Jason Koski/University Photography

A.T. Miller will be the first speaker in the 2013 Soup and Hope Series, Jan. 17 in Sage Chapel.

Celebrating teaching

The Center for Teaching Excellence will host five days of presentations, discussions and workshops on student engagement and better learning at its third annual conference, Jan. 14-18 at the ILR Conference Center, King-Shaw Hall. Free.

The Celebration of Teaching Excellence features lunchtime conversations with Cornell scholars; sessions on such topics as evaluating group projects, tips for the first day of class and using technology in the classroom; and guest speakers.

José Bowen of Southern Methodist University leads an interactive workshop Jan. 15 exploring better ways to engage students while leaving technology outside the classroom. On Jan. 16, Eric Mazur of Harvard University speaks on “Turning Lectures Into Learning,” and Frank Tuitt of the University of Denver covers inclusiveness and rethinking pedagogy in racially diverse college classrooms. Wendy Harbour of Syracuse University speaks Jan. 17 on designing courses to make them accessible to every student.

The conference is an opportunity for teaching professionals – faculty members, lecturers, graduate students and postdoctoral fellows – to share successes and experiences, discover interesting approaches and techniques that colleagues have developed in their own teaching, meet faculty in other disciplines and engage in dialogue about teaching and learning, engage with guest experts on important teaching topics, and celebrate a tradition of great teaching at Cornell.

For the full schedule of events and to register, visit http://www.cte.cornell.edu/programs-services/faculty/annual-conference….

Recognizing excellence

Cornell celebrates its faculty and staff with the first in a series of Recognition Event Days (RED), the morning of Jan. 15 at various times at 15 locations across campus.

Free granola bars and doughnuts will be served. For locations and times, see https://www.hr.cornell.edu/life/celebrating/.

RED events are part of the “High Five” programs developed by staff for staff, in response to feedback from last year’s Employee Survey, to recognize employees for their good work. Four additional events will be held in 2013.

Soup and Hope series

The sixth annual Soup and Hope series will begin with personal reflections from A.T. Miller, associate vice provost for academic diversity, Jan. 17 at noon in Sage Chapel. Miller came to Cornell in 2011 from the University of Michigan. For eight years he headed a rural high school in Kenya, and he worked for the National Music Festival of Kenya for 10 years.

The biweekly series serves up personal stories from Cornell staff, faculty or students or local community members, along with music and a free cup of soup, during the winter. Soup choices vary with each program and always include a vegetarian option. Speakers share their life stories of finding pathways to hope and creating compassionate change in the world.

Upcoming speakers in the 2013 series are: Ithaca Mayor Svante Myrick ’09, Jan. 31; Vice President for Student and Academic Services Susan Murphy ’73, Ph.D. ’94, Feb. 14; Frank Rossi, associate professor of horticulture, Feb. 28; education major Kai Keane ’14, March 14; and Mar Perez, program assistant in the Office of Student and Community Support, March 28.

All programs are noon-1 p.m. in Sage Chapel and are free and open to the public.

Employee celebration

Jan. 11 is the last day to purchase tickets for Cornell’s Winter Employee Celebration Jan. 19. Tickets are available 10 a.m.-5 p.m. at the Athletics Ticket Office in Bartels Hall.

Tickets ($5 per person) include admission to the following: women’s basketball vs. Columbia at noon, men’s basketball vs. Columbia at 3 p.m., women’s ice hockey vs. Clarkson at 4 p.m., and dinner, 4:30-6:30 p.m. in the Ramin Room of Bartels Hall. Information: 607-255-4247, https://www.hr.cornell.edu/life/celebrating/employee_celebration.html.

Volunteers are needed for the event. Volunteers receive a complimentary ticket for the athletic events and meal. Shifts include setup 2:30-4:30 p.m., serving 4-6 p.m. or 5-7 p.m., and cleanup 6:30-7:30 p.m. To volunteer, email empcelebration@cornell.edu.