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Call for Proposals: 2025 – 2026 SoTL Scholars Fellowship

 

Picture of a tree growing from an open book labeled "Teaching" and "Learning," symbolizing the SoTL Scholars Fellowship.

Introduction 

The Institute for Teaching, Innovation, & Inclusive Pedagogy (TIIP) at Rutgers University-New Brunswick is pleased to announce two inaugural Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) Scholars Fellowships for the upcoming academic year for full-time instructors.  

This fellowship is a new initiative celebrating faculty who are passionate about exploring big questions in teaching and learning. We’re looking for instructors who are curious, forward-thinking, and ready to shape the future of higher education. By building a vibrant community of SoTL scholars, we aim to spark innovation, share meaningful practices, and make a real impact on student learning—both on our campus and beyond. 

The fellowship will award $3,000 ($1500 in December 2025; $1500 in June 2026 at the completion of fellowship requirements) to two instructors who demonstrate a strong commitment to the scholarship of teaching and learning. Ideal candidates should bring forward bold, well-crafted project ideas and a passion for sharing their insights to strengthen our culture of teaching excellence. 

Aims of the Fellowship 

The SoTL Scholars Fellowship is designed to: 

  • Celebrate excellence in SoTL: Recognizing faculty who are making meaningful contributions to the scholarship of teaching and learning. 
  • Inspire a culture of inquiry: Encouraging thoughtful exploration of innovative teaching practices and their impact on student learning. 
  • Build a connected community: Creating space for collaboration, mentorship, and sharing among faculty who are passionate about teaching. 
  • Share what works: Supporting the dissemination of SoTL research both within our university and across the broader academic community. 
  • Elevate student learning: Investigate innovative teaching approaches and/or inclusive pedagogical practices that enhance learning for all students. 
Expectations of the Fellows 

SoTL Scholars Fellows will be expected to: 

  • Conduct a SoTL project: Undertake the research project outlined in their proposal within the fellowship period (typically one academic year). Fellows must obtain CITI Training and IRB approval of the study prior to the implementation of their project. 
  • Regular Support Meetings: Engage with the Assistant Director of Teaching & Learning Scholarship in regular meetings with cohort to discuss project and get feedback (e.g. twice monthly for 1-hour) 
  • Share project findings: Share research outcomes through at least one campus presentation open to the Rutgers community by the end of May 2026 (e.g., Student Success Conference, Online Teaching Conference, Rutgers Active Learning Symposium). 
  • Reflect and report: Submit a final report (a brief report of 1-3 pages, traditional research structure) by the end of May 2026 documenting their research process, findings, and implications for teaching and learning at Rutgers. 
  • Potentially mentor other faculty: Serve as a resource for subsequent cohorts of SoTL Scholars. 
  • Aspirational: Present findings beyond the Rutgers community (e.g. disciplinary and teaching conferences, journal publication) 
Fellowship Timeline  
  • End-of-August 2025: SoTL proposals due 
  • September: Fellow Notified; Begin Fall project  
  • September 2025 – May 2026: Bi-monthly fellows meeting 
  • December: Conduct preliminary data analysis  
  • January 2026: Submit progress report; Begin Spring project (if needed) 
  • February: Consider presentation options 
  • March: Practice presentation to FAN 
  • May: Final presentations 
  • End-of-May: Reflections due: Discuss future data plans 
Eligibility 
  • This fellowship is open to all full-time tenure-track, tenured, and non-tenure-track instructors at Rutgers University-New Brunswick. 
  • All departments and schools within Rutgers University-New Brunswick are eligible. 
  • Applicants should demonstrate some prior experience with or knowledge of SoTL research approaches, though proposals from faculty with limited SoTL experience, but strong research plans will also be considered. 
Evaluation Criteria 

Successful applications will include many (if not all) information listed in the application including: 

  • Course information and reason for choosing the course for the project 
  • The strengths you bring to the SoTL fellowship 
  • How this fellowship will support your teaching goals 
  • Detailed description of SoTL project 
How to Apply 
  1. All proposals must be submitted electronically. Be sure to prepare the specified files in advance (you can download the form here).
  2. Have a conversation with your department chair or program director and obtain their endorsement. The department chair or program director will receive an automated email from Qualtrics specifying the name of the applicant and indicating their endorsement of the application. A formal letter is not required. Applications will be reviewed when the endorsement is received.   
  3. Applications will be due August 29th, 2025, and Fellows will be notified by September 8th, 2025. 

 

Apply via Qualtrics

 

Questions? 

For questions, please contact: Crystal Quillen, Assistant Director of Teaching and Learning Scholarship: crystal.quillen@rutgers.edu 

Citations 

This call for proposals was adapted from the following resources:  

Google. (2025, April). Gemini (version/date) [Large language model]. https://gemini.google.com/  

Kent State University Center for Teaching and Learning. (2025). Teaching Scholars 2025 Cohort Application. https://www.kent.edu/ctl/teaching-scholars  

Taggart, J., & Wheeler, L. B. (2024, December 1). University of Virginia Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Programming Resources. https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/NZFDT  

Taggart, J., Wheeler, L. B., & Dela Cruz, K. (2024). Supporting faculty with SoTL through an intensive SoTL Scholars program. New Directions for Teaching and Learning, 2024, 23–34. 

University of Baltimore Center for Excellence in Learning, Teaching, and Technology. (2024, October). Teaching Scholars in Residence (TSiRs) Program. https://blogs.ubalt.edu/celtt/2024/10/14/join-the-celtt-teaching-scholars-in-residence-program/