EPIC Learning Community

EPIC Learning Community Registration Spring 2025

Graduate students in their 1st-3rd year of their program (from any department) can participate in the EPIC Learning Community. If you have questions about participation or the program, please contact Lisa Kuehne. Note: If you have already participated in EPIC for a semester, you need not fill out this form again.

• First Name*
• Preferred First Name/Nickname (if different)
• Last Name (Family Name)*
• WashU Email*
• Primary Program/Department*
  Choose one of the following:African and African American StudiesAmerican Culture StudiesAnthropologyArchitectureArt History and ArchaeologyArt (Visual Art)Audiology and Communication SciencesBiologyBiomedical Engineering (BME)BusinessChemistryClassicsComparative LiteratureComputer Science and Engineering (CSE)DBBS (Biochemistry Biophysics and Structural Biology)DBBS (Biomedical Informatics & Data Science)DBBS (Cancer Biology)DBBS (Computational and Systems Biology)DBBS (Developmental Regenerative and Stem Cell Biology)DBBS (Evolution Ecology and Population Biology)DBBS (Human and Statistical Genetics)DBBS (Immunology)DBBS (Molecular Biology)DBBS (Molecular Genetics and Genomics)DBBS (Molecular Microbiology and Microbial Pathogenesis)DBBS (Neurosciences)DBBS (Plant and Microbial Biosciences)Division of Computational and Data Sciences (DCDS)Earth and Planetary Sciences (EPSc)East Asian Languages and Cultures (EALC)EconomicsEducationElectrical and Systems Engineering (ESE)Energy Environmental and Chemical Engineering (EECE)EnglishFilm and Media StudiesGenetics CounselingGermanic Languages and LiteraturesGlobal StudiesHistoryImaging ScienceInstitute of Materials Science and Engineering (IMSE)Jewish Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies (JIMES)LawMaster's Program (other)Mathematics and StatisticsMechanical Engineering and Materials Science (MEMS)MedicineMSTPMusicOccupational Therapy (Rehabilitation and Participation Science)OtherPerforming ArtsPhilosophy (Philosophy-Neuroscience-Psychology)Physical TherapyPhysicsPolitical SciencePsychological and Brain SciencesReligious StudiesRomance Languages and LiteraturesSever InstituteSocial Work (Public Health)SociologyStatistics and Data ScienceWomen Gender and Sexuality Studies (WGSS)
• If you chose "Other" please describe below
• Year in Graduate Program*
  1st2nd3rd
  Note that EPIC is only open to those in their 1st - 3rd years of graduate school. With questions, feel free to contact Lisa Kuehne at lmkuehne@wustl.edu
• Participants are required to attend 3 monthly meetings during the semester. Please indicate which meeting day you wish to sign up for.*
  • Tuesdays, 11:30am-12:50pm (February 4, March 4 and April 8)
  • Wednesdays, 11:30am-12:50pm (February 5, March 5 and April 9)
  • Either meeting time works!
  • Neither meeting time works, but I would be interested in participating if another time were offered.
  • I'm not sure yet, but will let Dr. Kuehne know as soon as possible.
  All meetings will be offered as hybrid sessions, with in-person meetings on Tuesdays held on the Danforth Campus and in-person meetings on Wednesdays held on the Medical Campus.
• The Center for Teaching and Learning is committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all participants. Should you wish to request a disability-related accommodation in order to participate more fully in the learning community, please describe the nature of your request below:
• Have you previously attended a Center for Teaching and Learning workshop?*
  YesNoNot Sure
  Note: This is not a requirement for participating in EPIC. We use this information to help with entering your attendance into our database.
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EPIC Overview

The EPIC Learning Community is an interdisciplinary program for graduate students in their first years at Washington University who are getting ready for or participating in their initial teaching experiences. The program provides a structure in which graduate students can develop relationships with others who are interested in learning more about and participating in pedagogical conversations across campuses and disciplines.

Throughout the program, participants will gain confidence discussing topics critical to teaching in the twenty-first century classroom. Participants will also begin to develop the tools necessary to succeed in this environment. Though separate, EPIC acts as a stepping stone to the more advanced-level programming offered through the Center for Teaching and Learning’s Professional Development in Teaching Program.

EPIC was supported by an Improving Undergraduate STEM Education (IUSE) National Science Foundation Award through the CIRTL Network, a consortium of institutions that Washington University has been a member of since 2012. The purpose of both the award and the consortium is to increase student diversity in STEM by introducing future faculty to effective evidence-based classroom strategies. This program was developed in collaboration with the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Objectives

The goal of the EPIC Learning Community is to create a space where graduate students in their first years at Washington University can explore pedagogical research, discuss with their peers, and learn techniques to support their future instruction.

Participants in this program will:

• Develop reflective teaching habits.
• Become familiar with current conversations in pedagogical research on evidence-based teaching.
• Gain confidence in talking about their teaching and participating in pedagogical discourse.
• Make informed choices in course planning and classroom management.
• Build relationships with other graduate students who are invested in conversations about teaching.
• Identify and become involved in teaching-related professional development opportunities offered by Center for Teaching and Learning and campus partners.