Learning and Applied Innovation

The ITS Learning and Applied Innovation team works collaboratively with faculty members and academic departments to effectively integrate digital technologies into teaching, learning, and course design.

academic technologies team, picture of Case Geyer Library

We offer consultation and support services that facilitate the exploration and meaningful use of technology in education, including the following: instructional design, technology integration, Moodle course development, digital media services, and support for student projects.

Learning and Applied Innovation Team

Jeff Nugent

Director of Learning and Applied Innovation

Read about Jeff

EdS, Instructional Technology, University of Virginia MAEd, Science Education, East Carolina University BA, Philosophy & Anthropology, Binghamton University

Jeff joined Colgate University as the Director of Academic Technologies in October 2014. In his current role at Colgate, Jeff provides leadership to advance teaching and learning with technology through enhanced support for faculty, program development and ongoing assessment of services. Prior to coming to Colgate, Jeff was Co-Director at the Center for Teaching Excellence at Virginia Commonwealth University. While at VCU he led a broad range of initiatives including the development of a faculty learning communities program, support for online course design and teaching, exploration of learning space design, and promoting learning innovation through the use of digital technologies. His current interests focus on the use of web-based platforms to support connected learning, and understanding factors that shape faculty adoption of technology to support their teaching practices in face-to-face and online environments.

In his free time Jeff enjoys waving a high-tech graphite stick in the streams and lakes of upstate NY in the hopes of catching trout.

Phone: 315-228-6347
E-mail: jnugent@colgate.edu

Joe Eakin

Technical Director of the Ho Tung Visualization Lab

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BS Geography and Earth Science, University of North Texas

Joe has been in the planetarium business for over 15 years, starting as a Console Operator at the Sky Theater of the University of North Texas, where he worked on productions, gave shows to school groups, and aided astronomy labs. After graduation he was program coordinator for a new planetarium at the University of Texas at Arlington, a Digistar 3 dome where he learned 3-D modeling and built his first render farm.

Joe has always dreamed of living in upstate New York with its bitter cold, so after interviewing in a NY blizzard he joined us as the Senior Visualization Lab Designer and Technician in 2008.

Immersed in our liberal arts setting, Joe works closely with faculty and students designing content for many disciplines, including Anthropology, Art, Astronomy, Athletics, Biology, Classics, Computer Science, Geography, Geology, History, and Physics. Joe also teaches students how to create content for the dome. Joe and his students have started work with full-dome video and photography using the Freedom 360 rig and the Canon 5D Mark II.

In his free time, Joe enjoys playing baseball, video games, being a sci-fi geek, and cooking.

Phone: 315-228-6126
E-mail: jeakin@colgate.edu

Kelly Dempsey

Instructional Designer

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M.A.Ed. Education, Teachers College at Columbia University, NY
B.A., English, Elem. Ed. Certification, Norwich University, VT

As our Instructional Designer for Learning Platforms Kelly has over 20 years experience in education. Kelly's primary role is to help faculty take advantage of the learning platforms Colgate employs such as Moodle, Google Classroom, etc. Kelly strives to help faculty enrich the educational experiences of their students and to shepherd the creative and innovative uses of technology for teaching, learning, and research. Kelly enjoys working with faculty who are willing to push the boundaries of the leading edge of technology. One of her current projects involve engaging faculty to share their successes in the Teaching with Technology Brown Bag Series. Kelly's conversations around technology focus on increasing digital fluency for students and faculty, LMS (Moodle), blended learning, lecture capture, and classroom polling.

Kelly enjoys keeping a blog. In her free time she enjoys reading a good novel, listening to live music with her husband Dan, hiking, golf, yoga, skiing with her daughter Lyndsay, cooking and traveling to warm destinations during the winter break.

Phone: 315-228-7596
E-mail: kdempsey@colgate.edu

Robin Bridson

Professional Development & Training Coordinator

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B.S. Business Administration and Marketing, RIT
Microsoft Certified Trainer(MCT)
Project Management Professional (PMP)

As our newest member and first Professional Development and Training Coordinator, Robin loves to train and present and has over two decades of experience in the training field developing and providing instructor led computer instruction, as well as project management and other business skills. She is excited at being able to help the students, faculty and staff at Colgate University achieve their learning and development needs and utilize technology to the fullest.

When she isn’t working, Robin likes to cook, read, antique, and sit on her deck when the weather permits. A fan of Doctor Who since the early days, she truly wishes her other car was a TARDIS.

Phone: 315-228-6559
E-mail: rbridson@colgate.edu

Doug Higgins

Instructional Designer

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MS, Adolescence Education, Utica College
BS, Civil Engineering, University at Buffalo

Doug joined Colgate University following a career in engineering and teaching, during which he developed an appreciation for the use of technology in education. With over nine years of teaching experience in the secondary and collegiate levels, he has combined pedagogy with technology through a variety of applications. Currently, Doug is exploring the use of 3D scanning, modeling, and printing to support learning in and out of the classroom. He also helps support Moodle; data visualization and analysis; online and flipped classrooms; web sites and blogs; and poster projects.

In his free time Doug enjoys holding his infant twin girls while playing the board game Pretty Pretty Princess with his four-year-old daughter.

Phone: 315-228-6337
E-mail: dhiggins@colgate.edu

Sarah Kunze

Instructional Designer

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BS, Computer and Information Science, SUNY Polytechnic Institute

At Colgate since 2005, Sarah manages the Digital Learning and Media Center (DLMC), a state-of-the-art digital media lab and its staff. Her goal is to support faculty in the identification, selection, and use of technologies and information resources applicable to their teaching. Her particular focus is on supporting video projects throughout the curriculum. Sarah also enjoys travel and scuba diving.

Phone: 315-228-6791
E-mail: skunze@colgate.edu

Christine Moskell

Instructional Designer

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BA Environmental Studies, Hobart and William Smith Colleges
MS/PhD Natural Resources, Cornell University
Christine joins our team following a career in environmental education. As an educator who is passionate about the liberal arts, Christine brings a skill set grounded in undergraduate teaching, adult education, applied research and community development. Throughout her career, Christine worked with Cornell University Cooperative Extension across New York State to design, deliver and evaluate environmental education programs for a wide range of audiences. Christine previously worked at Colgate as a lecturer in the Scientific Perspectives area of the Core Curriculum. In her Core course “Environmental Activism, Science and the Arts,” Christine developed an interest in technology-enhanced teaching and learning and she looks forward to working with Colgate faculty to find ways to integrate technology into other courses. In her free time, Christine enjoys spending time with her husband and daughter and teaching Jazzercise classes at Colgate.

Phone: 315-228-6561
E-mail: cmoskell@colgate.edu

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Learning and Applied Innovation