NCSSM has created a new program to support its faculty in their efforts to enhance what is already one of the nation’s most advanced high school curriculums.

Called the Faculty Fellows program, the initiative formalizes NCSSM’s approach to curricular opportunities by providing a monetary and organizational framework for a rotating selection of faculty working together as a team to create innovative new content.

The first four Fellows – selected from the school’s four main academic departments through an application process – were recently named to two-year appointments: Jane Cantwell, an American Studies instructor at NCSSM-Morganton; Jon Davis, an engineering instructor at NCSSM’s Durham and Morganton campus; Sam Wheeler, a physics instructor in Durham; and Tracy White, a mathematics instructor in Durham.

“Careful attention is paid to choosing Fellows with a diverse set of skills and expertise,” says Taylor Gibson, NCSSM’s Dean of Data Science and Interdisciplinary Initiatives and one of the chief architects of the Faculty  Fellows program. “If we have a group of faculty who are all experts on Subject A, and nobody’s an expert on Subject B, then we’re not going to get very far,” he says. “They’ll be able to go much further as a group when they’re all contributing something new.”

Four more fellows will be named each year, creating a staggered cohort of eight that ensures innovative thinking and continuity of service.

Cantwell, the American Studies instructor at NCSSM-Morganton, has long been involved in interdisciplinary initiatives and could not pass on the chance to work more closely with colleagues from other departments. Among other things, Cantwell is hoping to collaborate on a January Term course called “History and Theory of Data Visualization,” as well as a workshop on Biomedical AI.

“I typically don’t have the opportunity to interact very much professionally with math and science faculty, but it felt very natural to become a part of that cohort,” she says. “I’m really looking forward to seeing what other people in other disciplines are doing in terms of AI and data science, seeing what they are trying to incorporate in their lessons.”

Each fellow will dedicate off-contract time during the school year and summer to developing curricular opportunities proposed in their initial application to the program. For their efforts, they will receive a yearly stipend. 

At present, the program is supported by the privately-funded Ryden AI program (established by Carl Ryden ’89 and Ashley Ryden). Down the line, program administrators hope to offer course relief during the academic year so Fellows can more easily incorporate this responsibility into their work routine. 

The Faculty Fellows program has its origin in NCSSM’s Strategic Plan 2024-2030. Created to help guide NCSSM’s evolution in the coming years, part of the plan called for “leveraging institutional flexibility” to support and further encourage innovative instruction that can be shared with schools throughout the state.

The idea is not new, says Gibson. Having taught in NCSSM-Durham’s classrooms for several years before moving into an administrative role, he knows well how hard NCSSM’s faculty work to keep NCSSM on the leading edge of teaching.

“One thing that’s important to understand is that our faculty have been doing this sort of innovation for years,” Gibson says, “but for the most part, they’ve done it over and above their regular duties. We felt as an institution that it was incredibly important to find a way to not only recognize their efforts, but to provide them with even more opportunities to further innovate without it becoming an unreasonable challenge. The Faculty Fellows program is a result of those institutional deliberations.”

For now, the Faculty Fellows will spend their time working on ideas around Data Science and Artificial Intelligence.

It’s likely the Faculty Fellows program’s focus will shift to other areas in the future as new needs are identified. Whatever the curricular focus, the program provides Fellows with a measure of flexibility when designing new content. Instead of requiring a specific outcome, Fellows are encouraged to think creatively. Outcomes could be as varied as a new lesson plan on a particular instructional topic, an entirely new module within an existing course, a new short-form course for NCSSM’s annual January Term, or perhaps even an entirely new semester-long course.

True to NCSSM’s nature as a resource for public schools statewide, the curricular opportunities created through the program will be shared with educators and school systems throughout North Carolina to be incorporated into their local classrooms.

“It’s worth repeating that this type of student-facing curricular innovation is not new at NCSSM,” Gibson says. “Our faculty have been creating an unparalleled academic experience for our students since the school opened. It’s what makes our school so special. The Faculty Fellows program will make it easier for more folks to join the party.”