Eric Belt, MA, is a senior instructional designer at the faculty center for teaching and learning at the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) as well as an educational technology doctoral candidate at Boise State University. His research interests are in communication, interaction, and social presence in online courses. He holds an MA in distance education and e-learning from the University of Maryland University College and a BS in business administration from Towson University. Before joining UMB, Belt was the director of learning technology at the College of Southern Maryland and, formerly, the assistant director of e-learning at Howard Community College. Belt has served as adjunct faculty and an instructional designer both virtually and on-campus for various community colleges across the United States. He brings a passion for advancing the scholarship of teaching and learning through course design, instructional communication, and faculty professional development to the center.