The Organizational Scientist: Faculty Spotlight

Showing posts with label Faculty Spotlight. Show all posts

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Faculty Spotlight: Dr. Eric Heggestad

by Logan Justice

What is your current job role at UNC Charlotte?

Director, I/O Psychology Masters Program Associate Professor of Psychology Associate Professor of Organizational Science.

Tell me a bit about yourself before you became a professor.

In graduate school I received a fellowship from the Air Force to finish my degree. Upon completion of my degree I went to work at the Air Force Research Laboratory in San Antonio, TX. The funding for the lab was cut 7 months after I began, and I was out of a job. Luckily, I found a job at a consulting firm in Washington, DC. I really enjoyed that work and stayed there for two years. But, eventually I wanted to get back into research and I was lucky enough to be offered a position at Colorado State University. I stayed there for 5 years. Then came the opportunity to come to UNCC and be part of a new PhD program. What a cool opportunity – who could have passed that up? This is my 6th academic year here.

Why did you decide to become a professor?

It was something that knew I wanted to do since grad school. I looked at the opportunity to work for the Air Force Research Lab as a kind of post-doctoral position. It was a place I could go and do a lot of research and write lots of papers. I really thought that this would help me get a great academic position. I have always enjoyed the research aspect of my job.

What advice do you have for graduate students on how to get the most out of graduate school (to succeed in graduate school)?

Maintain a good balance between student life and personal life. I remember while in Grad School it was easy to become immersed in student life with all of the reading, paper writing, and research expectations and to forget that a personal life existed as well. Remember to exercise and take time for fun and build relationships.

What do you most like about being part of the OS program?

The students are fantastic! I am impressed every day by the quality of students we have in the program. It was my expectation starting a new PhD program that we might have to build a reputation and that it might take a while to attract quality students. However, we have had fantastic students from the day one. They provide energy and are so inspiring. They keep me on my toes. I love the interdisciplinary aspects of the program. As I have become familiar with the other disciplines in the program, talked with others and begin to connect, I feel like I’m learning so much which is really cool. I love the fact we can approach problems from so many different angles and different ways. When we bring all of the disciplines together it becomes really powerful.

What is the coolest project that you are currently working on?

I’m beginning some analysis for research I’m working on with Dr. Rogelberg. We are looking at how relationships between the variables being studied can be influenced by who does and who doesn’t participate in a survey. We know what non-response does to the mean level of the variables but so much about what it does to the relationship between them. I’m working on a project with a faculty member from Ohio State University. We are looking at how to reduce self presentation bias or faking on a personality test. We are looking at a strategy asking people to re-take the test if we believed they faked or cheated the first time. Adrian, one of my graduate students, and I are thinking about some changes to how assessments centers are implemented and scored. I am excited about this idea. Dr. Shanock and I have applied for a grant with the Army. The proposal examines issues of leadership; specifically how the degree of similarity in a leaders’ self perceptions and the perceptions of his or her followers impacts leadership outcomes.

Monday, December 13, 2010

Faculty Spotlight: Dr. Shawn Long

by Logan Justice and Daniel Bonilla

In this issue Dr. Shawn Long, Chair for the Department of Communication Studies, is in the faculty spotlight.

What is your current job role at UNC Charlotte?

I am the Chair for the Department of Communication Studies and I am an Associate Professor in Organizational Communication.

Tell me a bit about yourself before you became a professor.

I grew up in Harlan KY, a small rural community in Southeastern Kentucky, TN State - UG & Master in Public Administration.

Why did you decide to become a professor?

While attending TN State as a grad assistant in the Honors Program, I was asked to substitute for a professor who was traveling to a conference. I was charged with creating an entire session for that particular course, Intercultural Communication. It was this experience where I “caught the teaching bug” and decided that I enjoyed the art and practice of teaching.

What advice do you have for graduate students on how to get the most out of graduate school (to succeed in graduate school)?

1. Take advantage of courses that centrally interests them as well as courses that will provide them with skills that are transferrable beyond their matriculation.

2. Be a part of any grant projects, if possible, to understand the nuances of grant work. This is quite valuable in that you may be expected to fund your research.

3. Continue or start reading trade publications and newspapers about issues organizations are currently struggling with. Avoid the ivory tower mind set by engaging in problems and circumstances facing organizations on a daily basis.

