Owl Have You Know

Retail executive Ramon Marquez can point to virtually every store in a shopping mall and explain how he helped that brand grow. With a passion for retail dating back to his childhood, he's built a career as a leader in merchandising, product management and retail operations for major retailers like JCPenney, Abercrombie & Fitch, Old Navy, and is now shaping the future of Kmart and Sears. As a newly minted MBA graduate, Ramon gained not only a degree from Rice, but also a meaningful board appointment with Panama-based company, Effluz. After working with Effluz on his Global Field Experience, Ramon remained close with the company, which was founded by Taylin Luzcando and specializes in premature baby clothing and accessories. Ramon and Taylin join co-host Brian Jackson '21 to chat about Ramon's career journey from his grandfather's general store in Mexico to the C-suite of some of the biggest global retailers, as well as why he decided to pursue an MBA at Rice and how he's made an impact at Effluz. Founder Taylin also shares the personal origins of Effluz and why entrepreneurs should jump at the chance to partner with Rice's Global Field Experience program. Episode Guide:01:41 Ramon's Early Career and Rise in Retail06:05 Leadership and Adaptability in Retail07:41 Pursuing an MBA at Rice Business10:52 Joining the Board of a Panamanian Startup13:34 Insights on Retail and Future Plans21:03 Personal Life and Community Involvement26:10 Meet Taylin Luzcando, founder of Effluz31:11 Taylin's Experience with Rice's Global Field Experience ProgramOwl Have You Know is a production of Rice Business and is produced by University FM.Episode Quotes:How one class changed Ramon's path19:14: [Ramon Marquez] Towards the end of the MBA... and one of the very last classes I took was Life of Meaning. It's an entrepreneurship lab. And what that class does is that it takes a look at where you want to be and how you fill the gap. And we did a lot of frameworks that helped me map out what is next. So, there were a lot of great things that came out of it. One was that I really didn't have a plan in writing or a roadmap to where I want to land. In the class, part of the frameworks will get you back to, like, what are you passionate about? What is it that you wanted to do when you were a kid? What are the things that you don't want to be left undone? And it helped me realize that, you know, there's an entrepreneurial side of me that I have never explored.Why Ramon says passion for your job matter14:37: [Ramon Marquez] I encourage everyone, whatever you do, position yourself in a place where you love it, that you're so intrigued and so inquisitive and so passionate. And a lot of people come to me and say, you know, “How do you get your job?” And I say, “Well, you have to be interested and passionate about retail. If you're not, don't get my job, because then it's too much pressure. It's too hectic. It's too fast. It's too vulnerable. It's too difficult right now. Retail is really difficult.” But if you think about the fact that, you know, merchants have been around for thousands of years and commerce has existed from the beginning of time, retail's not going to go away. It's just the way that we will get to know what it's like. And for that, I don't have the answer, in case you were wondering.Show Links: TranscriptGuest Profiles:Ramon Marquez | LinkedInTaylin Luzcando | LinkedInEffluz

Despite entering college as a pre-med major, Corey Layne Crouch '13 found her calling in the classroom after working as a teacher's aide for a kindergarten class. Switching majors, she set out on a path to transform the education system from within. Corey's entrepreneurial mindset in her work as a high school English teacher and school principal led her to Rice's Professional MBA program. Now, she's the chief program officer for AI for Education — an organization providing AI literacy training to educators and championing responsible use of AI in the education ecosystem. In this episode, Corey joins host Maya Pomroy '22 to chat about her pivots from pre-med to English to her current role as an educational tech executive — as well as her time at Rice Business, the importance of supporting AI literacy and the innovative ways she's influenced the education system. Episode Guide:00:00 Introduction to Corey Layne Crouch02:15 From Pre-Med to Kindergarten Teacher05:21 Teach for America and Moving to Houston08:23 Becoming a Principal and Pursuing an MBA17:04 Transition to EdTech and AI in Education25:07 Challenges and Misconceptions of AI in Schools30:26 Future of Education with AI38:22 Conclusion and Final ThoughtsOwl Have You Know is a production of Rice Business and is produced by University FM.Episode Quotes:On building AI literacy through tool-agnostic workshops[30:26] Maya Pomroy: So, tell me some of the work that you do — because AI for Education is really tackling one of the, I mean, this is one of the biggest shifts in modern learning.[31:41] Corey Layne Crouch: So we provide workshops and thing that we do, as well as that we're tool agnostic. We do have opinions about tools and where, you know, what's safe and what's fit for purpose, and what we think isn't quite yet, and how to integrate it in that way. 'Cause the technology is going to continue to evolve, but we really believe a foundation of which is rooted in durable skills, right, of critical thinking, and evaluation and understanding the best tool for a job and how to be community oriented. That is the work that we do. And, of course, we teach people how to use the tools and drive towards outcomes with them while we're laying that foundation as well.How Houston's education scene inspired Corey's bold, equitable innovation07:16: Houston is such a great city, as you know, to be a young professional in and, and to start your career, let alone having the opportunity to be a part of the thriving, innovative education landscape there. I really think that it helped me think much bigger about what it meant to be an education and what was possible with innovation, and really moving the needle toward equity and supporting communities that historically, you know, weren't being serviced in the way that they deserved.Why entrepreneurship skills is essential for an AI-driven world32:46: I really believe that students need entrepreneurial skills, and not necessarily because every student is going to go off and start their own business per se, but at the root of it, entrepreneurial skills is about, you know, understanding what you're trying to drive to, or what's the job to be done, seeing what's the diagnosis, what are the challenges, or, you know, opportunities to do better, and then understanding the resources that you have, and moving forward with strategy, as if it's a puzzle piece and, you know, it's strategy, but it's also about just seeing that opportunity and having the confidence and the belief in your own critical thinking, your own resourcefulness, and your ability to collaborate and build relationship with others in order to solve a problem or drive something forward.Show Links: TranscriptGuest Profiles:Corey Layne Crouch | AI for EducationCorey on LinkedIn

As a seasoned entrepreneur, investor and mentor, Ben Mayberry '76 has seen a lot of change in the Houston business sector over the last 50 years.Beginning his career in the technology sector, Ben went on to co-found companies like BSG and Winston Sage, and has been deeply involved in the Rice Business community through mentorship and recruiting. Ben has also served as the president of the Rice Alumni Association and has been a judge in the Rice Business Plan Competition for two decades. Ben joins Owl Have You Know co-host Brian Jackson ‘21 to discuss his incredible career journey, commitment to Rice, involvement in the Houston Angel Network, approach to mentoring entrepreneurs, and the many lessons he's learned over the course of his 50-year career. Episode Guide:00:00 Introduction to Ben Mayberry01:07 Early Career and Entrepreneurial Spirit02:42 Building and Managing Teams05:46 Mentorship and Advice07:36 Winston Sage Partners and Business Ethics09:43 Houston Angel Network14:33 Rice Business School Involvement22:32 Life Lessons and Final ThoughtsOwl Have You Know is a production of Rice Business and is produced by University FM.Episode Quotes:Why Ben thinks Houston is the easiest place to do business26:29: There's not one pivot point in my career I can point to, other than deciding to work for myself at some point. Then the decision points along the way that I've made. And, fortunately, I never made a decision that was so devastating that it, you know, shut me down. The most fun job I think I had of all was when we decided to open our other offices at BSG, and I was in charge of opening our remote offices. I just learned a lot about how you do business around the country. I learned how to negotiate with New Yorkers, people in Atlanta, Dallas, et cetera. The most important thing I've found is Houston is the easiest place to do business. 28:08: In Houston, people are generally welcoming to people that come from somewhere else because it's been a melting pot for so long.Why meeting in person matters for entrepreneurs28:52: If you want to get together with other entrepreneurs and bounce ideas off of them, or even build teamwork within your group, I think two things. Number one, within a company, it's important to have functions where you get together occasionally. We used to have quarterly meetings where we'd bring everybody into a central location, and it's not inexpensive. And once a quarter, we're also bringing the leadership from various places and having a strategy session all together. And certainly, you can do it by Zoom, but there's nothing like getting together, going out, and having a few drinks that night or dinner or whatever. Now, for someone like you, who—you're in Houston and nobody else is—you need to make a list of people you're going to have lunch with every day. Don't have lunch in your office. Go out three or four times a week and have lunch with somebody that's different and new.Why listening matters for entrepreneurs seeking success07:23: Each entrepreneur is, especially if they're in a startup, unique. They have some traits in common. They're generally stubborn. They don't listen as well as they should, and so you have to figure out if they're willing to listen at all. If not, you move on. If they're willing to listen, then you're able to give them advice, and it's based on—do they like—and a CEO doesn't have it all. They may be technical, they may be good at sales, they may be good at marketing, but they're rarely good at all of those. So you've got to figure out where their weakness is and attack that, and help them understand that's really where they need help.Show Links: TranscriptGuest Profiles:Ben Mayberry | Rice Business

