In Bring Your Brain to Work, Art Markman shares what you need to know to succeed at work. He highlights research from cognitive science that supports strategies to help readers get a job, to succeed at that job once they get it, and to best enhance their career by getting the next job. You’ve probably heard […]
Human Dimensions of Organizations
Can We Talk?: Why Discourse is Dying in America
I’ll have to admit that I was a bit perplexed when I heard linguistic anthropologist Elizabeth Keating say, “There is a very strong preference for agreement in conversation in the U.S.” I couldn’t believe my ears — even the Pew Research Center pegged political polarization as the defining feature of modern U.S. politics. And it’s […]
We Need to Protect Ourselves From Our Phones
When it comes to cellphones, we are no better than trained rats in a box. Just the other day, I was stuck behind a driver playing with a cellphone while driving. I have gotten used to assuming that everyone doing something silly on the road is driving while distracted. In Austin, San Antonio and several […]
Liberal Arts Matter in a STEM World
Isaac Barchasis the director of the Austin Technology Incubator, which helps early-stage technology companies to develop in order to get an initial round of funding from investors. From that perch, you might imagine that he sees science, technology, engineering and mathematics (the STEM disciplines) as the core of economic growth in Austin. And, to be […]
Liberal Arts at Work
Nine Ways to Rev Up Your Career Whether you’ve landed your dream job or find yourself repeatedly pushing the snooze button each morning dreading the workday, a liberal arts education may help you forge a better career path and create an environment for innovation and productivity. If you’re like most employed Americans, you will spend […]
Getting to Topsight in your Organization
Organizations almost never work the way they’re supposed to. And that’s often a good thing. Let me explain. As a professor of rhetoric and writing, I research how people circulate information in workplaces. That involves going into an organization, watching people work, interviewing them about their jobs, and looking at the tools and texts that […]
UTeach-Liberal Arts Goes Global
Applying top teacher-training principles into different cultural frameworks Inspiring. Knowledgeable. Passionate. These descriptions often tumble forth when people are asked to recall their favorite teacher. Good teachers help students pass tests, but great teachers spark critical thinking, bring subjects to life and encourage students to pursue their passions. Since 2001, The University of Texas at […]
Research Briefs: Fall 2011
The Right to Raise To increase volunteerism and donations, organizations should phrase requests differently to motivate people who already care about the cause, according to research from psychologist Marlone Henderson. For example, if the person already cares about the cause, the request should emphasize how much money is still needed (“We still need $50,000 to […]