Two talented faculty members from Texas Tech's College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources have been selected as members of the 2021-2022 Institute for Inclusive Excellence Program.

In notifying Courtney Gibson, an associate professor within the Department of Agricultural Education & Communications, and Muntazar Monsur, an assistant professor within the Department of Landscape Architecture, of their selection Erika Brooks-Hurst, Tech's Administrator of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusive Teaching Initiatives, noted, “We truly appreciate your advocacy of diversity and equity at Texas Tech University.”

Launched in 2009, the institute provides faculty with an opportunity to promote a greater understanding of the academic value of diversity, as well as providing an opportunity for participants to consider best practices in the classroom and the university as a whole. 

Program officials note that participants will finish the institute with a richer understanding of the academic success that can be achieved through an institutional model of inclusive excellence. They'll also learn strategies and insights to better prepare Texas Tech students to be multiculturally competent and globally competitive. 

Gibson focuses her research on developing and enhancing student creativity, the impact and importance of visual communication and graphic design for agriculture, social media strategy, and risk and crisis communication. Her teaching centers on visual communication and graphic design. Her doctorate in agricultural communications and education is from Texas Tech. She joined the CASNR faculty in 2015.

Meanwhile, Monsur continues his teaching and research efforts to enhance the quality of children's lives by improving/modifying environments with special emphasis in schools, preschools, and childcare centers. The Bangladesh native leads the Landscape Architecture XR (Extended Reality) Lab, which is an advanced center for exploring effective applications of XR technologies for advancing landscape architecture education and research. His doctoral degree in design is from North Carolina State. He joined the CASNR faculty in 2019.

Last year's members of the Institute for Inclusive Excellence Cohort included Jason Headrick, an assistant professor, leadership & community development in the Department of Agricultural Education & Communication.

CONTACT: Cindy Akers, Interim Dean, College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Texas Tech University at (806) 742-2808 or cindy.akers@ttu.edu

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