With a Ph.D. in computational and applied mathematics from Rice, Summer Husband '02 has been at the forefront of AI and data innovation for years. From transforming how the U.S. Navy uses machine learning to now leading data products and applied intelligence at Worley, her career bridges complex tech and real-world impact.Following her workshop, Unleashing Your Inner Cyborg, at this year's Women in Leadership Conference, Summer joined Owl Have You Know co-host Brian Jackson '21 to discuss the evolution of AI, the power of pairing machine learning with human judgment, and the ethical guardrails she believes are essential in today's data-driven world.Episode Guide:00:12 Meet Summer Husband: AI and Data Expert01:00 Women in Leadership Conference Insights01:52 Ethics and Rapid Advancements in AI04:01 Upskilling and AI Deployment in Business04:53 AI as a Sales Response Generator06:47 Summer's Career Journey and AI Evolution13:05 AI's Impact on Human Roles and Ethics16:20 Future of AI and Human Intuition22:59 Empowering Women in Tech and Leadership26:06 Conclusion and Final ThoughtsOwl Have You Know is a production of Rice Business and is produced by University FM.Episode Quotes:The power of being surrounded by empowered women22:32: It's really powerful for women to be around other very capable and talented women. I didn't realize what an impact that had. I've loved all the organizations that I've worked for. My first job, there was only one other woman on the technical side. I didn't think that impacted me. But my next organization had a lot of women in executive leadership, and I suddenly started to feel like taking a more senior role was a possibility. 23:04: I never would've connected those dots, but I really appreciate Rice opening up the opportunity for women to hear from other women. 23:26: It's just a little different when it's mostly women in the room, and you feel safe to ask some questions that you just don't feel safe to ask in some other spaces. That's just kind of the way that goes. So, I appreciate the opportunity.On navigating AI ethics without a roadmapThe technology is just changing really quickly, which makes this a very exciting space to be in, but it makes it really challenging around ethics. One of the other, I think, challenges in this space is, because it's fairly new, it's changing rapidly, so the technology is changing rapidly. The legal landscape is changing really rapidly, also. So, some of the partners that we tend to go to for playbooks in these spaces don't have a fully baked playbook in this space. A lot of organizations are needing to define and figure out their approach to ethics and AI together. So, at Worley, we're approaching that with a pretty comprehensive approach that includes our AI experts, of course, our legal experts. We want to ensure that we've got our operations involved in that. They're the ones that are, boots on the ground and are going to be using these tools. We've had to cast a pretty wide net, but we've had to do a lot of discovering and shaping for ourselves.The challenge of deploying AI thoughtfully03:05: There definitely are some roadblocks in keeping pace. And the risk and the ethical concerns is one of those. But I would say, also, having the right skill set in your workforce and upskilling your workforce — that's a challenge. There's a real opportunity for people who know their business very well and do the work to learn how to deploy AI in their field, in their area. It's that combination of skills. I think there are a lot of very smart people doing very smart things to build really amazing technology. What I think a lot of businesses have challenges with and where we face a bit of a roadblock is, how do you deploy those tools well in a breadth of different businesses?Show Links: TranscriptGuest Profiles:Summer Husband | Rice University

What's worse than failing in your career? For Michelle Lewis '05, it's not trying at all.That fearless mindset propelled her from a fine arts degree to a global career as a C-suite leader, board director, and private equity principal. Over the years, Michelle has helped drive $10 billion in acquisitions across 30 countries and guided companies through complex strategic transitions in the energy and industrial sectors.At the Women in Leadership Conference, she sat down with Owl Have You Know co-host Brian Jackson '21 to talk about her journey — from the arts to executive leadership, why soft skills matter more than you think, and how failing fast and smart can shape a resilient career.Michelle also shares one of her favorite tips as a self-proclaimed uber-organizer, and what it's like balancing board service, entrepreneurship and motherhood.Episode Guide:00:10 Meet Michelle Lewis00:55 Insights from the Women in Leadership Conference01:42 The Role of Luck and Hard Work in Career Success05:15 Mentorship and Leadership06:42 Pathway to Board Membership11:23 From Fine Arts to Private Equity22:06 The Importance of Soft Skills26:07 Tips for Balancing Career and Family28:25 Final Thoughts and TakeawaysOwl Have You Know is a production of Rice Business and is produced by University FM.Episode Quotes:Failing is learning not losing17:25: I've never been afraid to just try something new. I mean, because what can happen, right? You can fail. And what happens when you fail? You learn. You learn more than when you're successful. You know, I sell all the veggies, and great, I got, you know, some points in my pocket, but if I don't sell them, I have to try a new way the next day. Right? Yeah. So, I mean, there are a lot of my mentors who I attribute that to, like there's another woman. Same thing in executive recruiting. All you do is just, like, pick up the phone and ask someone—it's an opportunity. Maybe they're interested, maybe they're not. Like, worst case, they say, "No thanks," right? But a lot of people are afraid to pick up the phone. I mean, you can meet some fascinating people. So, I've just always thought, like, there's no downside to trying. The downside is if I don't try. Not if I fail.What led Michelle to where she is today02:05: I think I've been in a fortunate position to, wherever I am, to be working really hard and trying to do a good job and be a good person, and, and then, through that, have found that other people have come to me and said, "I see something in you that maybe you don't even see in yourself, and we think you can do X," which might be completely different to what I was doing at the time. And, and that's typically been the case throughout my entire career. So, the majority of my career, I was just going along to get along, and then someone else came along and said, "We're going to move you over here"—either a different industry, a different city, a different function. All really through someone else's vision.How mentorship shaped Michelle's approach to leadership06:00: One of the things I think that I learned, and that I do as well, is just conversations where I'm asking a lot of questions, not necessarily telling them what the answers are, and it's the same thing in a board and advisory role, right? I'm not there to tell the CEO what to do. I mean, if I'm telling the CEO what to do, we don't need that CEO. I'm there to ask questions. So, it's the same thing that my mentors did for me: asking questions that may highlight there are different ways, different paths, different answers for me to consider. That's the same thing that I'm doing when I'm in an advisory role or a board role.Show Links: TranscriptGuest Profiles:Michelle Lewis on LinkedIn

In this special live episode of Owl Have You Know, James Weston, the senior associate dean for degree programs and Harmon Whittington Professor of Finance, reflects on his 25 years at Rice University.Join James and host Maya Pomroy '22 as they explore his journey from the Federal Reserve to Rice Business, the evolution of the school over the past two and a half decades, and his vision for the future of the university. They also dive deep into his groundbreaking research on racial disparities in auto loan pricing — a study that uncovered significant biases against minority borrowers. Plus, get the inside scoop on his experience running a bar in Rice Village.Episode Guide:01:20 James Weston's Career Journey04:25 Early Career and Mentorship08:56 Teaching Philosophy and Student Relationships13:52 Research on Auto Loans and Discrimination18:58 Linking Mortgage and Experian Data20:14 Evidence of Discrimination in Auto Lending22:48 Challenges in Passing Auto Lending Regulations24:00 The Realities of Owning and Operating a Bar30:24 Transition to Administration at Rice Business33:47 Reflections on a Diverse CareerOwl Have You Know is a production of Rice Business and is produced by University FM.Episode Quotes:How Dean James pursues scientific rigor34:50: [James Weston] I sort of view the thing that ties together all my papers as a foundational social scientist trying to measure things that are hard to measure. And so when I see things that I think have a lot of social import or a research question that I think has either a practical application or some large social question that I think needs answering, the fun for me is trying to figure out how to measure it and trying to come up with a clever way of identifying the research question in a way that's unambiguous and in a way that we can solidify and say, like, that's the answer. And I know it with as near scientific certainty as I can — you know, the existence of the Higgs boson particle.35:19: [Maya Pomroy] We can't get into that right now. Yeah. 35:33: [James Weston] But, but you know, but I'm saying, like, to treat it like a scientist.35:36: [Maya Pomroy] Yes.35:37: [James Weston] And study it like it's a real causal question. Yeah. And you attack it with the scientific method, and you attack it with the scrutiny and the scientific rigor that they use across campus.On pushing for transparency in auto lending23:20: My hope is that the Senate Banking Committee continues to take action on it, and we see more—just something similar to the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act, where auto dealers just have to report. They have a spreadsheet, and you just have to send it to the Fed the way every bank does with every mortgage application. And hopefully that transparency attenuates the discrimination the way it largely did in home mortgages. It took time. It was a 10-year process. It'll probably take that long on auto lending. And we're not the only voice in this choir. There's lots of other people now that are sort of jumping on the bandwagon.How Dean James views his new job role30:48: Moving into administration means, in my mind at least, it means I'm not working anymore. In the sense that I'm not executing the primary missions of the school, which are teaching and scholarship. And so I'm not teaching as much anymore, and I'm not doing as much scholarship anymore, which means I'd better be doing something to collect the paycheck. And the way I genuinely view it is that now I'm trying to enable the rest of my faculty to do better teaching and better scholarship. My role is as a service leader, which is how I view this job—as a tour of service, not a career pivot. I didn't take this job to then become dean someplace, to then become provost someplace, to then become Supreme Commander of University somewhere. But, like, it was someone else's turn to do this very important role, which is to coordinate all the programs, get the teaching schedules done, make sure I'm protecting junior faculty and their teaching loads, make sure I'm putting the right people into the right classes, making sure we're keeping track of it.Show Links: TranscriptThe Hidden Inequality in Auto-Lending | Rice Business WisdomGuest Profiles:James Weston | Rice University

Rice Executive MBA student Shai Littlejohn is no stranger to reinvention. From law to music — and now, corporate counsel for one of the world's most recognizable brands — she has built a career on embracing challenges and following her passions.As director and corporate counsel for global supply chain & innovation at Starbucks, Shai recently spoke at Rice Business' annual Women in Leadership Conference about the evolving legal landscape in Texas.After the panel, she sat down with Owl Have You Know co-host Brian Jackson '21 to talk about her dynamic career path, the lessons she's learned across industries, why she chose to pursue an Executive MBA at Rice and how she's already applying insights from the program in her career. Episode Guide:00:51 Shai Littlejohn's Career Journey03:14 Navigating Law and Music04:38 Pursuing Music and Personal Fulfillment09:36 Transition to Starbucks11:30 Balancing an Executive MBA15:09 Empowering Women in Business16:35 Conclusion and Favorite Starbucks OrderOwl Have You Know is a production of Rice Business and is produced by University FM.Episode Quotes:On deciding what you want and going for it[16:05] Brian Jackson: If you had a hope for one thing that the attendees today would take with them, what would that be? [16:12] Shai Littlejohn: That they have to decide what they want and just go for it. You know, it's like—if the law doesn't... You can't look for laws necessarily to help you all the time or wait for the environment or timing to be right. We have talent that we can bring to the table. We have ideas, and nothing can stop that. We just have to keep putting them out there. You're not always going to get the reception you want, but that can't stop you from trying and going for it.What Rice's Women in Leadership Conference means to a woman in business15:43: Being a woman in business is exciting, and attending this conference is truly invigorating because opportunities are all around us. No matter what's happening in the world, we as women have immense potential and endless opportunities to pursue. This group is ready to seize them, and I'm thrilled to be a part of it.What's the biggest difference in working between oil and gas and coffee? 11:17: Corporate culture. Starbucks has a unique corporate culture, which I hope remains distinct because balancing culture with productivity is crucial. Many companies struggle to get that right, and striking that balance—work-life harmony alongside productivity—is very challenging.Show Links: TranscriptGuest Profiles:Shai Littlejohn's website

