level of compensation. They also can go on leave for two consecutive academic terms and receive financial support up to 65 percent of their compensation for that period. The university encourages faculty to seek supplementary grants or other funding while on leave, however, and faculty can seek additional funding for travel or unusual living expenses. 

UW-Platteville Assistant Provost David Gillota said sabbaticals enable faculty to deepen their expertise, which only benefits students in the classroom.

"During the regular academic year, faculty are immersed in teaching, advising, and committee work, which often leaves them little time to for sustained research projects," Gillota said. "The work that they have done during a sabbatical feeds right back into the classroom and directly impacts students, who get the benefit of being trained by faculty who have recent research experience and are up to date on changes in their fields."

Here's a look at the projects scheduled to be featured at the annual showcase:

_Amanda Trewin, Biology: "Beyond Good Intentions: Strategies to Build Equity in Classrooms and Healthcare Settings"

_Bidhan Roy, Mechanical and Industrial Engineering: "Rethinking Mechanical Vibrations: Robotics, AI and Undergraduate Research"

_Dan Wackwitz, Mathematics: "Creating Calculus: A Hands-On Supplemental Course"

_Soma Chattopadhyay, Chemistry: "Integrating Python and AI-Based Learning Tools into Undergraduate Physical Chemistry for Students with No Programming Experience, Aligned with ACS Accreditation Requirements"

_Xiaohong Wang, Civil and Environmental Engineering: "Enhancing the Teaching of Wood and Masonry Design Course"

_Edina Haslauer, Education: "Enhancing Educational Outcomes for Multilingual Learners Through Teacher Preparaton in Rural Wisconsin"

_Kameko Halfmann, Psychology: "The Effect of Legacy and Place Framing on Sustainable Attitudes and Behavioral Intentions"