Industry News Round-Up Week of 6/16/25

Stay updated on the latest news, advancements, and changes that are shaping the textbook and academic authoring industry with our bi-weekly Industry News Round-Up. Have an item to share? Email Sierra.Pawlak@TAAonline.net.


Research Grants Increasingly Require Compliance With Trump’s Orders. Here’s How Colleges Are Responding. (June 17, 2025)
Funding for Hispanic-Serving Institutions Is Discriminatory and Unconstitutional, Lawsuit Argues (June 11, 2025)

2025 TAA Virtual Conference Bookstore Featured Book: ‘Online Teaching at its Best’

Online Teaching at Its Best: Merging Instructional Design with Teaching and Learning Research, 2nd Edition, by Linda B. Nilson & Ludwika A. Goodson, shows that distance is no barrier to a great education! It guides faculty on how to build an online class by using research-based strategies for course design, teaching, student motivation, active learning, scripting and recording micro-lectures, and interactive conferencing.

Purchase in the 2025 TAA Conference Bookstore

Dear Dr. Noelle: Does Your Chair Look Like an Adolescent to You?

By Dr. Noelle Sterne

Q: My chair is so young! How do I cope?

 — Feeling Ancient

A: An older “nontraditional” student, Marlene had returned for her doctorate after three of her four kids were grown and on their own. She held down a full-time job in medical billing, her youngest was now in high school, and her husband still looked forward to her dinners. So Marlene embarked on a lifelong dream—with her husband’s encouragement and promise to do some of the cooking, she enrolled in a doctoral program. She was extremely bright, and we were working together on her Proposal.

New Industry Professional Added to TAA Professional Directory

As a developmental editor, Karen C. Turner of TurnKey Content has worked on content development and creation in academic textbooks for more than 20 years. As a freelancer she has expanded from textbook editing and project management into editing digital question banks and ghostwriting.

“My degree in biology gives me an edge in my areas of content expertise, including anatomy/physiology, pathophysiology, nursing informatics, and USMLE-style questions,” she said. “I have a proven track record of managing large, complex products while maintaining a high level of quality. I have particular skill with high-level art programs, helping unite art with narrative in a cohesive and consistent way.”

2025 TAA Virtual Conference: A Resounding Success

We’re thrilled to share that the 2025 TAA Conference on Textbook & Academic Authoring was a tremendous success — and it’s all thanks to our incredible attendees, speakers, sponsors, and staff who made this event truly special.

Held virtually June 9-10, this year’s conference brought together textbook and academic authors from across the country for two days of learning, connection, and inspiration. With 147 participants and a lineup of close to two dozen expert-led sessions, the event offered something valuable for every stage of the author journey — from first-time writers to seasoned scholars.

2025 TAA Virtual Conference Bookstore Featured Book: ‘A Visual Analogy Guide to Human Anatomy & Physiology’

The fifth edition of A Visual Analogy Guide to Human Anatomy & Physiology (VAGAP), by Paul A. Krieger, uses visual analogies to assist students in learning the details of human anatomy and physiology. This new edition has been digitized to enhance learning by adding interactive self-quizzes, 3D anatomical models, videos, downloadable coloring pages, and auto-graded assessments.

Purchase in the 2025 TAA Conference Bookstore