A great idea is just the beginning. How do you turn it into something bigger?Dr. Paul Cherukuri, Rice University's first vice president for innovation and chief innovation officer, works with academics and industry titans to remove roadblocks for budding entrepreneurs and help cement Houston and Rice as top hubs for innovation. Paul joins Owl Have You Know host Maya Pomroy '22 to chat about how the Office of Innovation is paving the way for cutting-edge, world-changing ideas.They also discuss The Ion, Rice's Midtown hub for entrepreneurship, why Paul chose to earn a Ph.D. in chemistry at Rice, and his path to leading innovation at the university.Episode Guide:01:10 Dr. Cherukuri's Journey to Rice04:47 The Impact of Rice University06:03 Building the Office of Innovation08:33 Challenges and Opportunities in Innovation12:52 Fostering Entrepreneurship at Rice16:05 Exciting Student Projects17:59 Small Business Innovation and Nexus Launch18:50 The Ion: Houston's Innovation Hub19:43 Building an Innovation Ecosystem23:45 Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs28:42 The Exciting and Future Prospects on Rice's HorizonOwl Have You Know is a production of Rice Business and is produced by University FM.Episode Quotes:On empowering the entrepreneurial spirit and taking calculated risks14:20: [Maya Pomroy] You've taken a lot of calculated risks in your life for things that you've done, and to translate that to others, how do you do that?14:55:[Dr. Paul Cherukuri] There are some people who just naturally resonate with the idea of doing it, right? The entrepreneurial spirit is within them and it's active, right?  Then there are some people who are sort of suppressed, repressed, who have always wanted to do it and weren't sure if that was allowed, right? Or if that was fostered for their career. And what we provide is the capability and also the inspiration that this is not only possible, it's welcomed. It's something that we actually want to promote, right?The Ion represents Rice's ability to create a community for innovators23:11: When you find your tribe, it's very, very different, and I think that The Ion represents that ability for us to concentrate people so they can meet each other. But then also provide resources, both with the corporates and the venture capitalists that are in the building.And then we're bringing in government and others to really kind of subsidize things and help us grow these companies, and then not only the companies, but grow the community. And that's what The Ion represents, right? So it is, I think, a magical place in many ways. If you go in there, there is an energy. There's a buzz that has happened now.How Houston's lack of zoning laws fuels growth and connection21:41: One of the beautiful things I think about Houston is we get dinged for not having zoning laws, but I actually think it's a great thing. And it has allowed us to economically grow, thrive, and expand the city. The problem with the expansion of the city is people density, right? So how do you get people to be right next to each other? Because that's when things start to magically happen, right? You got to get close to others.Show Links: TranscriptGuest Profiles:Paul Cherukuri | Rice Business

Have you ever wondered why the wait times in emergency rooms are so long? Or what dictates the cost of healthcare and it seems so high?  Professor Tolga Tezcan has studied healthcare systems around the globe, collaborating with hospitals and researching questions involving access and business operations. He has continued that work at Rice University and teaches courses on operations management, business analytics, and data mining.Owl Have You Know host Maya Pomroy '22 sits down with Tolga to chat about his course on operations management, the inefficiencies and bottlenecks healthcare systems face, and his research on innovations in healthcare delivery. Episode Guide:00:22 Meet Professor Tolga Tezcan01:36 Understanding Operations Management05:00 Journey into Healthcare Operations08:13 Challenges in Healthcare Systems11:43 Innovative Research and Solutions21:28 Future of Healthcare and AI34:24 Teaching and Student Engagement35:46 Life at Rice University38:03 Conclusion and Final ThoughtsOwl Have You Know is a production of Rice Business and is produced by University FM.Episode Quotes:How Professor Tolga's research is using financial incentives to improve healthcare11:44 [Maya Pomroy]: So tell me about your research. What were the bigger questions? This is exciting because I want to know how it's all going to be fixed and magnificent and, you know, like, this is really—no, I mean, it's because healthcare is just crucial, and it's really integral for all parts of our society—not only the economy but for a healthy society and for everything else.And in order to be the leader of the free world, you need a healthy society. So yes, I'm very excited to hear about your research.15:46 [Professor Tolga Tezcan]: So, my research in general—what I try to answer is, okay, we have this best system. How do we coordinate it better? How do we make sure they're connected better? And usually, you do that, at least—I mean, from a business point of view, looking at it as a business—it's with financial incentives. So I try to figure out the best incentives to give so that everybody acts like they're doing the best for the patient.What are the biggest opportunities for AI in healthcare innovation?22:12: When you talk about healthcare, there are many different aspects to discuss. And when I talk about AI, it's not the business side that's going to change first; it's going to change the medical delivery side of it, just like any other business. And for us, for example, it makes a lot of things a lot easier to do: writing an email, sometimes checking or editing a document, and so on and so forth. And just like that, I think the first step would be when you're making medical decisions; it will increase the—I shouldn't say accuracy—but it will increase at least the efficiency of doctors making that decision because now you have a second opinion right there at your fingertips. I think that's what's going to change first.What Professor Tolga Enjoys most about teaching in the Rice community34:45: I want to believe that my course is an eye-opening experience for everybody, seeing the strategic role operations play. And I love the conversations I have. I mean, multiple times I have conversations with people who come from operations and tell me, "Oh, I've never thought about these issues this way," or people come in with no background and say, "Oh, you know, I've never thought this was something that plays such an important role." It's a challenge because a lot of things in operations change, just like anything else.Show Links: TranscriptGuest Profiles:Tolga Tezcan | Rice Business

Tanu Grewal '05 knows that you can learn a lot about a person's buying habits based on what brands are in their cabinets at home. Tanu is a global marketing leader. In her roles at Coca-Cola, Whirlpool, and Kohler, she helped revolutionize iconic products used by millions of consumers in their homes everyday. She has continued this work as the Vice President of Marketing at AlEn, a Proctor & Gamble-like company with products in 95% of households in Mexico. In his debut episode as the new co-host of Owl Have You Know, Brian Jackson '21 sits down with Tanu to chat about her early marketing days at Coca-Cola in India, the strategies she gained from Whirlpool for understanding consumer behavior, and how she's innovating at AlEn for different markets in the U.S. and Mexico. Episode Guide:01:02 Early Career and First Internship at Coca-Cola02:23 Cultural Insights and Marketing Challenges in India05:00 Navigating Global Markets: Europe, Middle East, and Africa07:14 Understanding the American Consumer09:36 Revitalizing Iconic Brands: Whirlpool and Maytag13:14 Innovative Strategies in a Crowded Market16:26 Adapting Products for the U.S. Market18:58 Agile Innovation at AlEn USA20:46 The Journey of ‘Art of Green'23:21 Navigating COVID Challenges26:03 The Rice MBA Experience29:30 Commitment to Community and Diversity37:40 Future Aspirations at AlEnOwl Have You Know is a production of Rice Business and is produced by University FM.Episode Quotes:How lived experiences shape true diversity32:18: I think true diversity is from your lived experiences. You can be, you know, whatever demographic, but even within that, your lived experiences can really make you a very diverse person because you have a certain way of looking at the world that your neighbor doesn't, right?And so, that to me is diversity, because you can then look at the same problem and think about solving it very differently. And I have seen it in action, Brian, in every continent. And it always, always amazes me how five people looking at the same slide can interpret it so differently because how they've grown up, what they've, you know, what experiences have shaped their lives.Tanu's approach to navigating multi-cultural markets06:30: Back in India, my dad was in the army. We moved around a lot, so I had the opportunity to really immerse myself in different cultures and have the ability to talk to different people, so I think that's what it is. And even when I went for my expat assignment, I was managing 33 countries in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. And the first thing I said was, I need to understand people. So we went out and did focus groups in different cities to really understand what the brand means to someone in France, or somebody in Germany, or in Israel. And really, you know, I would recommend every marketer to really study. And once you get an understanding, don't just stop there. Keep doing this, right? Because people change, people evolve, and things around the people evolve. And I think the pace of change, if anything, has just kind of 10xed, right? So, that's kind of my secret sauce.On gratitude, growth and giving back35:27: I really do think I've been extremely fortunate in a lot of things. You know, I grew up in India as a girl. My dad was like a feminist, way ahead of his time. I mean, just a man... I mean, we lost him a couple of years ago, but I mean, I always think about, am I going to be able to do that for my child, right? Be that progressive and all of that. And then, you know, getting the opportunity to come here, go to Rice, work in all the fabulous companies I have, lived in all these different countries. Sometimes, when I sit and think about it, I'm like, man, yeah. I have got to be thankful for all this, and then I have to give back, right? I have to help other people because that's just what you do. And I derive a lot of joy from giving back and from helping other people.Show Links: TranscriptGuest Profiles:Tanu Grewal | Rice Business

In this episode, we pay tribute to our dear friend, colleague and co-host of the Owl Have You Know podcast, Scott Gale '19. Join us as we revisit some of Scott's favorite episodes and hear from the Rice community about Scott's lasting impact. Owl Have You Know is a production of Rice Business and is produced by University FM.Show Links: TranscriptEpisodes mentioned in the show:Corporate Innovation feat. Scott Gale '19Generations of Rice Grads feat. Chuck Yates '94A Commitment to Community Brought Our Provost to Rice feat. Amy DittmarThe Misconception of Constructive Conflict feat. Professor Daan van KnippenbergThe Tools For Strong Leadership Are Right In Front of You. feat. Ruth Oh Reitmeier and Brent SmithGuest Profiles:Scott Gale | Rice UniversityScott Gale | Obituary

