Mary Marr joined the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in April 2014 as a Senior Instructional Developer and she is also an adjunct faculty member in the School of Education. Within the Walker Center for Teaching and Learning her primary role is supporting faculty in fulfilling UTC's mission of excellence in instruction. 

Mary enjoys working with faculty on specific areas of interest, including using technology to enhance student engagement with content. She is involved with faculty across campus, from New Faculty and Adjunct Faculty Orientation, SGID sessions, and one-on-one teaching consultations. She is interested in empathic teaching and deeper learning.

Hello, and welcome to the podcast! I’m Heather Thach, a Ph.D. candidate in Information Science and Learning Technologies at the University of Missouri, where I also completed a Graduate Certificate in User Experience and Usability. I earned my M.Ed. in Learning, Design, and Technology from the University of Georgia in 2019.

My research focuses on executive function and self-regulation in academic contexts, particularly among neurodivergent learners. I examine how cognitive load, task demands, and motivation shape learners’ strategies and decisions, especially when interacting with emerging technologies like generative AI.​ Grounded in cognitive psychology, I view technology as a form of cognitive scaffolding that can either support or hinder regulation depending on its design and use. My work integrates executive function, cognitive load, and motivation theories to inform more inclusive and accessible learning environments.

Nick joined the Walker Center as a videography intern in early 2023 before graduating summa cum laude from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga with a B.S. in Communication. After being hired as a full-time Digital Media Specialist, he has worked as an in-house producer and editor for digital content as well as a collaborator for faculty and staff producing their own content. Nick has also worked as a videographer for the Barking Legs Theater and Obvious Dad Theater Company, a photographer for the Chattanooga Roller Derby league, and the director of two independent short films.