2026-2027 Emerging Technologies Faculty Fellowship Program

The 2026-2027 Emerging Technologies Faculty Fellowship Program has goals centered around GenAI literacy and university-wide impact at the University of Minnesota.

GenAI Literacy Goals

• Analyze how GenAI can be used to create, enhance, or administer learning experiences.
• Use GenAI to maximize students' skills, potential, and well-being to boost their success.
• Promote inclusive, accessible, ethical, and effective uses of GenAI.

U-Wide System Goals

• Contribute to the broader University community by providing input and guidance on effective GenAI practices in teaching and learning.

Ultimately, by focusing on GenAI tools in education, this program aims to create an inclusive and accessible learning environment. This environment will equip both instructors and students with the skills they need to thrive in our rapidly changing world.

Prioritized Themes

Participants will be asked to focus their proposals on at least one of the following key themes. These themes represent areas of particular interest and nuance for the program:

• Disciplinary-based career readiness
• Using AI to develop critical thinking skills
• Using AI to support formative assessment and student feedback
• Using AI to scaffold learning experiences

This is initiative open to all UMN campuses: 

• Teaching Faculty members
• Professional and Academic (P & A) positions with responsibility for teaching courses. 

*Please note that previous Faculty Fellows are not eligible to repeat the program, but may be considered in a mentorship role for the upcoming program. Details will follow.

This program aims to cultivate a highly engaged faculty cohort. Therefore, active participation in bi-monthly meetings is a core expectation. Additional ad-hoc meetings with fellow participants and support consultants may also be required to successfully meet cohort objectives.

Prior to applying, applicants will be required to:

• Meet with their respective department chairs and/or associate deans to explore the implications of their work in their programs and to identify avenues for sharing program insights with departmental or collegiate colleagues.
• Include a statement of support from applicants' respective department/division chairs and/or associate deans outlining the strategic value of the fellowship work to the department/college.
• Be scheduled to teach a course during the Spring 2026 or Fall 2026 semester using the activities or resources developed while participating in the program.

If accepted, participants are expected to:

• Develop measurable project goals, a timeline for implementation, and budgetary needs to realize project goals
• Attend all cohort virtual synchronous sessions and actively participate in sessions. The cohort will meet via Zoom on the following dates:
  • Monday, January 12, 2026, 9:30 am to 12 noon
  • Friday, March 20, 2026, 9:30 am to 12 noon
  • Friday, May 1, 2026, 9:30 am to 12 noon
• Two meetings will be held in Fall 2026, dates and times TBD
• Collaborate with Teaching Support program consultants, local academic technology professionals, and colleagues who can provide guidance and assistance in the discovery and development of projects.
• Share with the program cohort the results of your iterative exploration and application of using GenAI tools.
• Share and receive feedback with the cohort.
• Individually and/or collaboratively document and present final results to the broader UMN community.

Each project will be awarded $5,000, contingent on meeting the program expectations. Half of the award will be dispersed to the faculty fellow’s department after the first cohort meeting. The remaining funds will be awarded upon completion of the fellowship program. Awardee may request the disbursement of funds sooner if the needs of the proposed project warrant.

Fellowship award funds can be used to support the project as agreed upon by the faculty participant and their department/college. Funding may be used for:

• software licensing (must be a University-approved AI tool)
• conference registration and travel
• salary and fringe for TA, GA, or RA
• supplement faculty or instructor salaries 

Upon acceptance into the program, the awardee will be required to identify a departmental finance contact who will be responsible for setting up the appropriate Enterprise Financial System (EFS) account using the program's established ChartString2  that enables the tracking of funds.

Application Requirements

**No longer receiving applications. 

To apply for the program, you will be asked to submit the following via an application form:

• Current CV: Provide an up-to-date curriculum vitae.
• Statement of Support: Include a statement from your department chair or an associate dean. This statement should explain how your proposed fellowship:
  • Aligns with your department's or college's strategic goals.
  • Creates opportunities for sharing your work with departmental or collegiate colleagues.
  • You may submit a screenshot, PDF, or other format for this statement.
• Project Proposal: In your project proposal, you will describe your proposed generative AI project, explaining its alignment with program goals and themes, its impact on teaching and learning within your discipline, practical implementation details, your personal motivation and experience with AI, and your anticipated use of program resources.

Important Notes

• Generative AI Disclosure: If you used any generative AI tool for any part of your project proposal (such as for conceptualization, methodology, visualization, or writing), please include a statement detailing how and where it was used in your process when you are completing your application form.