Introducing the New Carpentries Instructor Development Committee

The Instructor Development Committee (originally the Mentoring Subcommittee) was established in 2015 to develop and maintain a mentorship program to support instructors as they progress through training, teaching, curriculum development, and other community-related activities. The committee helps promote community-building and networking by providing virtual spaces where instructors from all over the world can share teaching success stories and discuss strategies for overcoming challenges. Any Carpentries community member is welcome to join the Instructor Development Committee. You can find more information in the Instructor Development section of our handbook.

The Community Development team recently prioritised the setting up of a new Instructor Development Committee Leadership Team for the period starting in May 2019 and ending in May 2020. We put out a call for applications to Carpentries community members interested in serving on The Instructor Development Committee Leadership Team on our blog and YouTube channel in March 2019, hosted an interest meeting in one of our community discussions, and were elated to have Toby Hodges write a blog post and attend the interest meeting to answer questions in his capacity as the outgoing Instructor Development Committee co-chair.

We are pleased to share that, following these calls, several instructors from The Carpentries community stepped up and agreed to serve in various capacities over the next year as members of the Instructor Development Committee Leadership Team. We asked them what inspired them to join the Instructor Development Committee and here’s what they had to say:

Co-Chair - Sarah Stevens

Sarah is a certified Carpentries Instructor and Trainer, and has been involved with The Carpentries since 2015. Sarah says:

I love community building. One of my favorite parts of The Carpentries community is meeting other instructors and learning from them. I’m excited to work with the IDC to help facilitate community and individual growth.

Co-Chair - Arindam Basu

Arindam Basu is a certified Instructor and Trainer, and has been involved with The Carpentries since 2015. He says:

I’d like to develop [a] network of instructors in the Australia and New Zealand region and in India or South Asia (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, Maldives). I’d like to offer regular training and professionally prepare instructors.

Here’s what the role of Co-Chair in the Instructor Development Committee entails.

Committee Secretary - Dr. Megbowon Kemi

Dr. Kemi joined The Carpentries in September 2017 and is a certified Instructor. She says:

My interest in leading the Instructor Development Committee as a Secretary is based on my passion to get some experience with community building, mentoring, teamwork, and leadership and as well as contribute to the growth of The Carpentries.

Here’s what the role of Secretary in the Instructor Development Committee entails.

Communications Chair - Tobin Magle

Tobin Magle is a certified Instructor, and has been involved with The Carpentries since 2015. Tobin says:

This committee does a lot of great things, and I want to make sure that more people in The Carpentries community and beyond are aware of the opportunities we provide to become better instructors.

Here’s what the role of Communications Chair in the Instructor Development Committee entails.

Mentoring Chair - Marco Chiapello

Marco became a certified Carpentries instructor in 2016. Marco says:

The Carpentries [is] an amazing community of people [who] believe that we can do better! In scientific research, in data processing, in programming, in teaching… I am looking forward to contributing to the best top of my ability to the community developing.

Here’s what the role of Mentoring Chair in the Instructor Development Committee entails

Discussion Sessions Coordinator - Martin Dreyer

Martin is a certified Instructor, and has been involved with The Carpentries since 2016. He says:

I am interested in making the process easier for new Carpentries Instructors and to get the community to a better place where we can discuss real issues. The thing I am most exited about is to get new and wonderful Instructors so that we can grow The Carpentries.

Here’s what the role of Discussion Session Coordinator in the Instructor Development Committee entails.

You can find updates from the Instructor Development Committee in the Minutes folder of the Instructor Development GitHub repository and periodically on this blog.