Andrea Edmundson Bryan wasn't exactly sure what she wanted to do with her liberal arts undergrad degree. But one thing she did know? She had a strong curiosity to learn more about the business world. To Andrea's surprise, this curiosity led her to a career in oil and gas and an MBA at Rice University. Andrea is now the Chief Administrative Officer at Race Rock, a Houston-based manufacturer of critical infrastructure products for the energy sector with a mission to provide safe passage for people and power.Andrea joins host Maya Pomroy '22 to chat about Race Rock's diverse work that's shaping the future of energy infrastructure, her journey from a liberal arts degree from TCU to an MBA at Rice, her family's deep Texas roots, and the lasting impact her MBA has had on her career and life. Episode Guide:00:43 Career Journey: From Oil and Gas to Infrastructure02:07 Houston Roots and Educational Background05:06 The Bryan Museum and Texas History06:46 Teaching English in Malaysia12:23 Starting Race Rock and Business Insights15:57 The Exponential Growth of Racerock17:22 Navigating the Pandemic and Wedding Plans18:28 The Rice MBA Experience21:06 Board Fellows Program and Nonprofit Involvement24:01 Innovations in Highway Infrastructure27:11 Advice for Aspiring MBA Students and Final ThoughtsOwl Have You Know is a production of Rice Business and is produced by University FM.Episode Quotes:Andrea's vision for safe passage in highway infrastructure24:06 [Maya Pomroy]: There's definitely big shifts in energy and technology right now. And you're, sort of, at the forefront of that with Race Rock. So, tell me about the kind of work that you're doing now, and what you're the most looking forward to, and how your company is going to continue to grow.24:25 [Andrea Edmundson Bryan]: I mean, there's so many, you know, big and exciting things going on. I think in, you know, in the highway infrastructure space and the arena that we play in, you know, steel manufacturing and galvanizing, there's just, there's always room for improvement, right? Everyone drives down the street, everyone drives on highways, and you see the structures that hold the signs on freeways, and they're just there until—and they're there until you need them, right? And the guardrails along the highway that protect you if you get into an accident. We really pride ourselves on, you know, providing safe passage for people in power. That's our, kind of, motto and what we hold on to. Why Andrea sees an MBA as a lifelong tool for growth27:51: People ask me, why go get an MBA? There's a lot of argument of, like, is that necessary? And to me, I think it's multifaceted, but going through something hard and challenging like that, it's always a good thing to learn something new, challenge yourself, do something difficult, and come out at the other end of that. I think that's important on a human level, on giving yourself purpose, challenging yourself, and constantly learning. I fully believe in doing that and cultivating yourself as an individual at all times. And then also, for me, the big factor is, I always wanted that tool in my toolkit. So, I can't tell you what's going to happen tomorrow. I can't tell you what's going to happen next year, what my life's going to look like, what pivots or tracks will happen, but I will always have this in my toolkit. An MBA from Rice will always be mine.On why Andrea always recommends the Rice MBA19:43: Just like my TCU experience, I wish that on everyone else—that when they think about doing an MBA program, they have the experience I had at Rice, which was phenomenal. It was great. Everything about it—professors, faculty, atmosphere, culture, social—everything about it was awesome. And I continue to show that to people in my kind of involvement with Rice since graduation that I feel really passionate and strongly about, and giving back. I'm always the first person if someone reaches out and says, "Hey, I have somebody that's thinking about an MBA." I'm like, "Let me talk to him. I'll talk to him. Let me talk to him." Show Links: TranscriptGuest Profiles:Andrea Edmundson Bryan | Rice BusinessRace Rock GroupThe Bryan Museum

How is AI enhancing our creativity and problem solving and how does that compare to other digital tools we use everyday, like search engines? Through controlled lab experiments and field studies, William S. Mackey Jr. Distinguished Assistant Professor Jaeyeon (Jae) Chung spends her time at Rice Business researching questions just like that. Her work in the field of marketing focuses on the groundbreaking innovations and psychological implications of AI's growing role in our lives. Jae joins host Maya Pomroy '22 to chat about her journey from psychology to AI, her recent study on generative AI's effectiveness in assisting human creativity, and her research that delves into how misinformation is spread through platforms like YouTube. Episode Guide:01:35 Journey from Psychology to AI04:20 Academic and Professional Achievements06:44 Why Rice University?08:40 Teaching and Research at Rice12:47 Exploring ChatGPT's Creativity17:43 AI's Role in Empathy and Innovation21:42 Concerns and Regulations Around AI27:50 YouTube and Misinformation34:05 Future Research and ProjectsOwl Have You Know is a production of Rice Business and is produced by University FM.Episode Quotes:Exploring Jaeyeon's recent study on AI and creativity13:21: [Maya] You did a recent study about ChatGPT as a powerful tool for enhancing everyday creativity and problem-solving. So can you walk me through that experiment that you ran and through your study and your findings on that?13:59: [Jaeyeon Chung] So, my curiosity stemmed from the fact that GPT may perform better than Google or human in subjective tasks. It seemed quite obvious that it does a great role, a great, great job in solving math problems or writing code, but would it be superior when it does a very subjective test, which is perceived as completely human? And that was the creativity test that a lot of people have been saying is a unique territory of humans that no machines can replace.14:17: [Maya] With empathy. Empathy was one of the emotions that you studied, yes? 14:21: [Jaeyeon Chung] Right, right. And I was trying to challenge that assumption, and that's how I started to run a different set of experiments.How Rice supports junior faculty with research funding07:06: Rice has a great opportunity that the school is providing to junior faculty members for sure. I mean, as a person who has always been looking for, like, the best, Rice offers one of the best packages that all the scholars prefer to get in terms of the research funding. It's the research budget that they're really fully supportive of. So, for me, I'm running a lot of experiments; let's say that I pay $2 for a 10-minute survey. It's a very small amount of money, but if you are getting 2,000 participants to write a paper, that becomes a whole lot of money that I can't just like get from my own pocket. And the school needs to support that, but a lot of other schools required for a high-standard research without providing the adequate support, and Rice is the school that really provides all these detailed steps, and they really protect the junior faculty members to focus on what they're interested in.Why mastering AI tools matters more than fearing replacement27:06: I think understanding a broader aspect of how the industry works is critical for humans to fully have control over GPT and to use it as a tool to develop their careers further rather than replacing it here or there. So you shouldn't be worried about yourself being replaced by AI, but you should be worried about losing a job because of a person who better uses AI.Show Links: TranscriptGuest Profiles:Jaeyeon Chung | Rice Business

It takes grit for a history major to walk into a job fair for business students and convince the rep from Kraft Foods that she's the right person for the position. But that's exactly what our guest, Mindy Smith '13 did.Landing that job with Kraft spring-boarded Mindy into a marketing and sales career where she held positions with companies like Coke and now Shell. Currently, Mindy is a global strategy leader for Shell's Mobility business, and is responsible for brand standards at more than 47,000 retail sites worldwide.Mindy joins host Maya Pomroy '22 to chat about her career-defining pivots, the importance of being bold, critical insights she's learned at Shell and why she decided to get her MBA after an already successful career journey.Episode Guide:02:00 Career Beginnings and Early Jobs03:22 Landing a Job at Kraft Foods06:19 Insights from Working at Kraft15:11 Transition to Coke19:33 Joining Shell and Pursuing an MBA23:57 The Steamroller Persona24:54 Navigating Organizational Changes27:58 New Role at Shell29:00 Managing Global Insights31:09 Customer Experience and Competition35:45 Rice University's Lasting Impact41:58 Final Thoughts and LessonsOwl Have You Know is a production of Rice Business and is produced by University FM.Episode Quotes:Networking is about learning, not just opportunities35:31: Rice was such an important part of my life. And as I mentioned earlier, I still take a lot of the learnings and use them daily in my work. And one of the things that I really appreciated about Rice was going back to network, going back to hearing others' perspectives and how they handle things. And when I was there, I loved hearing from people who had already graduated…[38:07] One of the things I did throughout was connect with alumni whenever I had the opportunity at different events. And even now, I love to hear people's stories, and I like to hear what people do, and I like to hear, you know, quite honestly, they'll ask me questions sometimes that then get me thinking about things. And it's great to have that interaction. And, you know, people talk about network all the time in the sense of using your network if you're looking for a job or things like that. For me, it's really—it's the learning.Life isn't a straight line—embrace the curveballs41:44: Whether it's your life or your career, it's not a straight line, and you can't plan it out. I was just saying this to my sister-in-law: You can be the best planner. You can have every little detail planned out. Life is always going to throw you curveballs, and how you react to those curveballs—have the courage and overcome the fear—because some of those curveballs end up being amazing opportunities. Even though they might not have been in your original plans, that's definitely one. Number two would be to always be curious. One of the things that I think I have benefited from is that I'm not afraid to ask a lot of questions. Sometimes that can annoy people, or sometimes I do worry that if—especially if it's someone senior—they might see it as, you know, just, “Why is she asking so many questions?” But you know what? That's how you learn. Be curious, though, and learn new things.On the formula of success in a big company26:29: I've always had a formula. Even 20 years ago, when I had an actual office, I had on my board the formula for success in a big company: 60 percent your network, 20 percent actual work, and 20 percent perception. And I'll tell you, one of the things with what's been going on lately, I've been telling people I might change my formula to 50 percent network and 50 percent perception because, absolutely, in a time like this—where people who might not know you are making decisions about your future with the company—not only the network, but the perception, is big. So, more important than ever in times like this, it pays off.Show Links: TranscriptGuest Profiles:Mindy Smith | Rice Business

Owl Have You Know is pleased to welcome Twice-Rice grad Will Eldridge – a consultant at Bain & Company and the president-elect of the Rice Business Alumni Association Board.Will earned his Bachelor of Science in Civil & Environmental Engineering at Rice in 2017. But after an unforgettable experience in MAcc program director Ben Lansford's class, he decided to pivot to accounting. Will went on to work at Deloitte as a senior auditor for oil and gas clients, before deciding to go back to school again for his MBA at Chicago Booth.Will chats with Owl Have You Know guest host Brian Jackson '21 about his path from accounting to strategy consulting, the importance of mentorship, and why board service has given him a way to give back to his community in fulfilling ways.Episode Guide:00:53 Will's Favorite Career Pivot02:00 Impact of Ben Lansford03:22 Choosing Rice and Career Path05:05 Experience at Deloitte08:11 Transition to Consulting09:46 Volunteering and Alumni Networks15:30 Consulting Challenges and Skills18:10 Personal Background and French Heritage20:39 Commitment to Rice Business23:33 Advice for Future Business Students25:01 Classic Cocktails and ConclusionOwl Have You Know is a production of Rice Business and is produced by University FM.Episode Quotes:Ben Lansford and MAcc program's impact in Will's journey from engineering to accounting01:48: [Brian Jackson]: Tell me about Ben Lansford. What type of impact did he have on you? Are there any memories from your time in the program that really stick out?01:56: [Will Eldridge]: Yeah, of course. Ben is this amazing dad figure for a lot of us who found our way to the MAcc. I say that because he has these great dad jokes, but he also helps a lot of people find their way and is someone who has made accounting, which gets a bad rap in a lot of circles, you know, the favorite class that some people take. [02:26] And, you know, when they announced bringing this program back to Rice, there were no current or former students to speak to, but Ben Lansford had been hired. And I got coffee with him, I remember, and started talking about the program, the opportunities. And it was just a great connection that I know he's made with a lot of the students going through the program, and he really helped me understand how I could marry my current background with a master's degree in accounting and make that transition despite having not lot of accounting experience yet and gave me that confidence to make the transition.After realizing that accounting wasn't his long-term goal, Will pivoted to strategy consulting.I figured that I loved the client service aspect of the job I was in. I, at some point, figured out the accounting and financial reporting path wasn't what I wanted to do long term, but I wanted to stay in client service. Did some exploring, I actually circled back to the Center for Career Development at Rice, reaching out to them to talk about different paths to explore and spoke to some other alums. Figured out I wanted to go into strategy consulting, so, a bit more of results-oriented work in some ways but keeping that analysis piece that I had learned as an auditor when we're looking at trends. And with that, I figured out the best way to do that would be to go to business school to set myself up for that recruiting process and eventuality.The power of empathy in consulting19:10: [Brian Jackson]: What skills do you really draw upon to buy that credibility with your clients?19:16: [Will Eldridge]: For one, approaching whatever you're presenting to them with a mindset of context reset, you're deep in the details, and it's hard to sometimes pull up and look at the work that you're presenting and remember the limited context that your client might have and how much else they have going on. So, there's definitely a level of empathizing that is really critical. And so, to put yourself in their shoes and think, you know, what are they coming at this from? What do they care about? What do they need to get out of this? And what is the one or two things they should take away from this conversation is a good frame of mind to take.Show Links: TranscriptGuest Profiles:Will Eldridge | Jones Graduate School of Business at Rice University Brian Jackson | Jones Graduate School of Business at Rice University Listen to The Sky Is Not the Limit feat. Rawand Rasheed here: https://business.rice.edu/owlhaveyouknow/season-4-episode-1

