EFSC Professional Development Council
The Professional Development Council (PDC) gives the faculty at Eastern Florida State College a voice in their professional development. The Council makes recommendations to the College President concerning teaching in a higher education institution and professional development opportunities.
This Council assigns faculty advancement credit to workshops and evaluates applications for the Professional Learning Activities Fund (PLAF) and the Distinguished Educator Award, plus reviews Professional Development Events proposal forms submitted by faculty through the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning. To submit a proposal, complete the Professional Development Events proposal form, located in the myEFSC Portal under Employee Applications.
The PDC oversees publication of Science2Practice, a new online peer-reviewed academic journal first published in November 2023.
The Council also coordinates the annual Neoteric Educational Research and Development Symposium (NERDS). This exciting event provides an opportunity to collaborate with peers and share novel practices in digital pedagogy. Poster Session archives are available from the Fall 2023 and Spring 2025 NERDS by contacting Dr. Katina Gothard, PDC Chair, at gothardk@easternflorida.edu or 321-433-5223.
| Name | Term (Fall-Spring) | Campus | Discipline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dr. Hannah Bevan | 2026-2029 | Cocoa | Biological Sciences |
| Karen Cuda | 2026-2029 | Melbourne | Communications |
| Dr. Gabriel Dinca | 2024-2027 | Cocoa | Physics |
| Robert Draper | 2026-2029 | Palm Bay | Mathematics |
| Dawn Facciolo | 2025-2028 | Palm Bay | Mathematics |
| Dr. Katina Gothard (Vice Chairperson) |
2025-2028 | Melbourne | Mathematics |
| Thomas Highsmith | 2026-2029 | Cocoa | Career & Technical Education |
| Dr. John Newby | 2023-2026 | Melbourne | Biological Sciences |
| Dr. Beverly Payne | 2026-2029 | Cocoa | Computer Applications |
| Slav Peytchev | 2025-2028 | Melbourne | Chemistry/Environmental Science |
| Marian Smith | 2026-2029 | Melbourne | Library Science |
| Lynn Spencer | 2025-2028 | Melbourne | Humanities |
| Dr. Susan Styron (Chairperson) | 2026-2029 | Melbourne | Science |
Professional Development Council meetings are held on EFSC's Melbourne Campus, Building 7, Room 309 or online via Microsoft Teams. All meetings are open to the public except the one marked "closed."
2026-2027 PDC Meeting Schedule
Friday, August 28, 2026: 9:15am - 12:15pm (Melbourne, Bldg. 7, Rm. 212)
Friday, September 25, 2026: 8:00am - 11:00am (MS Teams)
Friday, October 23, 2026: 8:00am - 11:00am (MS Teams)
Friday, December 4, 2026: 8:00am - 11:00am (MS Teams)
Friday, January 22, 2027: 8:00am - 11:00am (MS Teams)
Friday, February 26, 2027: 8:00am - 11:00am (MS Teams)
Friday, April 2, 2027: 8:00am - 11:00am (MS Teams)
Friday, April 30, 2027: 9:15am - 12:15pm (Melbourne, Bldg. 7, Rm. 212 - CLOSED)