Innovative Teaching & Learning Grants

Innovative Teaching & Learning Grants is sponsored by Cornell University Center for Teaching Innovation (CTI). These grants provide seed money for new, 'high risk,' undergraduate initiatives that encourage creative curriculum and pedagogical changes, improve the quality of teaching, and enrich the learning experience, including the imaginative use and applications of technology.

Innovative Teaching & Learning Grants | Center for Teaching Innovation Innovative Teaching & Learning Grants The Center for Teaching Innovation invites the Cornell teaching community to propose projects that explore innovative teaching approaches, new tools, and emerging technologies to facilitate vibrant, challenging, and reflective learning experiences at Cornell.

The CTI has funded a wide range of faculty projects through the Innovative Teaching & Learning Grants. Learn more about them by visiting our Innovation Gallery below.

2026-2027 Awardees & Projects Primary Faculty College Department Project Name Natalia Andrievskikh College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) Communication Developing Training Resources for Learning Assistants in Writing-Intensive Courses Jacqueline Gerson CALS Biological and Environmental Engineering Using a Citizen Science Initiative to Teach Place-Based Fieldwork Methods Andrei Guruianu CALS Communication The Creative Writing Workshop as Laboratory for Making and Learning Aaron Sexton & Jamie Vanucchi CALS School of Integrative Plant Sciences – Horticulture Section, & Landscape Architecture Restoration of Plant Sciences Gardens Yu Wang Ann S.

Bowers College of Computing and Information Science Science and Technology Studies Teaching Data Sovereignty Through Embodied Experience Cora Whitmore & Martin Graef CALS Molecular Biology and Genetics Visualizing the Dynamics of Biology through Virtual Reality (VR) Kayla Wolf Cornell Duffield Engineering Meinig School of Biological Engineering Integrating Sex-Specific Biology into Biomedical Engineering Design Through Studio-Based Failure Analysis Proposals will be selected based on the ability to meet one or more of the following: Explore novel ways for students to engage in the process of discovery, creation, or to address complex problems.

Develop and implement innovative pedagogical strategies that create opportunities for students to apply and practice what they are learning. Test out the feasibility of a teaching method or activity to support a proof of concept for further expansion and long-term impact. Employ learning practices that invite students to examine diverse perspectives or integrate knowledge across disciplines.

Build upon research on effective learning and teaching principles. These grants do not cover community engagement initiatives. For these initiatives, please refer to the Einhorn Center community engagement grants & awards .

Eligibility & Requirements All faculty and full-time instructors who are actively teaching at Cornell (tenure-track, tenured, and non-tenure-track) are invited to submit proposals. Both individual or collaborative proposals are welcome. Innovations could target either undergraduate or graduate-level learning.

Project requirements include: The project should be implemented in a course(s) or department within the academic year of the grant. The principal faculty member(s) will be expected to participate throughout the project and regularly meet with an instructional designer/project manager from CTI, although development and teaching may also involve students, postdoctoral fellows, and others.

The principal faculty member(s) and other members of the team will work with CTI to share their experiences with the innovative strategy. A letter of support from the department head (or unit) must accompany the final proposal. Grants will range from $5,000 to $20,000.

Funding levels will vary depending on the project type and the resources required for implementation. A CTI project manager/instructional designer will be available to work with faculty members on their project. Interested faculty must submit a pre-application form, to initiate the application process and to inform the development of a full proposal.

The pre-application form asks the following questions: Instructor(s) name, department(s), and course(s) in which the innovation will be implemented. Short overview of the project. Please identify the innovative aspects (c.

100–200 words). Outline the learning outcomes you hope to achieve and a brief description of how the project will be assessed (c. 100 words).

Step 2: Consultation with Center Staff Faculty will be invited to submit a full application. To assist in this process, a series of online consultation sessions will be available for instructors who would like to collaboratively think through their project ideas with CTI staff. Step 3: Final Application The following items will be required for the final submission.

Use the full application template to plan your online application submission. Applications will be reviewed based on the criteria in this rubric .

This will require the following information: A budget and brief budget justification A list of team members and their role(s) in the project (if applicable) Impact on student learning and residential education at Cornell Letter of support from department chair, director, or college dean Questions about the application process should be sent to cti-awards@cornell. edu .

Eligible Expenses & Resource Estimates Full Application Template (use this to plan your online application submission)