How do you take a business from bankruptcy to an $18 billion acquisition?Today's guest is Dan Tinker, CEO and President of SRS Distribution and Rice Business alum. When Dan took over SRS, the company was bankrupt. But under his steadfast and visionary leadership, SRS profits grew rapidly over 16 years, culminating in an acquisition deal with Home Depot for $18.25 billion – the largest acquisition in Home Depot's history.Dan joins host Maya Pomroy '22 to chat about the major deal and how it's turned many of his frontline employees into millionaires. The pair also discuss Dan's decision to pursue a Rice MBA at 26, his philosophy around leadership, and his passion for philanthropy and supporting veterans. Episode Guide:01:24 Journey to SRS Distribution04:02 Early Career Challenges and Successes07:04 Leadership Philosophy and Team Building10:14 Pursuing an MBA at Rice13:37 Building SRS and Private Equity Insights16:08 Acquisition by Home Depot19:52 Navigating Culture Integration23:23 Crucial Leadership Skills30:09 Philanthropy and Giving Back34:52 Future Plans and AspirationsOwl Have You Know is a production of Rice Business and is produced by University FM.Episode Quotes:How redefining risk helped Dan make better business decisions28:21: I had a great professor at Rice tell me the definition of profit is the reward a company deserves for taking risks. That's the best definition of profit I've ever heard, and that stuck with me. And so, risk doesn't mean risk in the sense of, like, I'm doing something risky. It just means doing new things, trying different things to find different ways to accelerate the growth of the company. But it's a bias to action is what, really, it means. Let's move forward, and let's not get stuck in Groundhog Day and monotonous work. [28:59]: Let's try to push and expand in different ways all the time. Growth fuels promotions and internal growth, and it has a way of building on itself and building snowballing momentum that people just get caught up with the energy, and it's contagious, which is super powerful.On having the ability to ignore things that don't move the needle24:07: The skill that I wouldn't have guessed coming out of business school, that I think I've gotten honed in, and it served me very, very well, is I think I have a really good ability to ignore the things that don't move the needle. I mean, being a CEO and being in charge of everything, the whole enterprise, you have to know what's your highest and best use of your time. And I've always been able to really stick to the strong points, that I had a good understanding of what's going to drive shareholder value creation, what's going to drive customer wins, what's going to drive supplier partnerships, what's going to drive growth.How private equity fueled SRS's remarkable growth12:49: Private equity gets a bad rap in a lot of worlds, and it's so unwarranted, in my opinion. Where else in the world can you just dream up an idea, build a team, go to a private equity partner if you don't have capital or come from a rich family, and go borrow the money or have them infuse your capital in your business to sell part of the company, and then they provide you enough capital to get as big as you could possibly be successfully? And we've done that. We started SRS with only 12 million dollars and bought the company SRS out of bankruptcy for 12 million dollars. The company we just sold to for $ 18.25 billion, we paid only 12 million dollars for just 16 years ago. And then made that much wealth creation because we had different great private equity sponsors for about five-year runs in the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd phases. So, I'm a big proponent of private equity.Show Links: TranscriptGuest Profiles:Dan Tinker | SRS Distribution  Listen to The Sky Is Not the Limit feat. Rawand Rasheed here: https://business.rice.edu/owlhaveyouknow/season-4-episode-1

Today's guests bring a unique blend of expertise and personal connection to the show. Lee Ann Butler and Alex Butler are not only esteemed faculty at Rice Business, but also a married couple! Lee Ann Butler, a senior lecturer in management, has been teaching business law and related courses since 2001, joining Rice in 2010. She also served as the former academic director for the Online MBA program, MBA@Rice. Alex Butler, the Jesse H. Jones Professor of Finance, specializes in empirical corporate finance, financial institutions and markets. His research dives deep into how firms, governments and individuals navigate external financing, with recent work examining racial disparities in the auto loan market. He was instrumental in launching Rice Business's undergraduate business major and previously served as the director of undergraduate programs. Together, with host Maya Pomroy '22, the Butlers share insights from their nearly three-decades-long academic journeys and personal lives. Lee Ann reflects on her passion for business law and the ethical challenges facing today's business leaders, while Alex highlights his findings in consumer finance. They also discuss the undergraduate business major at Rice, offer perspectives on teaching during uncertain times and explore how their partnership shapes their professional lives.Episode Guide:00:57 How The Butler's Met: A Love Story in a Bar01:38 Lee Ann's Journey from Litigator to Lecturer04:19 Alex's Path to Finance and Academia09:13 Launching the Undergraduate Business Program at Rice12:36 Teaching Experiences and Student Interactions15:20 Working Together as a Married Couple18:56 Alex's Research on Racial Disparities in Auto Loans23:32 Higher Interest Rates for Minorities26:20 Impact of Anti-Discrimination Policies28:39 Legal and Ethical Challenges in Business33:22 Teaching in Uncertain Times36:19 Future of Rice's Undergraduate Business Major & Rice Business42:46 Reflections and Words of WisdomOwl Have You Know is a production of Rice Business and is produced by University FM.Episode Quotes:On the ethical challenges that business leaders face today30:30: [Maya Pomroy]: What are some of the most critical legal or ethical challenges that business leaders face today? Because that's something that you're preparing this generation of leaders to tackle. 30:41: [Lee Ann Butler]: Well, I think the ethical challenges come every day, and probably the most difficult bit is when we just don't realize it's an ethical dilemma that's in front of us, right? And we tend to think of ourselves—everyone thinks of themselves as an ethical person: I don't need to worry about this because I'm a good person, and I will do the right thing. But when we take the time to actually systematically go through it in a logical way, I think not only what does my ethical framework tell me is right and wrong in the situation, but how might others view it? 'Cause not everyone—not everyone has the same framework as me or anyone else.Surprising lessons learned from being educators at Rice13:38 [Alex Butler] Several years ago, we ran an experimental course where faculty from four different functional areas got together, all of whom were going to teach their discipline, but along the theme of decision-making. And so we had someone from one group who's going to think about decision-making in teams, one-person decision-making, as students as far as how personal-psychological biases affect your decisions. One person doing game theory and I doing decision-making with data, so I learned a few things in that, one of which was. What a great place to work where someone can have this bonkers idea of let's come at decision-making from four different ways, all of us with our own strange perspectives, and deliver that as a course to the students and have the administration be like, yeah, man, let's do that. That sounds awesome.What makes Rice special from an educator's perspective08:35: It comes down to A: the students, right? That is my interaction. Most of the time, they are phenomenal. They are here to learn, and they have that kind of hunger that's amazing. I really enjoy teaching in the MBA program because they come with so much work experience, and I learn something every single class that I teach. Hopefully, they learn a lot from me, but I am absolutely learning a lot from them each time, too. But we also have wonderful support and administration here, which is not always the case at every school. But we have the whole package, which is just a joy to work here.Show Links: TranscriptGuest Profiles:Lee Ann E. Butler | Rice Business Alexander Butler | Rice Business Racial Disparities in the Auto Loan Market | The Review of Financial Studies | Oxford Academic  Check out this episode featuring Professor Anastasia Zavyalova here: https://business.rice.edu/owlhaveyouknow/season-3-episode-10

In this episode, we welcome Shalini Yadav, a 2024 Executive MBA graduate and visionary leader in the field of synthetic biology. With over 22 years of research experience, including a decade in leadership, Shalini has a deep expertise in synthetic biology, immuno-oncology, and therapeutics. She now serves as the Executive Director of Rice's Synthetic Biology Institute, where she spearheads cutting-edge research, fosters interdisciplinary collaboration, and drives the institute's mission to unlock synthetic biology's transformative potential.Host Maya Pomroy '22 speaks with Shalini about her inspiring journey from growing up in Allahabad, India, to leading translational cancer research at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. Shalini reflects on how her early experiences with infectious diseases and her education, from New Delhi to Stony Brook University, shaped her passion for synthetic biology. She also shares her thoughts on the field's potential to revolutionize science and the critical role of integrating business strategy into scientific innovation.Episode Guide:02:39 Early Life and Education04:13 Challenges and Adventures in the US07:08 Groundbreaking Research and Discoveries10:00 Transition to Translational Research14:23 Journey to MD Anderson and Houston17:17 Why Pursue an MBA Now?27:16 Synthetic Biology: The Next Scientific Revolution37:48 Future Aspirations and ConclusionOwl Have You Know is a production of Rice Business and is produced by University FM.Episode Quotes:How a serendipitous opportunity brought Shalini to Houston14:09: [Maya Pomroy] So what brought you to Houston? Was it MD Anderson that brought you to Houston?14:35: [Shalini Yadav] When I got an opportunity, again grateful to the PCF Young Investigator Award that I got, this network of people that I met, and through that, I was able to connect with Dr. Allison, and it, again, serendipitously, happened that he, looking at my expertise and things that I had done, said, “Would you like to do this work, which is a lot of scientific management and administrative?” [15:06] I thought, okay, as long as I found it interesting and exciting, because, again, I was handling multiple stakeholders and trying to work with multiple pharmaceutical companies, different departments, different kinds of experts, working together with all of them to handle a scientific problem, which will actually help to learn something new. So that was very satisfying to do that.How an MBA gave Shalini a new perspective on impact32:42: I would like to say that scientists in general are passionate about what they do. It's the leap that you have to take that overcome, and your perspective changes after MBA. I never had this perspective. The way I understand things now are completely different than I would have done two years back. 33:18: So if community matters to you and if you're bothered by things around you, which you want to change and you think with this you cannot. I think taking that leap where you will learn things, which I think basically as a scientist, our training as graduate students, or even medical studies, we are taught to be very focused. So having to come out of that shell and embrace this bigger picture and having the strength to think about what impact I can have because if you understand both sides of it, what you can think of achieving, you won't get it if you are just on one side of things. The effect of bridging the gap between clinical and translational research and basic research11:35: When you bring diverse expertise together, the solutions that come out have way more value and are more impactful than what you can achieve alone. So bridging this gap was not something that I was looking for, but I serendipitously got into a position where I just did what was needed, which gave me a very different perspective of what scientific research can achieve in terms of, if you understand the problems which people are actually facing, then your solutions can be tailored, or you can design proposals to address those problems.Show Links: TranscriptGuest Profiles:Shalini Yadav | LinkedInRice Synthetic Biology Institute MD Anderson Cancer CenterYoung Investigator Awards | Prostate Cancer FoundationWorld Health Organization Catch our previous episode with Jillian Lebovitz Fink: "A Former Fourth-Grade Teacher Is Working to Ease Your Migraines." Listen now: https://business.rice.edu/owlhaveyouknow/season-3-episode-16

