English professor named Open SUNY Online Ambassador

Published March 5, 2020

Alex Reid, associate professor in the Department of English, College of Arts and Sciences, has been recognized as a 2020 Open SUNY Online Teaching Ambassador.

Ambassadors are “exemplary online SUNY educators, who are enthusiastic and effective in online teaching, and who can be positive and strong advocate for online teaching in our SUNY community,” according to the program’s website.

Reid is a coordinator of the Professional Writing and Digital Communication Graduate Certificate in the Department of English. The flexible program is designed for students who are interested in pursuing careers in technical, professional and digital communication, as well as students in other fields who want to further develop their communication skills.

“The demands placed upon technical and professional communicators are changing at a rapid pace, following the developments of social media, big data, artificial intelligence and related advancements,”  Reid says. “The aim of my work and our program is not only to prepare students for current challenges, but to provide them with the intellectual flexibility to succeed in a media environment that is sure to continue changing rapidly."

Reid’s research and teaching interests include digital media studies, rhetoric and composition, professional writing and game studies. He was nominated for the award by UB’s Educational Design Collaborative.

“As we examine our online teaching opportunities in the college, we recognize Alex’s impressive abilities in online instruction, and point to his skills and abilities as a standard in online education,” says JonJay Stockslader, director of online learning and continuing education in the College of Arts and Sciences. “He is an outstanding faculty member and part of the UB and the SUNY instructional communities.”

Reid received a certificate of recognition and a digital badge at a ceremony during the SUNY Online Summit, held last month in New York City on Feb. 26

For more information, visit the website for the Open SUNY Online Teaching Ambassadors program.