Rachael Pitts Hall
(they/them)
Areas of Research
Engineering EducationBiography
Dr. Rachael Pitts Hall is the Director of Faculty and Student Training in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University. Trained as a chemist, they bring disciplinary expertise in the physical sciences alongside a strong focus on science education, professional development, and inclusive teaching practices. They lead and teach required professional development courses for undergraduate and graduate students and coordinate departmental initiatives focused on mentoring, curricular innovation, and evidence-based teaching. Their work emphasizes story-driven learning, reflective practice, and building supportive learning environments in engineering.
Education
- PhD in Chemistry, 2019, North Carolina State University
- MS in Chemistry, 2014, Middle Tennessee State University
- BS in Chemistry, 2011, Middle Tennessee State University
Research Interests
Dr. Rachael Pitts Hall’s scholarly work sits at the intersection of engineering education, professional identity development, and inclusive teaching and mentoring practices in biomedical engineering. Their work focuses on how story-driven and reflective pedagogies can support students’ sense of belonging, agency, and professional confidence, particularly during key transitions such as entering the major, teaching for the first time, and preparing for post-graduate careers.
Their interests include:
- Story-driven learning and narrative as tools for professional identity formation
- Inclusive teaching, mentoring, and TA professional development
- Psychological safety, belonging, and classroom culture in STEM learning environments
- Program-level design and assessment of professional development curricula
Dr. Hall’s work is practice-informed and design-oriented, emphasizing curricular innovation, faculty development, and evidence-based improvement of learning environments. While they collaborate closely with faculty, staff, and students on educational initiatives, they do not supervise graduate research students. Their contributions are primarily focused on teaching, program leadership, and scholarship related to engineering education and professional development.
Teaching Interests
Their teaching interests include:
Professional development and career preparation in engineering
Story-driven and reflective learning in technical and professional contexts
Inclusive, student-centered pedagogy and psychological safety in the classroom
Teaching and mentoring development for graduate teaching assistants and faculty members
Teaming, communication, and feedback skills for engineers
Across courses and programs, Dr. Hall emphasizes process over performance, iterative learning, and asset-based approaches that recognize students’ diverse experiences and strengths. Their teaching is grounded in evidence-based practices and is closely connected to program-level curriculum design and continuous improvement.