Why do American voters support divisive misinformation? That's the question driving our guests' latest research, and the focus of today's episode.Minjae Kim and Ezra Zuckerman Sivan are experts in sociology, and organizational behavior. In this episode, they dive into their latest collaboration, exploring moral flexibility and why some voters are drawn to divisive misinformation. Their new study, When Truth Trumps Facts: Studies on Partisan Moral Flexibility in American Politics, will be published in the American Journal of Sociology.Minjae is an Assistant Professor of Management at Rice Business and Ezra is the Alvin J. Siteman Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship at MIT Sloan. Together, they sit down with host Maya Pomroy '22 to unpack their findings. Listen as they discuss how personal truths can override objective facts and why misinformation often resonates so strongly with voters.Episode Guide: 01:40 Motivation to Pursue this Study on Moral Flexibility02:30 The Puzzle of Authenticity05:36 Insights From Their First Study Together11:43 Current Study Overview16:06 Truth vs. Fact34:30 Historical Context and Examples39:31 Minjae's Future Research Owl Have You Know is a production of Rice Business and is produced by University FM.Episode Quotes:A hope for more reflective politics38:42 [Maya]: What are your hopes of what your study... how it will help our society?38:49 [Ezra Zuckerman Sivan]: I hope it gets at least some self-reflection, that people are realizing that they're using different standards for themselves and for others. And actually, one of the things I hope is, like, this is just the beginning research for us. We hopefully have a lot of people build on our research. I see a lot of areas of application where people are using different standards in different ways. You can see it, I would say, in a lot of the tumult since October 7th on our campuses. People are using very different standards on each side of the divide, again holding the other side to much higher standards than they're holding themselves to in the statements that they're making. And so, my hope is that, somehow, we get to be a little more reflective about these things and apply those lessons and maybe take the temperature down in our politics because of that.On The Authentic Appeal of the Lying Demagogue06:37 [Minjae Kim]: I think one of the key things that we really wanted to focus on was that we started with a premise that not only do politicians spread misinformation on all sides of the spectrum, but also, people often, you know, recognize the possibility, very salient possibility, that politicians lie very often.So, there is literature in the political science talking about how it is actually very hard for politicians to appear authentic. So, one of the key things that we try to get at in that paper with the authentic appeal of the lying demagogue was essentially to identify a specific type of misinformation or specific type of lies that, you know, we label as lying demagoguery that would help that politician appear more authentic versus not under certain kinds of conditions.Economics is always shared goal06:37 [Minjae Kim]: Even if there is some kind of separation between the facts and truth that people recognize as, that if they can agree what, kind of, the goal that they should seek out for, then, you know, there might be... this divide might not necessarily be a hurdle. That said, we don't know if it is easier to arrive in the same goal or if it is easier to arrive at the same facts. We don't really know which one is easier. So, the prescription would have to depend a little bit on that. But, you know, the economic goal might be, kind of, one of them, so it could be, but yeah. 33:16 [Maya]: Economics is always a shared goal, you know. Like, let's bring it back to business. And that's true. It's the quality of life. It's the quality of life that you have.Despite divisions, American economy shows potential for growth30:15 [Ezra Zuckerman Sivan]: The American economy, is a place where Americans of all types meet each other, and do business with each other, do all kinds of creative, exciting things together. And it is quite robust. Now, it has challenges. But if you look at the state of the American economy, especially compared to, to the rest of the world, American economy is doing fantastically well. Now, that doesn't mean it doesn't have troubles. And now, I'm going to get into trouble a little bit because, [30:44] I think both on right and left, people are complaining about the economy. You ask most economists, you ask most business school professors, people seem to be complaining about the economy more than they should. So, we're back to a little bit of the, you know, gap between some kind of sense of truth and facts. And also, there are people who are really clearly suffering in this economy. But the American economy, and there was a great jobs report that came out just now, like, shows you that Americans, even despite our divide and our different narratives, at least about politics, can do great things together. And so, maybe that's a source of hope.Show Links: When Truth Trumps Facts: Studies on Partisan Moral Flexibility in American Politics | American Journal of SociologyFlexible morals: A key reason American voters support divisive misinformation | MIT SloanThe Authentic Appeal of the Lying Demagogue: Proclaiming the Deeper Truth about Political Illegitimacy - Oliver Hahl, Minjae Kim, Ezra W. Zuckerman Sivan, 2018Oliver Hahl Roberto Fernandez | MIT SloanHarry Frankfurt - WikipediaOn Bullshit by Harry FrankfurtThe Years of Lyndon Johnson Series by Robert CaroStrengthening Democracy ChallengeTranscriptGuest Profiles:Ezra W. Zuckerman Sivan | MIT SloanSociological Imaginaries - Ezra's SubstackEzra Zuckerman Sivan | Twitter / xMinjae Kim | Jones Graduate School of Business at Rice UniversityMinjae KimMinjae Kim (@minjaekim22) / X Listen to OWL entrep...

From Dubai to Houston, Pooja Talreja's journey is one of resilience, growth, and discovery. Her story is about more than just crossing continents—it's about breaking through personal and professional barriers to find her true passion.After a pivot from accounting to HR, Pooja is now the senior vice president of people at Ironclad Environmental Solutions, with 15 years of experience leading global teams in the oil and gas industry.In this episode, Pooja joins host Maya Pomroy '22 to share her experiences, from growing up in Dubai to navigating life in the U.S. and making bold career moves. She offers invaluable insights on the importance of lifelong learning and how to lead through corporate transformation.Episode Guide:00:39 Growing Up in Dubai01:40 Moving to the United States for College03:25 College Life and Career Beginnings05:30 Discovering a Passion for HR08:28 MBA Journey at Rice University17:56 Current Role and Leadership Insights27:51 Advice and ReflectionsOwl Have You Know is a production of Rice Business and is produced by University FM.Episode Quotes:How did Pooja landed in HR12:58 [Maya Pomroy]: So, was it while you were at Rice that HR spoke to you? Or people, the idea of inspiring and leading people?13:08  [Pooja Talreja]: 100%. It was one of the early classes, Organizational Behavior with Professor Brent Smith. I went to him and I said, "How do I do this? I need to do these things we're learning in these case studies with Southwest and everything that you talk about—motivating people, leading people—but impacting the business through that." And it was very simple what he said: "Have you considered HR?" And I said, "No, I always thought my next move would be adjacent to accounting, right, finance, or maybe something in operations. HR was not even on my radar." And that's why Brent and Rice overall was such a big part of where I landed with my career because it taught me that you can be good at something and still find your calling.Balancing compassion and compliance in HR21:29 [Maya Pomroy]: Maya: Do you feel that, that learning and growing is one of the most important things in terms of being a strong leader?21:35 [Pooja Talreja]: One off. Yes, absolutely. But I'll, I'll give you my favorites. For me, it's compassion. The way that I define HR is not your textbook HR. Really, I think of it as a Venn diagram. You've got your policies and compliance and legal things, but then you've got the other side, which is doing what's right for the people.And when you can find what can work for both, that's where HR comes in. That's where the magic happens. That's how you build the right level of engagement and loyalty and motivate people, is when you find doing what's right for the people, but doing it in a way that's still ethical within your policy, within the laws and regulations. So that's what I love about my job, is figuring out that sweet spot.The value of cohort experiences in the classroom17:05: I think that's why cohorts tend to become so close, right? The professor is teaching you so many different things, but to your point, there's an equal amount of learning from the people that are sitting in that class and their experiences and failures and all of that. It's just an overall fantastic experience. And I miss it. I love being in a classroom.Show Links: Brent Smith | Jones Graduate School of Business at Rice UniversityTranscriptGuest Profiles:Pooja Talreja | LinkedIn Who We Are - Ironclad Environmental Solutions  Check out this episode featuring Professor Anastasia Zavyalova here: https://business.rice.edu/owlhaveyouknow/season-3-episode-10

