Territa Upchurch-Poole
Associate Professor of Psychology and Director of the Lakso Center for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL), Juniata College
Territa Upchurch-Poole, Ph.D., HS-BCP, is an Associate Professor of Psychology and Director of the Lakso Center for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) at Juniata College. Trained as an educational psychologist and learning scientist, she studies how individuals and institutions learn, adapt, and thrive in complex educational environments. Her work spans cognition, motivation, human development, student success, and organizational change.
Dr. Poole directs Project CAUSE, a longitudinal study of underrepresented students' experiences in higher education, and leads initiatives focused on educational equity, student flourishing, and evidence-informed institutional improvement. Her interdisciplinary collaborations include STEM education research and co-directing Juniata's NEH-supported Rural Experience academic minor. Her current scholarship examines academic méconnaissance and the impact of AI-mediated learning environments on human judgment, agency, and epistemic responsibility.
A recipient of the Henry and Joan Gibbel Distinguished Teaching Award, Dr. Poole serves as Director of SoTL, co-chairs Juniata's AI Steering Committee, and co-led the College's participation in the 2025-2026 AAC&U IAIPC. She works with faculty, academic leaders, and institutions to develop approaches to teaching, learning, and innovation that promote both excellence and human flourishing.
Areas of Expertise
- Learning Sciences and Human Development
- Holistic Faculty Development
- AI, Pedagogy, and Educational Innovation
- Institutional Transformation and Organizational Learning
- Student Belonging and Educational Equity