The Center for Educational Research and Teaching Innovation (CERTI) has merged into The Center for Advancing Faculty Excellence (CAFE). The merger became effective June 30. This merger was made possible by Provost Robert Marley to provide high quality faculty professional development in teaching and research and service.

Dr. Larry Gragg, Curators’ Teaching Professor emeritus of history and founding chair, and Dr. Wayne Huebner, professor of materials science and founding co-chair, lead CAFE. Diane Hagni, who has served as the coordinator for CERTI since 2011, now serves as the part-time administrative assistant for CAFE. Abby Bigg serves as the coordinator for CAFE.

CAFE will continue the programs of CERTI, including the educational research mini-grants program, Curators’ teaching summits, and teaching workshops. CAFE has initiated or expanded several funding opportunities, such as the mini-sabbatical program for mid-career faculty, professional development travel grants for early career faculty, and the Special Opportunity Fund, as well as re-instituting the eFellows grant program.

Some of CAFE’s new initiatives include the miner master mentors program and a 10 steps to teaching success program. More information about these new programs will be shared this fall. These initiatives were the result of a gap analysis on the status of faculty development on campus, which Gragg conducted.

All of the resources from CERTI’s website are now available on CAFE’s website, cafe.mst.edu. The previous email address for CERTI, certi@mst.edu, has been deactivate; please send inquires to cafe@mst.edu.

The CERTI acronym will continue to be used, and will now refer to the Committee for Educational Research and Teaching Innovation. CERTI will comprise faculty serving under the auspices of CAFE who are interested in furthering the teaching mission of Missouri S&T. A list of CERTI committee members is on the CAFE website.

The CAFE office is located at 207 Norwood Hall. Contact the center at cafe@mst.edu or 341-6713.