Areas of academic distinction visioning process announced

The following is a message from the Office of the Provost.

The Office of the Provost has launched a visioning process for the five areas of academic distinction outlined in the Strategic Framework. This process aims to define Wake Forest’s aspirational vision for excellence over the next 20 years—building on, not replacing, our commitment to teaching and research across the university. 

Getting Started: Environment & Sustainability and Neuroscience & Society

Leadership task forces have begun work on these two areas, both of which address pressing global challenges. True to our belief that education is both knowledge and action, the cross-school and cross-disciplinary initiatives that emerge from this process have the potential to be transformative for teaching and research on our campus as well as for our partnerships with local and global communities. Integration of efforts by teams composed of faculty, staff, and students across disciplines university-wide will be essential for our success. These interdisciplinary teams will include natural and basic scientists, business and policy leaders, humanists, artists, engineers, anthropologists, theologians, historians, ethicists, story-tellers, and human health experts among others.

Environment & Sustainability will focus on the impact of climate change, environmental pollution, and biodiversity loss on human and planetary health. We will also address the disproportionately negative consequences that anthropogenic change has on/for disenfranchised communities. The principles of sustainability, climate adaptation, planetary boundaries, and environmental justice, and their integration into teaching and campus life, will be an essential part of our vision.  

Neuroscience & Society addresses how our nervous systems enable human functions including perception, behavior, decision-making, emotion, planning, attention, etc. This topic explores the mechanisms of mental and brain health and how understanding brain function can help us to develop next generation technologies. A unique focus of this initiative is on the “and society,” and will include fundamental questions of what it means to be human: How do we perceive reality? How does our perception of reality affect our experience and decisions, and the lives of those around us? How does experience, including virtual experience, impact our perception of reality and our decision-making?

Now, we need your help to make these visions uniquely Wake Forest, truly innovative, creative, and inclusive. 

How You Can Get Involved

We need your ideas to make these visions innovative, inclusive, and uniquely Wake Forest.

In-Person Visioning Sessions (March 24, Benson Center)
The first hour of each session will be facilitated. If you cannot attend the facilitated session, you are encouraged to drop in anytime in the available window to provide input in person on developing the vision. 

• Environment & Sustainability: Room 409, 1:00-4:00 p.m. (facilitated session 1:00–2:00 p.m.)
• Neuroscience & Society: Room 410, 2:00-5:00 p.m. (facilitated session 2:00-3:00 p.m.)
  Drop in anytime to share input.

Office Hours
If you are not available on Monday, March 24, you are invited to meet with Vice Provost Kim McAllister on March 26 & 28 (9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.) to discuss any aspect of the process or provide input on the vision in person. Email Jen Haggas (haggasji@wfu.edu) to sign up.

Virtual Whiteboard
Can’t attend in person? Share ideas online starting March 24 (link to be posted).

Our aspirational vision will be stronger if everyone participates. Please come dream with us!

Questions? Contact Stephanie Hudson or Kim McAllister.