Have you met... Richard?

Richard Li

Can you elaborate on your role at the Centre for Teaching and Learning (CTL)? What do you do to support teaching and learning in natural and applied sciences and across campus?

As a Senior Consultant at CTL, I support inclusive, evidence-informed, and context-specific teaching and learning practices. I serve as the first point of contact for guiding effective and meaningful pedagogical innovations at both the course and program levels in the natural and applied sciences. I also support educational leaders with strategic planning and evaluation of teaching and learning priorities.

In addition to my primary focus on natural and applied sciences, I collaborate with my colleagues at CTL to advance key teaching and learning initiatives across campus, such as Generative Artificial Intelligence, Indigenization and Decolonization, and Access, Community, and Belonging through CTL programming.

When you think about your work: what drives it, what do you feel you uniquely bring, and what do you care about most?

Inclusivity, relationality, and community are fundamental values driving my work. As a first-generation immigrant with lived experiences in navigating various inequities in the academy, I am deeply committed to inclusive teaching practices and anti-racist pedagogies. I bring a human-centred approach to my work, and I care most about community building that permeates through systemic barriers and empowers diverse voices and perspectives.

I also bring an academic background in Geosciences, Geological Engineering, and Engineering Education. I have extensive experience supporting teaching and learning in natural and applied science disciplines, which informs my work guiding the effective integration of discipline-specific pedagogical practices.

Tell us about your journey to the U of A. How will you approach your work, specifically at the University of Alberta?

I came from the University of Waterloo’s Centre for Teaching Excellence, where I began my educational development journey in 2017. In my previous role at Waterloo, I led teaching development initiatives across a wide range of areas, including course design, delivery, and evaluation; curriculum development and review; educational technology; and educational leadership development. I am grateful for this meaningful and rewarding start to my journey.

Joining the CTL is an exciting next step in my career. I am keen to adapt my expertise and experience to the institutional contexts here at the U of A. I am enjoying meeting instructors, leaders, and students at the U of A and learning about their priorities and perspectives in teaching and learning.

I am learning about the rich Indigenous histories and cultures here on Treaties 6, 7, and 8, and in the homeland of the Metis. I look forward to contributing to intentional and impactful decolonization efforts in natural and applied sciences as well as across campus.

What do you do outside of your academic life?

I practice active living and mindfulness regularly. I have taught yoga for almost a decade and coached a variety of fitness programs. I am grateful for the opportunity to move my body and mind in meaningful ways, and I feel privileged to motivate and inspire others in their self-care journeys.

I also do photography. I enjoy interacting with both living and non-living beings through my camera lenses and exploring the power of perspective and context in this unique form of artistic expression.