February 27, 2026
Dr. Pedersen currently serves as Associate Dean in the College of Arts & Sciences, focusing primarily on faculty affairs, and is Interim Chair of the Music Department at UND.
From Overload to Alignment: Managing Stress and Burnout in Higher Education (10:00 am to 11:30 am)
Though we occupy positions marked by significant privilege and autonomy, the work of being a professor is increasingly difficult – both for its unmanageable workload and the risk and uncertainty characterizing the world around us. Indicative of long-term stress, many faculty report burnout and emotional exhaustion. And our students are facing record levels of stress too. Pedersen’s research explores factors related to stress and burnout within higher education, how these experiences are related to our health, and evidence-based practices that can help foster work-life alignment and workplace well-being.
Lunch 11:30 am - 1:00 pm
Work-Life at Mid-Career: Finding Purpose and Crafting a Plan (1:00 pm to 3:00 pm)
As a mid-career faculty member, you occupy a distinctive and promising stage in your professional journey. With the pressures of tenure and promotion behind you, new opportunities and pathways open up for the next phase of your career. You may have greater latitude at this stage to envision your work and future professional path. In this workshop, we will explore how you are experiencing mid-career, reflect on possible directions for growth and leadership, and consider how to best align your strengths with future goals. We’ll conclude with practical strategies for optimizing your work time, incorporating rest and renewal, and supporting both your professional and personal well-being.
When: Friday, February 27 (All faculty work-life alignment presentation from 10:00 am to 11:30 am; lunch 11:30 am – 1:00 pm; lunch 11:30 am – 1:00 pm; mid-career faculty workshop 1:00 – 3:00)
Where: Paz Center
Who: Dr. Daphne Pedersen
Daphne Pedersen Bio Sketch:
Dr. Daphne E. Pedersen, Chester Fritz Distinguished Professor of Sociology at the University of North Dakota (UND), specializes in gender, the sociology of health, and how work and stress processes shape individual well-being - including among university students and faculty. She has published several articles about work-life and wellbeing, faculty stress and burnout, workplace climate, and workload equity. She served as the Co-Editor in Chief of The Social Science Journal from 2018-2023.
Registration deadline: February 24. To register, please fill out the form Daphne Pedersen's Work/Life Presentation and Mid-Career Workshop Registration – Fill out form
Further information
- Location: Paz Center
- Time: 10:00 am - 3:00 pm
- Cost: Free