Office of Faculty Development
University of Nebraska Medical Center
University of Nebraska Medical Center

2026-2027 Past Program Reference

woman visiting ilearn

Past Event Recordings: iLearn Online

Missed an event? Visit iLearn Online, a library of past Faculty Development events, to watch past sessions and access resources.

Fall 2026 Reference

Tech Skills Tune Up

Start the semester off right with a brush-up on your tech skills. Get the latest from the experts about using high-yield academic technologies.

Thursday, August 20, 2026

Access Recording & Resources

Let's Get Reel! Toolkit for Making Educational Videos

Level up your courses with Karen Costa, educator and author of 99 tips for Creating Simple and Sustainable Educational Videos. This session will deliver practical tips backed by research and brought to life with illustrative examples. Build confidence and skills to enhance your online courses and flipped classrooms.

Thursday, August 27, 2026
12:00-1:00PM
Zoom

Register Here

What's My Lane: The Role of an Educator Today

In a rapidly shifting health‑sciences landscape, educators are navigating more lanes than ever. Let's pause at the metaphorical construction zone, reassess our path, and clarify the evolving responsibilities of teaching, mentoring, and modeling professional identity.

Thursday, Sept 10, 2026
12:00-1:00PM
MSC 4053, Newland Faculty Development Room

Register Here

UNMC Faculty Downtown Omaha Tour & Social

Data support the notion that you will be happier and more satisfied with your job if you have even ONE friend at work. Come take the first step toward these invaluable social connections.
Meet your UNMC Faculty colleagues at the Durham Museum. Enjoy a guided walking tour of downtown Omaha. Tours will end across the street from the Durham at Sips on 10th, where you can enjoy the company of your colleagues over some food and drinks.
 
Thursday, Sept 10, Meet at 4PM
Durham Museum + Sips on 10th
Tour is complementary. Drinks and food available for individual purchase.

Space-limited. Registration Required:

Register Here

Event sponsored by UNMC Faculty Club and Office of Faculty Development.

Building Soft Skills with Neurodiverse Learners and Colleagues

Neurodiversity enriches our learning environments, but it can also introduce moments that feel like a back-up signal on a dump truck—signals to adjust, slow down, or seek support. This session offers practical strategies for strengthening communication, organization, and boundary‑setting while recognizing when additional support or formal accommodations are needed. Through case discussions and reflective dialogue, faculty will explore ways to foster learner success and protect their own well‑being.

Tuesday, Sept 15, 12-1PM
MSC 2014

Register Here

Substack for Educators

Learn from Jeremy Caplan, Director of Teaching and Learning at CUNY's Newmark Graduate School of Journalism and author of Wonder Tools newsletter, about building a following on Substack, and the ways this tool can be used for Education.
 
Thursday, Sept 24, 12-1PM
Zoom

Register Here

Difficult Conversations Training

Is there a conversation you need to have that you’ve been avoiding? Are there topics that make your blood boil and emotions rise? Gain the skills to master everyday difficult conversations, and the high-stakes meetings that matter most.
 
Tuesday, September 29, 2026, 3-5PM
MSC 4053, Newland Faculty Development Room

Register Here

The InnovatED Symposium is your opportunity to discover the newest advances in health professions education. This full day, in-person event brings together educators, staff and learners from across Nebraska to share novel and innovative teaching approaches, exchange practical strategies to incorporate right away, and foster new collaborations with peers. 

Registration is open for the fourth annual InnovatED Symposium, brought to you by the Interprofessional Academy of Educators and UNMC Distance Education:

Thursday, October 1, 2026, 8:30AM-4:00PM
Truhlsen Campus Events Center

More Info and Registration

Coach, Mentor, Friend, Sponsor: 4-Way Stop of Career Development

Career development isn’t one-size-fits-all—it’s about knowing when to ask questions, share experience, advocate, or just listen. Break down four key support roles and choose the right approach to keep yourself and others moving ahead with intention. Understand how to leverage each approach at UNMC. 
 
Thursday, October 8, 12-1PM
MSC 4053, Newland Faculty Development Room

Register Here

Promotion & Tenure Essentials

Hear from institutional experts on how to succeed in the promotion and tenure process at UNMC. We’ll review the need-to-know, the good-to-know, and answer your questions. This session is open to all faculty of any rank, and is the ideal refresher to make sure you’ve got the basics covered. 
 
