Sociology Professors Attended National Conference
Posted on Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Westminster College sociology faculty Dr. Kristenne Robison (assistant professor) and Dr. Kristin Park (professor) attended the annual meeting of the American Sociological Association Aug. 19-23 in Las Vegas.
Robison received a SAGE/Pine Forge Teaching Innovations and Professional Development Award to attend a pre-conference workshop on "The Best Teachers We Can Be: Learning Scholarly Teaching."
"This is a prestigious professional development grant focused on teaching and was very competitive in the selection process," Park said. "Kristenne and 2007 Westminster graduate Colby King, now a doctoral candidate in sociology at the University of South Carolina, were two of only 20 who received this award."
"I learned a great deal from the pre-conference, including how to set the tone of the class on the first day, a new deep reading exercise for my classes, and how to be an engaging and effective lecturer," Robison said. "I found the conference to be a great space to reflect on my teaching, as well as to share and learn with others who are passionate about teaching. The conference reinforced the best practices I am already using and pushed me to think more deeply about the teaching practices I can improve."
Robison, who joined the Westminster faculty in 2009, earned an undergraduate degree from Baldwin-Wallace College, master's degrees from The Ohio State University and Syracuse University, and Ph.D. from Syracuse University.
Park, who serves as chair of Westminster's Department of Sociology and Criminal Justice Studies, attended an all-day department chairs workshop that included panels and roundtable discussions.
"As a new department chair I found it very beneficial to learn how others have navigated their responsibilities," Park said. "I learned of helpful resources, including a new guide on conducting peer review of teaching and other resources to aid the scholarship of teaching and learning in sociology."
Park, who has been with Westminster since 1993, earned an undergraduate degree from Colgate University, master's certificate in Latin American Studies and master's and Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Contact Park at (724) 946-7251 or email for additional information.
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