As we approach the end of the 2024-2025 academic year, I’m pleased to share remarkable progress in our faculty recruitment efforts. From our initial goal of filling 29 permanent positions, we’ve already successfully completed 20 hires, with an additional five offers in advanced negotiations and likely to be finalized within days.
Our recruitment efforts have been distributed across various academic ranks and tracks: 18 tenure-track Assistant Professors, 10 non-tenure track Assistant Teaching Professors, and 1 tenured Full Professor.
The scholarly depth and teaching passion of our incoming colleagues is truly impressive:
- In the Department of Art, our incoming Assistant Teaching Professor in Drawing is developing “The Wildflower Project,” an innovative installation that explores extinction, the natural sciences, and familial relationships.
- Our Department of Communication will welcome an Assistant Professor specializing in Relational Communication whose research elevates Black family experiences while examining the intersections of race, politics, and health communication.
- The Middle East and South Asia Studies Program has hired an Assistant Professor of Arabic whose background as a non-native Arabic speaker and former member of the armed forces has guided their psycholinguistic research on how Arabic learners approach unfamiliar words. This scholarship has significant implications for language instruction methodologies for beginners.
- In the sciences, the Department of Physics will welcome an Assistant Professor of Astrophysics advancing groundbreaking research on gravitational wave detection and supermassive black hole binaries.
- The Department of Psychology adds two Assistant Professors: one in human neuroscience investigating medial frontal cortex activity in self-regulation, and another in human cognition researching visual attention and distraction management.
What’s particularly gratifying is that many of these talented teacher-scholars chose Wake Forest despite having competitive alternatives. They consistently cite our welcoming campus culture, exceptional students, and robust collaborative opportunities as decisive factors. Our incoming Assistant Teaching Professors expressed particular enthusiasm about their instructional roles, many noting their desire to inspire undergraduates with the same intellectual excitement they experienced during their own academic journeys.
We look forward to the vibrant teaching, creative work, and research that will emerge from their contributions to Wake Forest in the years ahead!
– Dr. Erica Still, Associate Dean for Faculty Recruitment, Diversity, and Inclusion
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Dean’s Office Announcements
SEEKING SUBMISSIONS FOR 2025 HONORS AND AWARDS CEREMONY
The Office of the Dean of the College is asking that departments and programs submit award information for a graduating senior. The information will be included in the ceremony’s digital program. Please visit the Honors and Awards Ceremony website for details, and complete the Google submission forms for the Main Award and Additional Awards before 3 p.m. on Monday, May 5. A Wake Forest tradition, the ceremony recognizes and celebrates the academic excellence of students for their impressive achievements in the arts, humanities, social sciences, and sciences.
The Honors & Awards Ceremony will take place on Sunday, May 18, from 2 to 3:30 p.m. in Brendle Recital Hall.
UPDATES ON FEDERAL POLICY SHIFTS AND UNIVERSITY RESPONSE
Wake Forest’s Government Affairs team and a strategic steering committee are following federal changes and possible impacts on University activities and decisions. Information is available on the Office of Government Affairs website, and information specific to research is provided on the Research at Wake Forest website by the Vice Provost for Research, Scholarly Inquiry, and Creative Activity and the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs.
For Faculty & Staff
HUMANITIES INSTITUTE CALL FOR PROPOSALS
The Humanities Institute invites proposals for a range of workshops, grants, and seminar opportunities for the 2025-2026 Academic Year. The complete list of programs is available online and on the Humanities Institute website. The deadline for New and Continuing Faculty Seminars and Faculty Workshop Seminars is Thursday, May 1, 2025. Proposals for all other grants are accepted on a rolling basis but will also close for the summer break on Tuesday, May 20, 2025, and open again on Monday, August 18, 2025.
More information about all Humanities Institute programming, as well as links to all proposal forms, can be found on the Humanities Institute website under Faculty Resources.
If you have any questions about our funding opportunities or about a specific proposal idea, please contact Jennifer Greiman, HI Director, at greimaj@wfu.edu, or Aimee Mepham, HI Associate Director, at mephamam@wfu.edu.