Thursday, October 15, 12-1PM
Zoom

Register Here

Diplomacy in Action: Case Studies in Leadership, Healthcare & Global Engagement

Diplomacy is not just for international relations. It's a practical and critical leadership skill in today’s complex healthcare and academic environments. This interactive, case-based session explores how diplomatic principles can inform decision-making, communication, and trust-building. Drawing on real-world experiences from global health crises, public service, and international medical advising, participants will build skills through facilitated case discussions.
 
Tuesday, October 20, 12-1PM
MSC 4053, Newland Faculty Development Room

Register Here

Session co-sponsored by Office of Engagement

Build Better through Negotiation

A fan favorite refresher! Getting to WIN-WIN situations can be possible. Build the skills to get there.
Featuring expert negotiator and engaging presenter, David Landis.
As a Nebraska State Senator between 1979-2007, Landis authored more successful bills than any state senator in the history of the state of Nebraska
 
Tuesday, October 27, 11AM-1PM
MSC 4053, Newland Faculty Development Room

Register Here

Teaching Launchpad, a series of training sessions from the UNMC Interprofessional Academy of Educators, can help hone your skills. The program will cover foundational teaching skills, educational technology, and the use of AI to support effective teaching and learning. 

This will be a synchronous event with attendance options in Kearney or Omaha, and a virtual Zoom option. Attendees are welcome to join the full day or individual sessions throughout the day.

Registration is open for the fourth annual InnovatED Symposium, brought to you by the Interprofessional Academy of Educators and UNMC Distance Education:

Wednesday, October 28, 2026, 9:30AM-4:00PM
Synchronous event with in-person attendance options in Omaha and Kearney, and a virtual attendance option on Zoom. 

 More Info and Register

Culture by Design

Discover a road map for transforming your organizational culture into a practical, repeatable, desirable system.
 
Thursday, November 12, 12-1PM
MSC 4053, Newland Faculty Development Room

Register Here

Session co-sponsored by Office of Engagement

Soft Skills, Hard Problems, Humanities Solutions

Teaching the “soft skills” of health care can be challenging, even when these competencies are required and embedded across curricula. Health humanities offer practical ways for learners to explore and practice these skills through interpretation, reflection, and dialogue. Engage in hands-on activities to encourage critical reflection, perspective-taking, ethical reasoning, and professional identity development. Leave with an introductory understanding of health humanities, examples of library-supported teaching models, and concrete strategies for your own courses. Refresh existing curricula and create meaningful learning experiences that emphasize the human dimensions of health care.
 
Tuesday, November 17, 12-1PM
MSC 2014

Register Here

Building a High Performing Team

High‑performing teams don’t happen by accident—especially in dynamic and complex environments. Building high-performing teams requires intentional leadership, clarity, accountability, trust, and continuous improvement. Learn how to align people, processes, and purpose so your team runs smoothly, adapts quickly, and delivers long-term success.
 
Thursday, November 19, 12-1PM
MSC 4053, Newland Faculty Development Room

Register Here

Financial Finesse
2-part series

Retirement packages, investments, life insurance, emergency funds... Are you getting the most out of your money?
Join fellow faculty with an interest in financial health to understand the basics of financial literacy and fine-tune your existing strategies.
 
Thursday, December 3, 2026, 12-1PM
Tuesday, December 8, 2026, 12-1PM
MSC 4053, Newland Faculty Development Room

Register Here

Let's Talk Scholarship! 1:1 Writing Consultations with Dr. Gary Beck-Dallaghan

Get unstuck. Receive personalized advice. Give your writing a boost with a 30-minute coaching session.

Thursday, December 10, 2026, 30-minute appointments
MSC 6051, Faculty Commons Conference Room

Claim Your 1:1 Spot Here
(Scroll over to December 10 for available spots)

Spring 2027 Sessions

We've arranged learning opportunities to help you grow as an educator, researcher, clinician, and whole person. Additional details may be added throughout the year, so check back regularly!

Top Tips: AI in Academic Technology

Are you staying current with the latest tools to do your job well? AI keeps changing the way we work—learn high‑impact skills from experts to accelerate your instructional design. Explore smart practical tips to streamline design decisions, spark ideas, and support effective learning experiences.

Thursday, January 14, 12:00-1:00PM
Zoom

Register Here

Ethics & AI

As generative AI continues to transform how we live, learn, and work, how do we balance originality with productivity, cognitive offloading with intellectual empowerment, and environmental impact with innovation? This session explores key ethical considerations that can inform decisions about AI use in personal and professional settings.