4. Be nimble and open in understanding organizational issues. This is where the interdisciplinary training will really come in hand.

What do you most like about being part of the OS program?

Exciting Leadership – Steven Rogelberg has done a phenomenal job at molding the program into what is becoming not just a local but, a national player in many regards. His excitement is contagious.

The outstanding and authentically dedicated faculty working in OS. I really enjoy hanging out with them interpersonally and we get to discuss neat and interesting projects as a by-product of our continuous engagement.

The students- We have some of the best graduate students around. I have found “their level of maturity extraordinary and they care deeply about this program.” Although the program is extremely competitive to get into and requires an extreme amount of focus and dedication, OS is such a highly humane graduate program for students and faculty.

The concern faculty have in student success makes the program such a benchmark. OS is a good academic neighbor and academic citizen. Additionally, the research OS Faculty are fascinating, contemporary and just cool.

What is the coolest project that you are currently working on?

I am very excited about my scholarship on virtual work. I just published a book on communication, relationships and practices in virtual work and recently received a contract for my next book on virtual work research methodologies. Finally, I am super excited about my continuous work with OS students, particularly with Sharon Doerer on examining diversity communication on corporate websites.

Thursday, January 28, 2010

Faculty Spotlight: Dr. Cliff Scott

by Daniel Bonilla

It was 2000, and Cliff Scott was in Miami checking the voicemail on his company-provided phone just before he boarded an airplane bound for Chicago. The phone wasn’t the only perk. He was flying business class and enjoying another recent pay raise. He drove to the airport in his company-provided car paying for the gas with his company-provided expense account. Life was good for him as a manager at a national tile and flooring company.

Then the plane landed in Chicago. “When I got off the plane, I had 45 new messages about work,” said Dr. Scott. ”I realized that all of these messages were about something I didn’t care about.” He soon tendered his resignation and focused on what he really found interesting, his graduate studies at Northern Illinois University. He had transferred from DePaul University to study communication and earn his master’s degree. Tile and flooring were just not as interesting, no matter the perks.

After receiving his master’s degree, Dr. Scott was accepted to the doctoral program in human communication at Arizona State University. There he worked relentlessly—studying for classes, conducting research, teaching three classes, and directing the department’s internship program. After completing his studies in 2005, he came to UNC Charlotte as a faculty member in the Communication Studies department. In the fall of 2006, Dr. Scott worked with and taught the very first cohort of Organizational Science doctoral students. “The Organizational Science program is the most rewarding part of my job” he said.

According to Dr. Scott, he was a “full blown speech dork” and attended Bradley University as an undergraduate on a speech scholarship. He started studying political science but eventually moved to communication. “Communication just seemed a lot more relevant to what I was learning about.” It wasn’t until his dissertation work at Arizona State that Dr. Scott became interested in risk communication and hazard sensemaking, his current research interests.

Facts about Cliff Scott:

He used to have a fully stocked snack drawer with Little Debbie’s, Zebra Cakes, and Nutty Bars. “I was deprived of individually wrapped snacks as a child.” he said.
His wife, Jill Dineen, is the lead singer of a local blues band.
He and Jill have two dogs, Ben and Molly, and a cat named Grace.
His great aunt and uncle were missionaries in Africa when he was growing up. He spent four and half months in Nigeria with them when he was in the 8th grade.
His father was a professor.
He does minor car repair and used to flip cars for money on Ebay.
He has always loved politics. “I watched the news at 6 a.m. when I was in grade school.”
He loves to drink dirty martinis.

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Faculty Spotlight: Dr. Lisa Rashotte

by Marisa Adelman

To misinformed outsiders, professors may sometimes seem about as well-rounded as a cardboard box. Well, they haven’t met Dr. Lisa Rashotte. With an eclectic background and interests—including undergraduate degrees in sociology and classical civilizations, professional experiences in the non-profit sector, and personal experiences as a wife, mother, and doula—she is truly an interdisciplinary scholar who lives up to that title.

Rashotte started her educational career at Florida State University, where she majored in sociology and classical civilizations and minored in psychology and communication. When she wasn’t in classes, Rashotte worked full time for a non-profit foundation that raised funds to build and staff affordable, co-op-style student housing for students in need. Four to five hours of sleep per night were the norm, she recalled, while pursuing these interests and goals. Regardless, Rashotte still managed to complete her undergraduate degrees in only four years.