NSSE SURVEY FOR FIRST-YEARS AND SENIORS
The Office of Institutional Research needs your help to encourage first-year students and seniors to participate in the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE). Please remind your students it takes just 15 minutes to complete the survey and share their feedback on their college experience. Invitations were sent to their WFU inboxes on Monday, March 31.
If students complete the survey by Friday, May 2, they’ll receive a FREE small coffee at Smith’s Café and be entered for a chance to win one of two $99 gift cards to the Deacon Shop.
SUMMER 2025 CAMPUS RENOVATIONS: CARSWELL, ALUMNI HALL, AND ZSR
Students, faculty, and staff returning in Fall 2025 will experience transformative changes in many Carswell Hall learning spaces. Plans include significant renovations of 11 classrooms and updated audio-visual systems, mobile furniture, and wall-mounted and mobile whiteboards. Summer 2025 renovation work will start in mid-May and is expected to be completed in August.
Alumni Hall will also undergo renovations to create academic space, including modern classrooms, study areas, research and teaching laboratories, faculty offices, and gathering spaces for the Entrepreneurship Program and Departments of Philosophy, Education, and Computer Science. The renovations will also include a new roof, walls, doors, ceilings, lighting, flooring, writing surfaces, audio visual, and classroom/offices/common area furnishings. Construction is slated to begin Summer 2025.
There are several projects happening in ZSR Library this summer, including renovations to the Atrium roof; restroom renovations; Writing Center renovations to improve accessibility and pedagogical flexibility; and steam station replacement. Updates to ZSR’s summer hours will be released in the following weeks via a campus-wide notification.
Visit the Space Planning at Wake Forest website for timeline and progress updates.
PROFESSIONAL HEADSHOTS AVAILABLE FOR FACULTY AND STAFF
Studio-quality headshots are available at no cost to Wake Forest faculty and staff on the second Wednesday of each month from 9 a.m. to noon at the University Corporate Center. Appointments are required.
APPLY TO THE ACE FELLOWS PROGRAM
Submit your application for the ACE Fellows Program by Thursday, May 15, and join a dynamic network of ACE faculty who receive $1,000 annually for two years to support community-engaged teaching and scholarship.
For more details, contact Director of Community Partnerships & Experiential Learning Allison Walker, walkea@wfu.edu.
Technology
TRY NOTEBOOKLM: FREE AI RESEARCH ASSISTANT
NotebookLM is a free AI research assistant from Google that uses the Gemini language model to analyze and summarize uploaded documents, including PDFs, text, Google Docs, websites, and YouTube audio. It offers interactive summaries and a podcast-style “Audio Overview” feature to support different learning styles. Though powerful, it is still experimental, and users should avoid uploading sensitive information. ITG member Jeff Muday has created a blog post about how to use NotebookLM. As always, feel free to reach out to Jeff or any ITG for assistance with your technology needs.
IS YOUR EMAIL SECURE?
For communications requiring the transmission of sensitive or confidential data, such as social security numbers, credit card information, or restricted internal data, Gmail Confidential Mode provides an additional layer of security. This feature is ideal when there is a need to protect information from unintended sharing or unauthorized access.
This how-to article offers further information.
PROMOTING INCLUSIVE LEARNING: COURSE CAPTION GRANT PROGRAM
Faculty are encouraged to apply for funding through the Course Caption Grant to support the professional captioning of course videos. The program aims to facilitate the creation of accessible course content, ensuring inclusivity for all learners. Faculty are urged to submit applications to contribute to a more universally accessible learning environment. For application information, visit the Technology Accessibility website.
CAT Resources
THANK A COLLEAGUE
As we near the end of the semester, the Center for the Advancement of Teaching (CAT) invites you to participate in their Thank a Colleague program as a way to recognize your colleagues’ efforts. You fill out a short online form, and the CAT compiles and forwards the responses along to recipients at the end of the semester. Please use this Google Form to submit your notes of gratitude by Wednesday, May 7.
Research Funded
Dr. Mollie Canzona, Associate Professor of Communication, received funding from the American Cancer Society/WFUHS for her project, “Cultural Attunement and Evaluation of an eHealth Fertility Preservation Decision Aid for Young Adults with Cancer: fertilit-e.”