Thursday, January 21, 2027
12:00-1:00PM
Zoom

Register Here

Full Speed Ahead: AI & Emerging Tech at NU

Using AI and other emerging technologies can feel like the wild, wild west! What tools are out there? What tools are safe? Where does UNMC align with implementation strategy? What is the NU System doing to advance around AI and other emerging tech? 
Dialogue with education and IT leaders within the NU System about all things AI and emerging tech at NU. 

Thursday, January 28, 12-1PM
Zoom

Register Here

Session co-sponsored by Office of Engagement

Healthcare Leadership: A Prescription for Caring

Even the strongest organizations need regular maintenance to prevent burnout and breakdown. Caring isn’t a soft skill—it’s a leadership strategy that drives engagement, resilience, and results. Drawing from his book A Prescription for Caring in Healthcare Leadership by Colonel (retired) Joshua D. Hartzell, MD, MS-HPEd, will lead you in gaining practical insights for building compassionate, high‑performing cultures in demanding environments. 

Thursday, February 11, 12-1PM
Zoom

Featuring Visiting Expert, Dr. Joshua Hartzell

Register Here

Psychological Safety: What it is, what it's not, and how it propels your team

Teams move faster and smarter when people aren’t afraid to hit the brakes, ask questions, or flag hazards ahead. This session explores how psychological safety clears the road for innovation, learning, and stronger team performance—without sacrificing expectations. Learn how psychological safety works in practice and how you can build it intentionally to propel teams forward.
 
Thursday, February 18, 12-1PM
MSC 4053, Newland Faculty Development Room

Register Here

Session co-sponsored by Office of Engagement

Communicating Across Expertise

Do you have the skills to translate research-speak to budget-speak? Gain skills in making technical concepts accessible to a multidisciplinary audience.
 
Tuesday, February 25, 2027, 12-1PM
MSC 4053, Newland Faculty Development Room

Register Here

No Way Out But Through: Educational Escape Room

ENGAGED LEARNING at it's finest! In this immersive 90-minute experience, you'll engage with other participants in the escape room activity. Following the activity, debrief and discuss its design and application to health sciences education. This format has been effective in both demonstrating the learner experience and providing practical guidance for implementation.
 
Thursday, March 11, 2027, 11:30AM-1:00PM
University Tower 4124
Space limited to 15 participants (with waitlist available)

Register Here

Exploring Off-Ramps & Merge-Lanes: Preparing for Retirement

Craft your best life! Preparing for retirement or any next chapter.
Featuring truth-telling and advice-giving from recently-retired UNMC Faculty.
 
Tuesday, March 25, 12-1PM
MSC 4053, Newland Faculty Development Room

Register Here

How to Give Critical Feedback without a Wrecking Ball

How good are you at delivering tough love? It can be done without tears, yelling, and wrecking balls!
Your teams will thank you for attending this session. 
 
Tuesday, April 13, 12-1PM
MSC 4053, Newland Faculty Development Room

Register Here

Embrace Your Inner Work In Progress: The Art of Receiving Feedback

Do feedback conversations make you grimace? The only way to reach your highest and best is with a discerning ear for ways you can improve! Gain the skills to receive, discern, and apply feedback.
 
Thursday, April 15, 2027, 12-1PM
MSC 4053, Newland Faculty Development Room

Register Here

Find Your Mix: Balancing Time, Work, and Life

Get your day back: let us help you find the productivity hacks that work for you!
Featuring visiting faculty, Sookyung Suh, Organizational Change Management and Human Performance expert from SIU School of Medicine.
 
Thursday, April 22, 12-1PM
MSC 4053, Newland Faculty Development Room

Register Here

Session co-sponsored by Office of Engagement

When Things Go Wrong: Personnel Edition

Ombuds, Grievance Committee and HR... Oh, my!
Working with people can be messy.
Here's what you need to know for when it gets a little too messy.
 
Thursday, May 27, 12-1PM
MSC 4053, Newland Faculty Development Room

Register Here

Career in a Sinkhole? Applying Decision Making Framework for Career Inflection Points

A full 23% of U.S. workers are not satisfied with their opportunities for growth.
Americans spend an AVERAGE of 3.9 years in a job, down 15% over the last 10 years. 
Americans will move an average of ELEVEN times in their lifetimes.
You will face many inflection points through your career and life. Take control of these inflection points and be the driver of your own bus with a thoughtful, purposeful decision-making framework.
Avoid the sinkhole. Let us help you patch, dodge, detour, and soar.   
 
Thursday, June 10, 2027, 12-1PM
MSC 4053, Newland Faculty Development Room

Register Here

Session co-sponsored by Office of Engagement