When it comes to alumni engagement, few Owls are as deeply connected as Tim Okabayashi. A proud Rice Business alum, Tim not only earned his MBA here but also served as president of the Rice Business Student Association, volunteered with the admissions office, and played a key role in the consulting club. In October 2020, Tim and fellow alum Karen Crofton '10 launched the Owl Have You Know podcast, bringing the vibrant stories of Rice alumni to life.Today, Tim is a consulting manager for SLB's end-to-end emissions solutions. His career has taken him from Kuala Lumpur, where he supported operations across Asia, to his current home in London, where he lives with his wife Casey and their two children.In this episode, host Maya Pomroy '22 — who shares not just a Rice connection but also a high school alma mater with Tim — catches up with him on his dynamic career, the power of the Rice alumni network, and his ongoing dedication to the school that shaped his journey. Tune in to hear about Tim's international experiences, his insights on the evolving energy sector, and how embracing failure is key to driving innovation.Episode Guide:00:55 High School Reunion and Rice Connection02:07 Choosing Rice for his MBA04:31 Engagement with the extensive Rice Alumni Network09:53 Launching this Podcast!16:27 Tim's Career Journey Post-Graduation18:32 International Assignments and Family Support20:26 The Future of Energy and SLB31:11 Personal Reflections and AdviceOwl Have You Know is a production of Rice Business and is produced by University FM.Episode Quotes:On the future of energy21:36: [Maya] What do you see for the future? You know, because we have energy transition, we've got so many exciting things on the horizon, also with AI and drilling technology, and clean energy. What are you the most excited about, of what's coming up in the next, I mean, five to seven years? 21:55: [Tim Okabayashi] I'm most excited about the continuation of that, of just the advancement of technology throughout the oil field and new energy, and alternative energy, and transition energy. Like at the heart of it, the research and development; technology development is really the key enabler. And it takes time to develop this technology, commercialize it, and then have adoption, right? And this process requires people. And yes, big data and AI can certainly assist, but at the heart of it, there's still this need for people and researchers and ideas and science.On the growing impact of Owl Have You Know podcast15:21: The opportunities to expand your reach virtually are pretty phenomenal these days. And, I think the Owl Have You Know platform is a great one that continues to grow and expand with the different programs and subject themes, and the interviews with the staff and academics and highlighting the research, I think it's incredible. I think there's a lot of room for how I'll have, you know, to become a really central part of Rice business as well as the business community.Tim's global perspectives in oil and gas19:59: [Maya] You've worked a lot in Asia and in the Asian market. What were some of the surprises and some of those aha moments while you were in Asia?20:07: [Tim Okabayashi] One of my biggest learnings was actually passed to me from a colleague. And at the time, I kind of brushed it off, but he said, like, "You know, Tim, the world is such a small term for such a large place." And I think often in times in oil and gas, we think of the natural resources, you know, crude or natural gas, as really being just commodities, and it's the same anywhere. But that's really not true. I mean, to a certain degree, it is by the chemistry, but then again, the methods and the people and the culture around the activities in different parts of the world can be uniquely different. And that is something that I had grown to have a great appreciation of when I moved abroad.Show Links: MBA Student Clubs - Rice BusinessConsulting Club – Career Development Office | Rice BusinessRice AllianceKaren Crofton | Jones Graduate School of Business at Rice UniversityTranscriptGuest Profiles:Tim Okabayashi | LinkedIn SLBMic Check | Jones Graduate School of Business at Rice University 

Interested in learning the key to a peaceful transition from military to civilian life? For many veterans, it's found in an unexpected place: beekeeping.Meet Steve Jimenez '22, a veteran and Rice Business alum, who discovered an unexpected passion when a friend introduced him to beekeeping. In 2018, this passion became a mission when he founded Hives for Heroes, a nonprofit that empowers veterans, active-duty military members, and first responders, by teaching them the art of beekeeping. This skill not only helps them adjust to civilian life but also provides a powerful way to manage post-traumatic stress.Today, Hives for Heroes has grown beyond Steve's wildest dreams, spanning all 50 states, with over 31,000 hives under their care. The best part? They're just getting started, with exciting plans for a new headquarters in Houston on the horizon.Join us as we dive into Steve's remarkable journey, and the rapid rise of Hives for Heroes.Episode Guide:01:17 Steve's Educational Background and Joining the Marine Corps03:16 Marine Corps Training and Deployment Experiences05:54 Transitioning to Civilian Life and Career Challenges09:40 Discovering Beekeeping and Founding Hives for Heroes15:08 Impact and Growth of Hives for Heroes20:57 The Hive Mentality21:10 A Life-Saving Connection: Derek's Story22:17 Joining Hives for Heroes: The Process22:42 Mentorship and Community Building25:13 Awards and Recognition: A Humble Perspective27:47 Scaling Up: The Need for Support32:14 Heroes Honey: The Sweet Taste of Freedom34:46 Future Vision: Connecting People, Nature, and Technology38:46 A Call for SupportOwl Have You Know is a production of Rice Business and is produced by University FM.Episode Quotes:On redefining his identity23:50: I used to call myself Steve the Marine. Now I'm Steve. That was in the Marines. There's a very different shift there that I love, like, I am now more so a father than a Marine. That's who I am, right? I care about my kids more than the Marine Corps at this point in my life. Doesn't mean I don't honor that service. It just means that I've moved forward. And that's a lot of growth for me personally. And I know we tend to put our identities into things. You get to choose that, so I choose to put that into my fatherhood or being a public servant that we're able to serve the general public in really amazing ways, leading what I consider one of the best organizations on the planet. Those are the types of things that when you take your identity and allow yourself to create your identity, your path, and your journey. It's a super-powerful experience.On Hives for Heroes' impact We never thought that the organization would have the reach and impact that it does today. I think our most important number has always been one. One meaning to serve one person in a capacity that changes their life. And we can do that whether that's a beekeeping experience or even a conversation. When you are around people that genuinely care about you and your successes but want nothing from you, it's a pretty powerful position to be in, especially when you feel alone. So, what our organization has been able to do is connect individuals to individuals in their local areas. So, we call it hyperlocal global impact because that's what we do.From chaos to calmness13:31: ​​When I started focusing into the beehive, this experience caused me to really remove every external thing that I was thinking about, anything that was going on at the house, anything with my kids, anything that was going on externally was gone. [13:58] You have this, what we now call chaos to calmness. So, this was the first time in almost 10 years that I actually felt peace. I felt calm in my spirit, in my soul, in my brain, however you want to describe it.Show Links: United States Marines Ark Hive ApiaryTexas Business Hall of FameHeroes HoneyTexas For HeroesLilie Lab | Rice UniversityKyle Judah | Jones Graduate School of Business at Rice UniversityNapier Rice Launch Challenge - Liu Idea Lab for Innovation & EntrepreneurshipAl Danto | Jones Graduate School of Business at Rice UniversityRice AlumniHouston Customer Innovation Center | HPETranscriptGuest Profiles:Hives For Heroes Hives for Heroes® (@hivesforheroes) • Instagram Hives for Heroes - YouTubeSteve Jimenez | LinkedIn 40 Under 40 honoree: Meet Steve Jimenez of Hives for Heroes - Houston Business Journal

Krissy White '23 caught the hospitality bug after graduating from Northeastern University in 2006. She put her undergraduate degree in public & organizational communications to work immediately by joining the front office team of the St. Regis Hotel in Fort Lauderdale, FL.Krissy spent the next eight years living and breathing the luxury hospitality life, working at Forbes 5 Star and AAA 5 Diamond distinguished properties. Later, she was promoted to progressively more challenging front-office leadership roles in Charlotte, NC, and Half Moon Bay, CA and Dubai.Since returning to Houston in 2014, Krissy has worked in operational and human resources at LegalEASE, where she has advanced to executive vice president of operations. In 2019, after realizing the market was missing a true French bakery, she and her husband, pastry chef Otto Sanchez, opened Magnol French Baking in Spring Branch, Houston. Krissy joins host Maya Pomroy '22 to talk about her singular career journey, from cutting her teeth in Dubai's hospitality industry to returning to Houston and pursuing her passion for pastries with her husband. Episode Guide: 00:39 Life After the Executive MBA02:06 Early Career in Hospitality04:10 Rising Through the Ranks08:54 A New Adventure in California11:15 International Experience in Dubai14:48 Returning Home and New Beginnings17:43 Starting Magnol French Baking27:10 Pursuing an MBA at Rice University33:16 Reflections and Advice for Future Rice students41:27 Future PlansOwl Have You Know is a production of Rice Business and is produced by University FM.Episode Quotes:On making the world a better place on a daily basis through Krissy's work16:51: I really wanted to like the common thread with the hospitality and Magnol, and all of the insurance company I've been working for since then. And to this day, I'm still working for now has been, I just, in my own way, want to help make the world a better place. And I would love to be able to feel like I'm doing that on a daily basis. Now, I'm in senior leadership, and so there's a little bit less connection with the actual member that we're helping, but it's still there. I'm able to make bigger differences on a larger scale and work with a pretty large team here—about a little over 100 team members. And then, of course, when I'm over at Magnol, being able to speak with the guests is, I mean, the best part.Krissy reflects on the most fulfilling part of the Rice Program[34:53]: Maya: In terms of the Rice program, what have been the most fulfilling parts of it for you? [35:01] Krissy: I mean, definitely the friendships that were formed with those that you really pour into and that others are willing and ready to pour into as well, from areas of the world that I never would have met otherwise. But also for me, the end of the program international trip, our class went to Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. That was a profound experience for me. On the pitfalls of perfectionism and taking risks[32:19] Krissy: I think for those who have a high performing or high potential or whatever term you want to use for people that like to try hard and accomplish things.[32:28]: Maya: Perfectionist?[32:31]: Krissy: Yeah. That there's this kind of—it's not a dark side, but it's not the most maybe healthier, positive thing that you start to think, well, maybe I just won't start something that I'm not totally guaranteed will be successful to the level of success that I hold dear. And so I just won't even start because I don't want to take that chance. And that's not the life worth living.Show Links: TranscriptGuest Profile:Krissy White | LinkedIn Magnol French BakingLegalEASE

