Professor named 2018-2019 SEC Academic Leadership Development Program Fellow

Scott Ardoin, a professor in the department of educational psychology and co-director of the Center for Autism and Behavioral Education Research (CABER), was one of only four UGA faculty members to be named a 2018-2019 SEC Academic Leadership Development Programs (ALDP) Fellow.

Created by the Southeastern Conference in 2008, the fellowship program seeks to identify, develop, prepare and advance academic leaders for roles within SEC institutions and beyond. The Fellows meet throughout the academic year with key administrators to explore the challenges in higher education and the best approaches to problem solving.

"My hope is that this fellowship helps to enhance my leadership and management skills," said Ardoin, who also serves as head of the department of educational psychology. "I especially hope that I can gain insight in how to promote quality teaching and research of junior faculty, so that they can reach their potential without an overwhelming amount of stress."

As a Fellow, Ardoin will engage with senior UGA administrators based on their areas of interest and attend two SEC-wide workshops throughout the year that include training, mentoring and the opportunity to network with counterparts from other SEC institutions.

Additionally, Ardoin looks forward to discussing what steps other administrators have taken to increase the visibility and stature of their centers. As co-director of CABER, he hopes to assist the center and its faculty in providing services to the community, training students and conducting and distributing quality research.

"I plan to learn from what others are doing to promote the success and satisfaction of faculty, so they continue to be productive across ranks," said Ardoin. "I especially hope that we discuss what administrators are doing to support female and minority faculty to heighten their level of job satisfaction to increase retention rates and their promotion across ranks."

Ardoin researches the application of applied behavior analysis within classroom settings to develop student behavioral interventions, academic skill interventions and assessment materials. Much of his current research uses eye-tracking procedures to observe the reading behaviors of students and how those behaviors are altered as a function of intervention.