Faculty development is a caring profession and our roles as faculty developers are changing in the face of a global coronavirus pandemic. We are deeply committed to fostering environments where faculty thrive and thus, in learning what faculty need to sustain their work. We all have thoughts and concerns about this sustained engagement with loss — a raging pandemic, balancing life and livelihood, civil unrest, economic instability, increased emotional labor, isolation, caring for others, new teaching delivery methods for some, and more. Thankfully, there may be some light at the end of this long tunnel.

As requested during the FRN National Symposium, we will begin to host a monthly braintrust for faculty developers and others to connect, listen, and support each other through this unprecedented and uncertain time. These sessions will offer an opportunity for crowd-sourcing and community-building by engaging in the act of deep listening as we share practices in our roles as well as thoughts and feelings about our roles. The session is designed to allow the work to emerge from participants who are present in the space. The facilitated circle practice uses a three-prompt protocol in which each participant takes one turn (or passes) to respond to a prompt and to listen closely to others.

Moving forward, we will have a faculty well-being brain trust the second Friday of every month at noon EST provided there is continued interest and participation.

As a lead, you will set the sub-topic of faculty well-being, the session's agenda, and facilitate engagement for the hour with Zoom support from the FRN. A lead has the unique opportunity to learn and grow, while supporting their FRN peers. The FRN Faculty Well-Being Brain Trust, spearheaded by Dr. Rosalie Richards, is a member-only benefit and community-led opportunity to engage, get support, and build network connections on specific sub topics of faculty well-being. Each brain trust or circle will be led by a peer colleague on a select sub-topic of faculty well-being to provide leadership and guidance for participants to collaborate and share best practices.

There is no compensation for leading. It is voluntary.

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis provided there is continued interest and participation in the FRN Faculty Well-Being Brain Trust.