Newman will use her background to assist her as she assumes her new position Jan. 1 as the associate vice provost for undergraduate education.
Her focus as the associate vice provost will be on undergraduate research, scholarships and engaged learning.
“One of the things that attracted me to the position is that as a scientist I have undergraduates in my lab all the time,” Newman said. “Those that get the opportunity to have that experience tend to all enjoy that experience.”
It is beneficial for students to be able to engage in material students have learned in an abstract form, and those at the Office of the Vice Provost of Undergraduate Education said they want all students to have these experiences, she added.
“One of the things we want to do here at IU is broaden that opportunity and give more students a chance to be involved in more hands-on learning,” Newman said.
However, not all hands-on experiences will be science-based, so part of what Newman will be trying to do is create new experiences for other departments.
Newman also said she will be working to expand all of the different undergraduate research programs and will work to make them more efficient than they are now.
“There’s not a lot of coordination across the different schools and across the different programs,” Newman said.
As far as reaching these goals, Newman said she has some ideas on where to start.
“I think in the beginning it’s going to be a lot of talking to people to get a sense of what the needs are and what the students want,” Newman said.
During a conversation with Dennis Groth, vice provost for undergraduate education, Newman discussed increasing undergraduate engaged learning and research as part of the strategic plan.
After they met, Groth offered Newman this position.
“I was surprised because it wasn’t something I was expecting, but I was excited about the opportunity,” Newman said.
She believes her work with high school students in a summer research program as well as in the lab at IU helped prepare her for this position.
“You see (students) sort of light up toward the middle or the end of the program,” Newman said. “I really enjoy seeing that transformation happen.”
Although OVPUE was already active in this arena, Groth said he thinks Sharlene will be able to bring new ideas to this important area for students.
“Sharlene has a great deal of experience working with undergraduate students in her lab and engaging them in research,” Groth said. “This is of immense importance to the campus, which established a strategic objective to enhance and increase undergraduate research.”
Groth said Sharlene will be able to lead new and innovative efforts to improve engaged learning opportunities for all students.
“I have complete confidence in Sharlene,” he said.
One of the things OVPUE will have to do in the beginning is show students the usefulness of engaged learning and the experience it gives students outside the classroom.
“I think it’s really about making engaged learning something that students think that is important and know is important for them to do,” Newman said. “Finding ways to get that message to students is important.”
