2025 Keynote Speakers
Claire Howell Major
The University of Alabama
Claire Howell Major is a Distinguished Teaching Professor of Education at the University of Alabama and is the founding Director of the University of Alabama Teaching Academy. She focuses her research, teaching, and service on advancing teaching excellence in higher education, with an emphasis on instructional methods and student engagement. She has published several books, including Engaged Teaching: A Handbook for College Faculty, Interactive Lecturing, Student Engagement Techniques, and Teaching for Learning: 101 Intentionally Designed Educational Techniques to Put Students on the Path to Success. She has also made over 100 presentations worldwide and is the co-founder of the K. Patricia Cross Academy.
Todd Zakrajsek
UNC Chapel Hill School of Medicine
Todd Zakrajsek is an Associate Research Professor in the School of Medicine at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He develops resources for faculty on teaching/learning, leadership, and publishing. Prior to joining the SOM he was a tenured associate professor of psychology and built faculty development efforts at three universities. Todd has served on many educationally related boards and work groups during his four decades of teaching and faculty development. He has also consulted with organizations such as The American Council on Education (ACE), Lenovo Computer, Microsoft, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. For the past 20 years, Todd has directed Lilly Conferences on evidence-based teaching and learning and is the editor of The Scholarly Teacher, an online resource for faculty in higher education. Todd’s recent books include Classroom Assessment Techniques 3rd ed. (with Tom Angelo), Teaching at Its Best, 5th ed. (2023, with Linda Nilson); The New Science of Learning, 3rd ed, (2022); Teaching for Learning, 2nd ed. (2021, with Claire Major and Michael Harris); Advancing Online Teaching (2021, with Kevin Kelly); and Dynamic Lecturing (2017, with Christine Harrington). Todd has given more than 300 campus workshops, conference presentations, and keynote addresses in 49 states, 12 countries, and 4 continents.