2026 FAS Faculty Academy Workshops

FAS Faculty Academy workshops are short, non-credit courses taught by FAS faculty members, for FAS faculty members. 2026 workshop descriptions and the online registration form can be found below. Registration deadlines vary. All courses will be held in-person.

The Environmental History of New Haven and the American City

• Instructor: Paul Sabin, Randolph W. Townsend, Jr. Professor of History and American Studies 
• UPDATED time and location: One meeting on Thursday, May 28 from 12:00 PM – 2:30 PM, starting in the Humanities Quadrangle, Room 134, and concluding in the Beinecke Library. 
• Waitlisted
• Lunch provided 
   

Course description:

This workshop explores New Haven's rich and complex history through an environmental lens and includes hands-on archival work at the Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library.

Drawing on the New Haven Environmental History (NHEH) Project, which develops teaching resources using historical photographs, maps, government reports, and advertisements, this workshop examines how urban environments function as interconnected systems shaped by human activity. The workshop explores its theme through a guided tour of physical primary sources held by the Beinecke Library. Participants also will explore a new Digital Atlas of New Haven, created in partnership with the Yale Center for Geospatial Solutions, which layers historical maps, aerial photos, and satellite imagery, allowing side-by-side or transparent comparisons of environmental data over time. The workshop concludes with discussions about how New Haven history and the Digital Atlas can be integrated in courses and programs across disciplines. Participants will leave with access to a growing set of teaching tools and a greater appreciation for the history of the city that is Yale's home.  

 

Working and Collaborating with Multilingual Students and Scholars

• Instructors: Cynthia DeRoma, Senior Lector I, English Language Program; Anna Moldawa-Shetty, Senior Lector I, English Language Program; and James Tierney, Senior Lector I, Director of the English Language Program
• One meeting on Tuesday, June 2, from 12:00 – 1:30 PM, Dow Hall, Room 100
• Register below by Thursday, May 28
• Lunch provided
   

Course description:

Working across languages and cultures presents special challenges for both sides of a communicative exchange. This workshop explores a range of issues arising from working in a multicultural and a multilingual context that are of specific interest to faculty.

Participants will explore the world of multilingual students and scholars—their backgrounds and the unique challenges they face as they pursue advanced study and research in a second language. We will discuss some myths and misconceptions related to language use and learning in an advanced/graduate context, including notions of ‘accent,’ fluency, and proficiency in both spoken and written communication.

We will discuss possible sources of misunderstanding, most of which go beyond the simple comprehension of words and sentences: some relate to the interface between language and culture; others arise out of beliefs and expectations that are rooted in different academic traditions. While gaps in communication are perhaps inevitable, we hope to help narrow the distance we sometimes feel through greater understanding of this vital part of the Yale community.

The workshop will conclude with concrete suggestions for helping students with spoken and written work. We will pay special attention to the recent advent of AI technologies which, while holding out great promise also brings significant threats with regard to academic integrity and long-term language development.