Yale’s language instructors: remote learning leaders
When Yale pivoted to remote learning this spring, language instructors working with the Center for Language Study (CLS) were ready. Several were already remote teaching experts, having participated in the Shared Course Initiative, through which Yale, Columbia, and Cornell offer joint language classes. To prepare for a large-scale shift to remote teaching, the CLS hosted 55 pedagogy training sessions that drew more than 850 participants. Within language departments, instructors practiced language-specific remote activities. Candace Skorupa, senior lector in French, developed a Zoom how-to guide. Sybil Alexandrov, senior lector II in Spanish and Portuguese, created writing assignments for remote contexts. Ruth Koizim, senior lector II in French, hosted special office hours to ready students for the shift online, while Ninghui Liang, senior lector in EALL, shared strategies on enhancing student engagement. Experts at language and pedagogy, Yale’s language instructors are campus leaders on teaching during these unprecedented times.
Saluting retiring faculty members
Thirteen FAS faculty scholars are retiring this year.
Three retire from psychology: Thomas Brown, who made groundbreaking discoveries on synaptic learning; John Dovidio, who showed how prejudice undermines health and well-being; and Marianne LaFrance, expert on nonverbal communication.
Two world-renowned theorists of gender will retire: Seyla Benhabib, from the Departments of Political Science and Philosophy, has shaped thought on human rights; and Inderpal Grewal, of women’s, gender, and sexuality studies, who advanced transformative transnational viewpoints.
Two retire from religious studies: Phyllis Granoff, celebrated historian of Indian religions, and Robert Wilson, who revolutionized the historical study of the bible; and one from music: James Hepokoski, known for his field-defining insights on opera and sonata form. Sandra Sanneh, director of the program in African languages, retires after leading African language learning at Yale for decades.
Two economists will retire: Truman Bewley, author of the pathbreaking book Why Wages Don’t Fall During a Recession, and Sterling Professor Peter Phillips, who developed methods used around the world to model economic change.
Among the retirees are two winners of Yale College’s Byrnes/Sewall award for lifetime achievement in teaching: Edwin Duval, from French, who transformed the study of renaissance literature; and Ronald Smith, of earth and planetary sciences, who made major discoveries in atmospheric science.
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