The University of Arizona was Rashotte’s next home, where she pursued her Ph.D. in sociology. The study of sociology complemented her interest in social psychology while addressing the way in which societal and organizational structures constrain human action and behavior. Compared to the rigorous undergraduate schedule she maintained, graduate school seemed a breeze. This was particularly true after she received a prestigious National Science Foundation fellowship, which provided funding and flexibility (including opportunities to minor in anthropology and volunteer with Habitat for Humanity) during her second, third, and fourth years of graduate school.

From early in her graduate career, Rashotte’s advisor, Dr. Lynn Smith-Lovin, treated her as a colleague. “She trusted me to be in charge of research projects, sending the message that I was capable of being an equal in the research process,” Rashotte said. This gave her confidence in her research and teaching abilities, and prepared her for some “particularly traumatic” hounding by one of her committee members during her final oral examination.

Like most graduate students, Rashotte faced challenges in graduate school. But she found a fundamental enjoyment in being part of the scientific enterprise and found herself attracted to “the core idea of building knowledge.” Her favorite part of the research process was—and continues to be—the design of a study. “There’s an elegance to it,” she said. Revising manuscripts, on the other hand, is by far her least favorite part.

Rashotte only applied to academic jobs out of graduate school, and her first interview was with UNC Charlotte’s sociology department. “The department seemed non-political and collegial,” Rashotte said. “The interview really gave me the sense that this would be a good place to work; plus, they were building a group-processes lab.” So within just a few days, she cancelled her remaining interviews and accepted the job.

UNC Charlotte turned out to be a great home for Rashotte. She has excelled in her teaching and research, and she’s currently serving as the chair of the Sociology Department. Given her interdisciplinary background and interests, Rashotte’s association with the Organizational Science program was a natural fit. Her current research examines social interaction in groups and teams in a variety of ways. Specifically, Rashotte said, “I am interested in how people use various kinds of information—for example, personal characteristics—to decide who is competent, which leads to future influence.” Next on her agenda is investigating the role that nonverbal behaviors play in this process.

Rashotte is also passionate about teaching. She continually seeks to bring sociology to life in the classroom and to fascinate undergraduate and graduate students alike with social-psychological experiments. “I see myself like a gardener,” Rashotte said, “trying to encourage others to learn and grow—giving them the start on a long process of learning.”

Additionally, Rashotte spends time cultivating learning and growth at home with her husband and her 12-year-old son, Tucker—for whom social psychological lessons are a part of everyday life (whether he is aware of them or not). She also serves as a doula, a role that she describes as “an assistant, coach, and mother’s advocate during the birthing process.” She’s a voracious reader, making her way through about one novel per week on top of her academic reading, and enjoys watching television and working out.

With a hectic schedule and many competing roles, Rashotte finds inspiration in her desire to make the world a better place. “This is awfully Hallmark,” she said, “but I feel a need to understand the social world simply because so many people in so many situations are not being allowed to make things better.” Her message to those of us studying organizations? Bettering people and making money are not opposites. On the contrary, “places could make more money if they paid attention to good ideas instead of ideas that come from someone who looks like they should have good ideas.” For Rashotte, a woman whose ideas have greatly influenced the interdisciplinary landscape, the call to simultaneously better people and organizations is one that she hopes will resonate in the ears of interdisciplinary scholars and practitioners alike.

Favorite Novels: Cabinet of Curiosities by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child; anything by Dennis Lehane
Favorite TV Shows: Law and Order: Criminal Intent, Gray’s Anatomy, Survivor, and, as much as she hates to admit it, Big Brother
Favorite Sayings: “Into each life some rain must fall” – something her father used to say to her, and now she says to her son Tucker. She also enjoys many fun quotes and sayings, and starts every Introduction to Sociology class with one. For example, “if the English language made any sense, then lackadaisical would have to do with a shortage of flowers.”
Surprising Fact: She has a tattoo of the moon, stars, and clouds on her hip, which she designed herself during her time in Tucson, Ariz.
Superpower: Flying! She dreams of flying all the time.
Advice for those starting their research career: “Always be on the lookout for interesting questions.”

Read more...