UMSI lecturer Elena Godin promoted to teaching professor

University of Michigan School of Information lecturer Elena Godin has been promoted to teaching professor. Faculty eligible for this title must have demonstrated excellence in teaching and contributed scholarly or creative work to their field, or have participated in curriculum development or activities and programs that help advance the mission of UMSI or the University of Michigan.

UMSI dean Andrea Forte says being awarded the title of teaching professor is “a great honor and recognizes expertise and excellence by career teaching faculty.”

Godin began her career at UMSI in 2008 as an intermittent lecturer. Since joining, she has taught courses in visual communication and graphic design, as well as interaction design. She is the recipient of a 2021 Excellence in Instruction Award. In her classrooms, Godin regularly implements a mix of theoretical and practical work, bringing real-world projects to all of the classes she teaches. 

For example, her class projects have focused on helping reduce childhood injuries and deaths through technology that prevents babies from accessing small batteries through a partnership with Michigan Engineering. Through her classes, her students have also partnered with medical professionals to address real challenges in surgical training, designing tools that improve communication, feedback and learning between residents and attending surgeons. 

Godin’s dedication to teaching excellence has been evident in her commitment to mentoring students and fostering a collaborative classroom environment across disciplines, encouraging students to think of how design can drive meaningful change in fields far beyond traditional technology. 

“The teaching professor title validates my efforts and is both an honor and a responsibility, elevating my standard for teaching and professional excellence,” Godin says. “I'm excited to explore new possibilities with my students to shape the future of design.”

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Learn more about Elena Godin, her classes and upcoming projects by visiting her UMSI faculty profile.