With tools like virtual reality headsets and 3D printers, the University of Georgia’s inaugural Creative Engagement Fellows are designing active learning experiences that immerse students in a full sensory understanding of subjects from anthropology to engineering.
Twenty fellows across nine schools and colleges began working in February to engage with technologies in the new Creative Engagement Wing at the Miller Learning Center to create hands-on assignments students will never forget.
In one example, a chemistry professor is designing lessons where students build 3D molecular models in the UGA Libraries Makerspace before stepping into the new VR classroom to explore magnified renderings of crystal structures, turning abstract concepts into something students can touch and see.
"In all the faculty projects, we are seeing instructors replace purely conceptual or descriptive exercises with hands-on, physical artifacts or immersive experiences that deepen understanding," said Sara Wright, associate university librarian, who is facilitating the program alongside partners from the Office of Instruction and Enterprise Information Technology Services.
The Creative Engagement Fellows program complements UGA’s active learning initiative to shift from a traditional lecture style of instruction to meaningful experiences.
“Supported by dedicated staff, faculty across disciplines are designing student‑centered assignments that transform abstract ideas into hands‑on experiences,” said Leah Carmichael, the university’s director of active learning and a facilitator of the Creative Engagement Fellows program. “From 3D‑printed models to virtual environments and student‑produced podcasts, students engage in immersive, rigorous learning that builds confidence, competence and real‑world readiness.”
New creative assignments are in the works for students across campus, with fellows harnessing the technology to open new pathways to learning. A horticulture professor is redesigning a course assignment so students can use digital fabrication tools to visualize and prototype landscape installations then present their finished work in the new Presentation Collaboratory. Meanwhile, an international affairs professor is scrapping the traditional classroom debate in favor of a student-produced podcast series on U.S. foreign policy, recorded in the wing's brand-new podcast studio.
"The Creative Engagement Fellows program provides faculty a unique opportunity to re-imagine their curriculum with the resources centrally offered in the Creative Engagement Wing. This program allows us to move the wing beyond an innovative student space toward a physical facility that fully supports teaching, learning and student success,” added Sarah Wardlaw Jones, director of client services for EITS.
The 2026 Creative Engagement Fellows are:
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Abby Baker, clinical assistant professor and child life clinical coordinator in the College of Family and Consumer Sciences
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Raife Baker, assistant professor of theatre and film studies in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences
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Christiane Barbosa De Lira, academic professional and Portuguese supervisor in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences
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Karen Burg, Harbor Lights Chair in Biomedical Research, professor of small animal medicine and surgery in the College of Veterinary Medicine and professor of chemical, materials, and biomedical engineering in the College of Engineering
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Jason Cantarella, professor of mathematics in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences
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Liang Chen, associate professor of communication sciences and special education in the Mary Frances Early College of Education
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Elizabeth Davis, senior academic professional of English in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences
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Rachel Figard, assistant professor in the Engineering Education Transformations Institute and the School of Environmental, Civil, Agricultural, and Mechanical Engineering in the College of Engineering
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Maryann Gallagher, director of the Richard B. Russell Security Leadership Program and senior lecturer of international affairs in the School of Public and International Affairs
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Candice Hollenbeck, senior lecturer of marketing in the Terry College of Business
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Josh Hussey, senior lecturer of English in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences
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Vladislav Klepov, assistant professor of chemistry in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences
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Susan Noh, assistant professor of entertainment and media studies in the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication
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Ryan Powers, Gary K. Bertsch Director of the Benson-Bertsch Center for International Trade and Security and associate professor of international affairs in the School of Public and International Affairs
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Julie Ray, professor and head of the department of theatre and film studies in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences
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Nancee Reeves, principal lecturer of English in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences
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Roberta Salmi, associate professor of anthropology and director of the Primate Behavioral Ecology Lab in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences
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Gretchen Thomas, senior lecturer of workforce education and instructional technology in the Mary Frances Early College of Education
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Olga Thomason, principal lecturer of Russian in the Franklin College of Arts and Sciences
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John Weatherford, principal lecturer in the New Media Institute in the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication
Each fellow will culminate their work by designing a student-centered assignment that meaningfully integrates a CEW tool or space into their course. These assignments must align with both course content and UGA institutional competencies, include clearly articulated student learning outcomes and feature the TILT framework — outlining purpose, task and criteria — alongside a rubric or checklist for assessment. Fellows will also build in a scaffolded timeline of activities to support student success.
At the end of the semester, the completed assignments will be presented in person and uploaded to the UGA Open Scholar repository, creating a growing collection of active learning models to share across campus.