Dr. David Carroll, Professor of Physics, received funding from U.S. Special Operations Command/Streamline LLC for his “Edge Quantum Processor” project.
Dr. Eranda Jayawickreme, Harold W. Tribble Professor of Psychology and Senior Research Fellow for the Program of Leadership and Character, received awards from John Templeton Foundation/Regents of the UC Irvine; and Templeton Religion Trust/Baylor University for two projects including, “Addressing Risks in Online Spaces with Character Development through Micro Interventions.”
Dr. Paige Rice, Assistant Professor of Health and Exercise Science, received a NIH award for her project, “Muscle Power as a Predictor of Knee Osteoarthritis in At-Risk Females.”
Dr. Julie Velásquez Runk, Director, Professor, and Weigl Fellow of Environment and Sustainability Studies, received a grant from the Norm and Sibby Whitten Publication Subvention Award Selection Committee for her book Interwoven Rosewood: Beauty, Being, and Belonging, co-authored with Wounaan Podpa Nʌm Pömaam and Wir Haigpai Podpa Nʌm Majé.
For more faculty funding, visit Inside WFU.
Books Published
Amy Catanzano, Associate Professor of English in Creative Writing, The Imaginary Present: Essays in Quantum Poetics (Poets on Poetry series). University of Michigan Press, 2025.
Dr. Timothy Gitzen, Assistant Professor of Anthropology, Unscripting the Present: The Security Panic of Queer Youth Sexuality. SUNY Press, 2025.
Dr. Seth C. Hayden, Associate Professor of Counseling, Integrating Career Development and Mental Health Counseling. American Counseling Association, 2025.
In the News
DR. GAO NAMED NATIONAL HUMANITIES CENTER FELLOW
Dr. Ruiying Gao, Assistant Professor of Art History, has been awarded a fellowship from the National Humanities Center to develop her project, Collating Nature: Illustrated Bencao Books in Ming China. Read more about Dr. Gao’s fellowship on Inside WFU.
GLADDING AUTHORS, EDITORS, AND ARTISTS FACULTY AWARDS
Assistant Professor of Music Dr. Larry Weng and Professor of Law Dr. Marie- Amélie George were recently awarded the 2025 Gladding Authors, Editors, and Artists Faculty Award. Weng was recognized for his work with the icarus Quartet in commissioning new work, performing, recording and touring. George was recognized for the publication of her book Family Matters: Queer Households and the Half-Century Struggle for Legal Recognition. The two awardees were recognized during annual events co-sponsored by the Wake the Arts Center.
DR. JAYAWICKREME TO SERVE AS NEXT EDITOR OF PSPR
Dr. Eranda Jayawickreme, Harold W. Tribble Professor of Psychology and Senior Research Fellow for the Program for Leadership and Character, will serve as the next editor of Personality and Social Psychology Review (PSPR) beginning in January 2026. Read more about Dr. Jayawickreme’s upcoming role on SPSP News.
AAAS HONORS TWO WAKE FOREST RESEARCHERS
Dr. Kimberley McAllister, Professor of Biology and Professor of Translational Neuroscience, who also serves as Vice Provost for Research, Scholarly Inquiry and Creative Activity; and Professor of Chemistry Dr. Abdou Lachgar have been elected 2024 Fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Dr. McAllister and Dr. Lachgar are among the 471 scientists, engineers, and innovators awarded this prestigious lifetime honor that recognizes their scientifically and socially distinguished achievements. Read the full story on Wake Forest News.
WFU FACULTY’S POST-DOC MENTEE WINS UGA AWARD
Dr. Julie Velásquez Runk’s post-doc mentee, Dr. Raíssa Nogueira de Brito, recently won UGA’s post-doc award. Dr. Velásquez Runk joined Dr. Brito at the UGA Research Awards banquet for receipt of her award. Dr. Velásquez Runk and UGA’s Dr. Susan Tanner have been co-mentoring Dr. Brito since 2021 on their $1.6M NSF-funded zoonotic disease project.
