Research Universities: very high research activity (RU/VH) faculty often emphasize research compared with teaching or service in their work. However, some faculty still intentionally endeavor to be excellent teachers by innovating pedagogy to enhance student learning. This qualitative study focused on developing a theory to describe the process that faculty employ to innovate pedagogy. Charmaz's grounded theory methodology provided framework to conduct this study of 9 participants from 8 different RU/VH institutions. Semi-structured interviews were conducted on each participant's campus in addition to follow-up interviews to verify results. The overarching theory is defined as "Reciprocal Engagement" that includes 2 categories to describe the innovative process--"Practice" and "Presence." First, Practice identifies the innovative process as 3 subcategories--"Cycle of Innovation," "Cycle of Feedback," and "Gradation of Innovation." Cycle of Innovation indicates a continuous development of pedagogical change resulting in a cumulative effect over years of teaching. Input from students through a Cycle of Feedback provides faculty with information to innovate. Faculty gauge learning through reading students' affect, evaluating their questions, and responding to faculty evaluations. Gradation of Innovation distinguishes degrees of innovation--adoption, modification, and creation. Second, Presence identifies 2 subcategories--"Knowing Self" and "Engaging Others"--as the motivation and force behind the Cycle of Innovation. Knowing Self suggests faculty who are self-aware of their characteristics and values such as vocation, intellectual curiosity, risk-taking, growth and development, and longitudinal knowing; they who are able to inform their innovation practices. Engaging Others describes the relationship faculty have with informal mentors and students. Faculty develop academic and social relationships with students to assess knowledge comprehension to enhance their learning. The findings suggest the importance for faculty to build on their pedagogical strategies and practices continuously throughout their academic career, develop growth mindset suggested in Dweck's research, augment training in emotional intelligence skills, and engage students both academically and socially to increase effectiveness in their teaching. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]