Contact: Whitney Peterson

STARKVILLE, Miss.—A leading researcher in online learning environments and head of Mississippi State’s Department of Instructional Systems and Workforce Development is the incoming president of the flagship international research organization in his field.

Trey Martindale is the new leader of the Association for Educational Communications and Technology. Founded in 1921, it is the preeminent scholarly association for researchers in instructional design, a field that examines how people teach and learn effectively. AECT has more than 2,300 members from 28 countries around the world.

Martindale will be installed as president at this year’s annual convention in Kansas City, Missouri in October. In this role, he will set the agenda for the organization and execute the strategic plan, including research and funding initiatives, advocacy on U.S. governmental policy issues in education and advancement of the field of instructional design. He also will oversee the 21-member board of directors, which includes researchers from leading universities around the world.

“It has been an honor to serve for the last eight years on the AECT board, and this new office will bring new challenges in leading a dynamic and growing organization,” Martindale said. “AECT has been so beneficial for me professionally in terms of research and funding opportunities and meeting new colleagues in the field. I owe AECT a debt of gratitude and look forward to helping others connect with the engaged scholars and resources in our organization.”

Martindale was elected by the AECT membership and began serving this year as president-elect. He was instrumental in planning the group’s annual convention, which includes soliciting and reviewing research proposals that reflect and represent current research.

AECT is continually expanding, particularly in East Asia, with new affiliates in Thailand and Indonesia, along with long-standing affiliates in China, Taiwan and Korea. Africa, Europe and South America also are well-represented, and the organization is seeking to expand with new colleagues and potential affiliates in the Middle East.

Martindale recently traveled to Bahrain as an invited speaker at an innovation forum sponsored by the eight Arab Gulf countries in the region. There, he spoke about innovation in higher education, and specifically online learning environments. He also began discussions with colleagues for a potential Middle East AECT affiliate.

A professor for 20 years, Martindale joined MSU in 2017. He spent the previous 12 years at the University of Memphis. His career has centered on mentoring graduate students, teaching instructional technology, and developing online degree programs. At MSU, he has taken on additional roles, serving as an adviser for the Center for Teaching and Learning and leading university-wide accessibility compliance efforts for web-based courses.

“My family and I have so enjoyed getting connected here in Starkville and with the MSU family,” Martindale said. “MSU is a welcoming and friendly place, and I’ve been so impressed with the dedication of our faculty.”

For more on the College of Education and its instructional systems and workforce development department, visit www.educ.msstate.edu and www.iswd.msstate.edu.

MSU is Mississippi’s leading university, available online at www.msstate.edu.