Demers Appointment
02.17.2009
LONGMEADOW, Mass.—David M. Demers, PhD, of Burlington, CT, has recently been appointed Vice President for Academic and Administrative Technology at Bay Path College. In this role, he will oversee Bay Path’s Information Technology Services Department, supporting all three Bay Path campuses—Longmeadow, Burlington, and Central Massachusetts (Sturbridge/Charlton, MA). As Vice President for Academic and Administrative Technology, Dr. Demers will take the lead in implementing innovative technology systems, enabling Bay Path students, faculty, and staff to remain familiar with current technology and best practices.
“David brings with him a unique combination of experience in instructional technology, academics, and information systems, and we are very fortunate that David’s expertise so closely matches the future initiatives of the College,” said Bay Path President Carol A. Leary.
A graduate of the University of California at Riverside, Demers received his doctoral degree in cell and molecular biology. As an assistant professor of biology at Springfield Technical Community College (STCC) in the mid-1990s, Demers began experimenting with computer-aided instruction as a tool to enhance student learning, including the development of multimedia and Web-based instructional modules. “Utilizing instructional technology in the classroom produced instant results. As a researcher, it was immensely satisfying to be able to develop a new instructional module, use it in the classroom, and obtain student feedback all in the course of a day,” said Demers. “I witnessed the positive impact instructional technology had on student-learning and was immediately hooked.”
Demers continued to teach at STCC, while he shifted his focus to a career in instructional technology by participating in the establishment of STCC’s distance learning program as well as the University of Massachusetts—National Science Foundation Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Teacher Education Collaborative (STEMTEC) program. Following his tenure at STCC, Demers stepped into the director role for the University of Hartford Faculty Center for Learning Development. There, he taught faculty how to create innovative multimedia educational applications through a new professional development curriculum and introduced the school’s first course management system.
Demers continued his instructional technology career at the University of Connecticut Health Center and most recently, Sacred Heart University, where he served as the Director of Instructional Technology and Online Learning. As director, his duties included training faculty in effective instructional technology and online learning practices, collaborating with faculty and departments on the development of innovative teaching applications, managing the Digital Learning initiative, and hosting a variety of technology-based programs and workshops. Demers also helped secure funding from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to develop a Web-accessible wildlife tracking database.
“I am delighted to bring my skill set and expertise in learning and information technologies to Bay Path College as it continues to grow,” said Demers. “I am passionate about education, and this is a wonderful opportunity to build an IT infrastructure that promotes innovation in the utilization of technology at all levels, and to help establish a customer-focused support organization which aims to empower the Bay Path community through the use of technology.”
