French Announced as ITG Director

The Office of the Dean of the College is delighted to announce that Debbie French, Associate Professor of Science Education, Bitove Family Faculty Fellow and Interim Director of the Environment and Sustainability Studies Program, will take on the role of Director of the Instructional Technology Group (ITG), starting July 1, 2026, for a three-year renewable term. 

As director, Debbie will oversee the team of 13 Instructional Technologists, who are embedded in the day-to-day activities of their academic units, enabling them to tailor technology solutions to their department’s and program’s unique needs. Additionally, Debbie will continue coordinating strong collaborations between the ITG and the Center for the Advancement of Teaching, Information Systems, Online Education, ZSR Library, and College faculty and staff.

Debbie brings to the ITG directorship a deep understanding of how technology and pedagogy intersect to support student learning across disciplines. As a faculty member in the Department of Education since 2019, she teaches secondary and elementary science methods, instructional design and assessment, and action research courses. Her scholarship spans physics and astronomy education research, climate change education, and best practices for incorporating authentic scientific inquiry in science classrooms. In addition to her work in the Department of Education, Debbie has brought her commitment to interdisciplinary learning to her role as Interim Director of the Environment and Sustainability Studies Program this past year. 

We also want to express our deep gratitude to Adam Friedman, who has led the ITG with distinction for two consecutive terms as director. Under his leadership,the ITG has strengthened its partnerships with campus units, deepened its support for discipline-specific instructional innovation, and continued to grow as a resource for the faculty and staff it serves. We are grateful for Adam’s thoughtful stewardship of the ITG and look forward to our continued work together in his capacity as incoming Chair of the Department of Education.

Finally, I would like to thank my fellow Search Committee members for their time and dedication: 

• Amanda Griffith, Associate Dean for Academic Planning and Professor of Economics, Chair of the Search Committee
• Jackson Brown, Wake Forest Fellow 
• Pete Santago, Professor of Computer Science and Wakerspace Faculty Director
• Diego Burgos, Associate Professor of Spanish
• Mike Ramirez, Chair and Associate Professor of Sociology
• Amy Triana, Director Client Services and Engagement, IS
• Betsy Barre, Assistant Provost and Director of the Center for the Advancement of Teaching

Sincerely,

Jackie Krasas, Dean of the College and the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences

Debbie French