The Center for Faculty Development Podcast series known as “FACTALK” is back and better than ever. In 2021 we founded the series, but structural issues prevented vigorous development. Now, the CFD has partnered with the University Libraries and Dean Timothy Hackman to begin offering new episodes. Our newest episode is ready for your listening delight.

The idea behind FACTALK is to engage with faculty on their latest scholarship and give them a platform to talk about their work. We don’t want to focus only on stars in any field.  Rather we prefer to interview scholars at any stage of their careers doing innovative work. We intend to showcase research innovation within all ranks of the ODU teaching and research faculty. Our first episode, in fact, was a fascinating interview with Cassie Glenn, an assistant professor in the Department of Psychology.  

Episode 2 is out now and features our interview with Drew Lopenzina, professor of Early American Literature in the Department of English. Prof. Lopenzina carved out a career at ODU as an expert in Indigenous Studies, an emerging field within academia. In the podcast he discusses his academic trajectory and scholarship on William Apess, perhaps the most important Native American writer of the 19^th century. Prof. Lopenzina also relays how he came to Indigenous Studies, led an initiative to establish a historical marker honoring Apess in Massachusetts, developed ODU’s Land Recognition Statement, and so much more. To acknowledge his important scholarship in Indigenous Studies, last year the Modern Language Association Forum on Early American Literature awarded Prof. Lopenzina the Richard Beale Davis Prize for one of his latest publications on Apess.

We hope you enjoy listening to the podcast as much as Dean Hackman and I enjoyed meeting with Prof. Lopenzina and hosting this episode. If you think you’d like to be interviewed for the series, please contact us at cfd@odu.edu.

The link for FacTalk is here: https://www.odu.edu/facultydevelopment/factalk