Say Hello to Caitlin Duffy, PhD, Senior Instructional Designer, Office of Science Education!
Tell us a little about yourself...elevator pitch style!
I'm an instructional designer and educator with ten years of experience leading faculty trainings and developing learning materials for courses, departments, and universities. I worked as an instructional designer with a focus on edtech at the Manhattan School of Music and New York Institute of Technology. I worked as an adjunct professor and earned my PhD in English Literature from Stony Brook University. Before my time as a doctoral student, I taught at a public high school in Queens. I'm passionate about student engagement, educational technology, and increasing accessibility throughout the learning process.
Fun Fact Unique To You
My dissertation focused on the political role played by gothic literature in 19th-century America, and how writers like Edgar Allan Poe, Louisa May Alcott, Charles Chesnutt, and Nathaniel Hawthorne used the gothic to grapple with questions of defining American identity while the country was still nascent.
Favorite TV Show/Movie/Book
Lost / The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974) / Anything by Stephen King, Grady Hendrix, and Caroline Kepnes (cheating, I know, but it's hard to pick!)
Tell Us Your Favorite Hobbies or a To-Do on Your Bucket List
In my free time, I am a horror writer. I started writing fiction and submitting to professional outlets in 2022. I only have one short story published so far, but I'm working to get more of my stories out there soon! My goal for 2024 is to write my first novel. My other hobbies include reading, watching movies, and playing Dungeons & Dragons.
What brought you to the Zucker School of Medicine and the world of higher education?
I was already in the world of higher education prior to joining the Zucker School of Medicine; however, what brought me here was the amazing opportunity afforded by the senior instructional design position to work closely with faculty members to support student learning. Additionally, my academic background is in the humanities, so I'm very excited to be here at the Zucker School of Medicine--I'm sure I'm going to learn a lot!