Michael S. Palmer is director of the University of Virginia’s Center for Teaching Excellence, USA. Michael‘s educational development research is broad and has focused on a range of topics, including teaching consultation techniques, graduate student professional development, course design initiatives and the impact intense instructional development activities have on teacher beliefs and practices, alternative grading techniques, and pedagogical innovation. His scholarly work and professional contributions have been recognized nationally by the Professional and Organisational Development Network in Higher Education (POD Network), including three Innovation Awards, the Robert J. Menges Award for Outstanding Research in Educational Development, and the Bob Pierleoni Spirit of POD Award, the organisation’s highest award, akin to a lifetime achievement award. Michael currently teaches 1st- and 2nd-year seminars on the science of learning, pedagogy, “living your best college life,” and infinity. Some of his recent publications include:

• Troisi, J. D., Palmer, M. S., Wright, M. C., Hostetler, L. A., Hurney, C. A. (forthcoming Spring 2025). Developing high-impact course design institutes: A model for change. Routledge.
• Streifer, A. C., Palmer, M. S., & Taggart, J. (2024). From expectations to experiences: Students’ perceptions of specifications grading in higher education. International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 18(2).
• Palmer, M. S. (2024, November 25). Is generative AI a general purpose pedagogical innovation? Inside Higher Ed.
• Yik, B. J., Machost, H., Streifer, A. C., Palmer, M. S., Morkowchuk, L., & Stains. (2024). Students’ Perceptions of Specifications Grading: Development and Evaluation of the Perceptions of Grading Schemes (PGS) Instrument. Journal of Chemical Education, 101(9), 3723–738.
• Palmer, M. S., & Giering, J. A. (2023). Characterizing pedagogical innovation in higher education. Innovative Higher Education, 49, 353-373.