Odyssey Awards

What is an Odyssey Award?

The Odyssey Award funds faculty to attend professional development conferences or workshops, where they can learn about active learning techniques.  The application is open, with a rolling deadline. Educational conferences will have priority over educational sessions at a conference that is research focused. In compliance with the updated SHSU COVID-19 travel policy, applicants may apply to receive funding for in-person conferences/workshops.

These range from regularly scheduled workshop opportunities such as:

• the four annual workshops on inquiry-based learning in mathematics sponsored by the Academy of Inquiry Based Learning
• the several POGIL workshops held each year to introduce and experience Process Oriented Guided Inquiry Learning
• the STEMwrite Institute, a multi-day a sequenced workshop in faculty in the biological sciences develop brief, high-impact writing prompts to implement in large-enrollment introductory biology courses.
• The National Great Teachers movement hosts conferences and workshops for both face-to-face and online pedagogy.
• The International Writing Across the Curriculum conference in 2020, on using writing for teaching in all disciplines.
• The annual Conference for Undergraduate Educators hosted by the American Society for Microbiology.
• The Red Rock Great Teaching Retreat in Utah, an interdisciplinary discussion-based approach to improving teaching.
• Conference on Higher Education Pedagogy, for all disciplines.

To less frequent offerings that faculty may have only one chance to participate:

• the Serious Play Conference, a leadership conference for both those who create serious games/simulations and those who implement game-based learning programs
• The Small World Initiative symposium, a 3-day workshop showcasing the integration of antimicrobial research into a first-year biology course

How can you apply?

Applications for this cycle are currently open. If necessary, application intake will be paused to ensure funding is available for Spring/Summer applications.

Please refer to our example application for guidance.

Example Application

Incomplete applications will not be reviewed and may be returned.