Selected Events
SAUDA MITCHELL TO PRESENT “TO TELL HER GLORIES WITH A FAITHFUL TONGUE”
Special Collections will host a presentation with Sauda Mitchell, ZSR’s Samuel Gladding Fellow, on Tuesday, April 29, at 3:30 p.m. Her presentation, “To Tell Her Glories with a Faithful Tongue,” will pay homage to the literary and cultural contributions of Black women writers through the lens of archival material analysis and letterpress printing. Register for the event.
CHAMPIONS OF CHANGE: CAMPUS SUSTAINABILITY AWARDS CEREMONY
Each year, change-makers are honored at the Office of Sustainability’s Champions of Change Campus Sustainability Awards ceremony, which will take place on Wednesday, April 30, at 3 p.m. in the Green Room of Reynolda Hall. Students, faculty, and staff are invited to join the reveal of this year’s winners in the following categories: Academics & Engagement, Resource Conservation, Service & Social Action, Everyday Champions, and Bright Ideas. Reception to follow.
REMEMBER WITH US: COMMEMORATION OF THE ENSLAVED
Please join the Office of Diversity and Inclusion for the Remember With Us: Commemoration of the Enslaved event at Wait Chapel on Wednesday, April 29, at 4:30 p.m. Members of the University community will remember and honor the enslaved individuals who worked for or were sold to benefit the university.
TECHX KEYNOTE SPEAKER KYI HUANG TALKS ART, CREATIVITY, AND THE POTENTIAL OF AI
TechX returns on Thursday, May 15, with a day of in-person sessions led by faculty, students and staff. The event will take place in Broyhill Auditorium, with a celebratory reception on the North Dining Hall 2nd floor patio. This year’s program highlights learning and research technologies including Museum in a Box, BioRender, and a discussion on expanding ideas of intelligence “in the age of AI.” The event will kick off with a keynote by Double Deac AI artist Kyi Huang, who will speak on “Cracks Between Brush and Algorithm — That’s Where the Light Gets In.” Visit TechX to explore this year’s program and register.
-
May 18, 2025
Carlsbad, Calif.[N] Wake Forest University Women’s Golf vs NCAA Championship 27/30 +16 (304) https://godeacs.com/calendar.aspx?game_id=13927&sport_id=15 -
May 18, 2025
Carlsbad, Calif.Wake Forest Women's Golf: NCAA Championship. -
May 18, 2025 | 9:00am
Wait ChapelBaccalaureate, a one-hour religious service held at Wait Chapel, honors the graduating class. This year's Baccalaureate Address will be delivered by Reverend Emma Jordan-Simpson, president of Auburn Theological Seminary. With her appointment as President in 2021, Jordan-Simpson became the first Black woman and non-Presbyterian to lead Auburn Theological … -
May 18, 2025 | 2:00pm
Scales Fine Arts CenterEach May, Wake Forest College recognizes students who, by achieving academic excellence, exemplify the highest goals of the University. Prizes are awarded by departmental and college committees and are presented at the Honors and Awards Ceremony held during commencement weekend. Join us as we honor our accomplished students … -
May 18, 2025 | 8:00pm
Waco, Texas, Hurd Tennis CenterWake Forest University Men’s Tennis vs (2) TCU TV: ESPN+ Streaming Video: https://www.espn.com/watch/player/_/id/3be46f20-67e7-45e5-a44c-36c0a4acd67b Tickets: https://baylorbears.evenue.net/events/TE?_ga=2.94358557.1683850643.1746837863-1659826080.1745873283 https://godeacs.com/calendar.aspx?game_id=14271&sport_id=10 -
May 19, 2025 | 9:00am2025 Commencement Congratulations Class of 2025! Join us for Wake Forest University’s Commencement weekend on May 16–19. Graduation Exercises, where the President will confer undergraduate degrees, is on the morning of Monday, May 19 on Hearn Plaza, beginning at 9 a.m. and ending at approximately 1 p.m. Visit the Commencement …
About the Digest
To share news with the College, fill out the Digest submission form. To share news on the Dean’s Office Digital Screen, fill out the Digital Screen submission form. If you wish to unsubscribe from the Dean’s Office Digest, contact Bethany Leggett.
For more information about the College of Arts & Sciences at Wake Forest University, visit the College’s website at college.wfu.edu.
Faculty can find resources available on the College Faculty Guide website.