Our guest is an Army veteran, a world-class boxer, a father, a strategic credit advisor at BP, and on top of all that, a Rice Business alum.DeRae Crane '22 was raised in Davenport, Iowa by a single father, and began boxing at the age of 9. He was awarded the Bart Stupak Scholarship to attend Northern Michigan University (NMU) for boxing, which is also home to the United States Olympic Education Center.DeRae and host Maya Pomroy '22 discuss DeRae's life story, including competing as an elite boxer for the U.S. Olympic Team Trials, serving in the Army, winning numerous national boxing titles, and coming out of retirement from boxing for another Olympic run.Episode Guide:01:55 Growing Up in Davenport, Iowa: A Boxer's Journey Begins04:49 The Science of Boxing: More Than Just a Sport08:05 College Years: From Walk-On to Team Captain17:11 The Olympic Dream: Trials and Triumphs22:09 Joining the Military: A New Chapter28:04 Reflecting on Mentorship and Lessons Learned28:29 Military Service and Boxing Ambitions29:52 Returning Home and Reconnecting with Family31:39 Adjusting to Civilian Life35:12 Pursuing an MBA and New Adventures37:43 Moving to Houston and Career Shifts39:25 Balancing Work, School, and Boxing45:16 Training for the 2024 Olympic Trials49:56 Words of Wisdom and Future AspirationsOwl Have You Know is a production of Rice Business and is produced by University FM.Episode Quotes:On DeRae's transition back from service 31:41: [Maya]: How was it adjusting back to civilian life? Was there, you know, sort of this process, or were you like, you know what, I'm back, I'm not going to think about it like the way that you've been, you know, up until this point of like, leaving that there, and I'm moving on over here, and this is now my focus. Or was there a time of transition for you? 32:03: [DeRae Crane]: I was aware. I became more aware that I am different now. There is no way to go downrange and come back the same. So I was aware of it, and I would catch myself getting upset about certain things that are, that's bothering someone else. But it wouldn't bother me because the way I see the world and how broad my purview is now. So yeah, that was. That's a journey, and I'm still on that journey today. You know, as I try to give people grace,  so yeah, I mean, you know, you just become more aware.Why DeRae held on to boxingWhy I was so ambitious is just because I grew up so poor. I don't want to be poor anymore. And boxing was my way out. It exposed me to different things in the world. So, for the first year, we travel around Iowa and then you start getting better, you're qualifying for regionals and you're moving on to nationals. I won my first national title at 11 years old and I was hooked. Mike Tyson says success begets success. Absolutely. Because once you experience that, you're, like, okay, I want to do this again. [07:19] Maya: Yeah, it's a fire. It's a fire that lights you up, right? Fire was lit. I held on to boxing and I did not let go, held onto it tight - tighter than a lot of my relationships, my friendships, as it was the thing that was the most rewarding, the most fulfilling. I could go put the work in and, you know, get the results back, get the benefits back. And it kept me out of trouble. So, that's always good. Kept me focused and disciplined.The importance of investing in a good business school52:37: I think folks, if they do, have the opportunity to go to business school. You know, go to the best business school that you can go to—the one where you feel like you'll grow there. Now, those are the ones where you're a little, you know, a little nervous, a little anxious being around those folks because you're on the other side, just like the depression in 2008, like on the other side. You're gonna be so much better. You have to stretch.What's next for DeRae?50:37: I do have other interests, and if you look at my resume for the last 15 years, like every two to three years, I'm in a different role. I'm doing something. So even in the military, like every two or three years, you're doing something different, something new. And that's continued on in my corporate career. And, you know, I'm actually in, like, that window where I'm looking for something new to do. And I want to pivot into something else. I currently, you know, I work in credit. It's been awesome. It was like a continuation of business school. But I may want to shift into something else, you know, here soon, you know, within the next probably three to six months. I'll be doing something different, something new, something I haven't done before.Show Links: TranscriptGuest Profiles:DeRae CraneDeRae Crane | LinkedInBP Check out this episode featuring Professor Anastasia Zavyalova here: https://business.rice.edu/owlhaveyouknow/season-3-episode-10

Mikki Hebl, an industrial organizational psychologist and the Martha and Henry Malcolm Lovett Chair of Psychology – Professor of Management at Rice University, has been studying workplace discrimination and diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) for 30 years, well before DEI became the widely discussed topic it is today.In March of this year, Mikki and Eden King, the Lynette S. Autrey Professor of Psychological Science at Rice, released a new book (Working Together: Practicing the Science of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion). In it, they outline the state-of-the-art science that makes the case for DEI and delve into effective strategies for individuals and organizations to foster more inclusive environments. Mikki chats with host Maya Pomroy ‘22 about her book, the subtleties of biases, and the importance of staying informed and aware of biases to make the world and workplaces fairer and more equitable for everyone. Episode Guide:00:17 From Pardeeville to Rice University: Dr. Hebl's Academic Path03:17 The Evolution of DEI05:03 Unveiling Subtle Discrimination08:32 Strategies Against Discrimination: Individual and Organizational Approaches13:07 Her new book Working Together16:37 How Current Political Climates Are Impacting DEI20:11 Understanding The Psychological Resistance to DEI25:44 College Admissions & DEI29:53 Exploring the Impact of Quotas: How Much Do They Really Do?37:19 The Importance of Tailoring DEI Initiatives to Organizational Needs42:15 The Science and Impact of Diversity Training50:41 Future Hopes for DEI Work and the Role of ScienceOwl Have You Know is a production of Rice Business and is produced by University FM.Episode Quotes:DEI spans beyond one group or issue; it's about shifting demographics18:18: The book [Working Together] is to get people to think about what DEI really is. It's about protection in the workplace for people who are 40 and older. Well, it turns out the realistic, like, imperative of our world is that it's very much changing. We're getting older. Women are entering the workforce. Women should be entering the workforce more, in my opinion, but the reason they don't is because we don't have family-friendly policies that allow them to have paid childcare, have paid family leave. We're not enabling our families.17:11: DEI is not going away. Whatever conversation, whatever words we want to use, DEI is here to stay, and it's here to stay because it is not this weaponized definition of just blacks or women who are getting rights that they shouldn't get. Why is diversity training important?43:13: Why do we want diversity training? Because diversity training is teaching us: What are the norms in this organization? How should we be treating people? What I like to say is, it's very similar to safety training. So, if you wanted to go to an organization and you said, I don't want to do safety training," I don't want to learn how to wear my hard hat. We would laugh at you. We would say you have to know the rules. You gotta, like, tie off. You gotta do these things. We don't want you to lose your hand in the wood chipper, okay? And so, the same thing is true of diversity training. It's trying to protect people.Show Links: Working Together: Practicing the Science of Diversity, Equity, and InclusionTranscriptGuest Profile:Dr. Mikki Hebl | Rice UniversityDr. Hebl's Personal Website

In this episode of Owl Have You Know, we explore the journey of Suman Khatiwada, from his roots in Nepal to becoming a trailblazing force in the chemical manufacturing industry.Suman is the co-founder, chief technology officer (CTO), and board director at Syzygy Plasmonics, focusing on using light-driven chemistry instead of combustion to power a cleaner, safer world. As CTO, he leads the technology team in developing, scaling up, and integrating the company's core technologies: photocatalysts and fully electrified chemical reactors. Suman earned his Ph.D. in materials science and nanoengineering from Rice University and his bachelor's degree in physics from Morgan State University.Suman joins host Scott Gale '19 to discuss his early interest in physics and how his passion evolved at Rice University. He highlights pivotal moments, like his transition from academia to entrepreneurship, forming his first company Big Delta Systems, and eventually starting Syzygy Plasmonics. Suman shares the challenges and rewards of scaling a startup, the importance of balancing personal and professional life, and his efforts to give back to his native Nepal through mentorship and support for local entrepreneurs. Episode Guide: 00:39 From Nepal to Nanotechnology: Suman's Educational Journey05:00 The Spark of Entrepreneurship at Rice University10:13 The Birth of Syzygy Plasmonics: A Revolutionary Tech Venture22:12 Navigating the Challenges of Commercializing University Technology29:34 Balancing Entrepreneurship with Personal Life36:25 Giving Back: Suman's Commitment to Nepal and BeyondOwl Have You Know is a production of Rice Business and is produced by University FM.Episode Quotes:Building a sustainable future with Syzygy Plasmonics09:38: Our aim with the company is to provide this technology and deploy it for many different market verticals, from production of hydrogen to production of sustainable aviation fuel, e-diesel, making butadiene for rubbers, making ethylene—all of those verticals—and start decarbonizing the way those chemicals, fuels, and fertilizers work. And it goes with the ethos that we cannot change the way we live anymore in this world; right, our way of life is now our way of life. So our technology, we believe, has a very sustainable pathway to still enjoy modern life that has been built with conventional petroleum products, these chemicals, fuels, and fertilizers. But in a more sustainable way, we don't have to lose our modern way of life.Building a sustainable future with Syzygy Plasmonics09:38: A lot of things that I find myself drawing on are the same things that are key to who I think I am as a person. Always being good with people, being eager about other people, learning from their experiences, relating to everyone equally—you never know who is going to help you in what way, whenever in life—so, being people-centric in my outlook on life. I learned from that early engagement during my graduate school, I think, still holds to this day, as we've now built a 120-person company.The impact of environment and opportunity in Suman's entrepreneurship journey15:32: So, I think your surroundings and the environment that you are in play a large role. You might want to do something, but being nudged and having access to certain things, I think, plays a big part. And Rice obviously does a really good job, and now, with the Ion and Liu Idea Lab, it's, I think, even better for someone within the Rice ecosystem wanting to be an entrepreneur and start companies.Show Links: TranscriptSyzygy Plasmonics Rice AllianceBig Delta Systems - BloombergRice Advanced Management ProgramRice Business Helps Nepal Develop Leaders The Great Nepali DiasporaGuest Profile:Suman Khatiwada | LinkedIn 

The topic of DEI is all over the news lately. But what are we talking about when we say “diversity, equity, and inclusion?” And why has it become such a charged topic? Joining us today to discuss these questions and more are Alex Byrd and Connie Porter. Since 2020, Alex Byrd has been the vice provost for diversity, equity and inclusion at Rice University. In that role, Alex provides high-level strategic leadership for diversity initiatives and coordinates offices across campus to help create a hub for all programs and efforts around diversity. Alex is also an associate professor of history. His area of expertise is Afro-America, especially Black life in the Atlantic world and the Jim Crow South. Connie Porter is the senior associate dean of the office for diversity, equity and inclusion at Rice Business and an associate clinical professor of marketing. As a member of the dean's senior leadership team, she strengthens the school's DEI efforts and broadens its community engagement. Connie joined Rice in 2011, and her research focuses on the value of fostering customer relationships in technology-enabled marketing environments.Alex and Connie sit down with host Scott Gale '19 to share what DEI means to them, why they believe DEI efforts are critical for universities and organizations to implement, what impact the 2019 Rice Task Force on Slavery, Segregation, and Racial Injustice has had on the university, and what kind of misconceptions persist when it comes to understanding this work.Episode Guide: 00:20 Defining Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion02:46 Alex Byrd's Perspective on DEI and its Historical Context05:05 Exploring the Landscape of DEI at Rice University08:51 Connie Porter on DEI Challenges and Progress at Rice Business11:47 Task Force on Slavery, Segregation, and Racial Injustice15:03 Addressing Misconceptions and the Importance of Allyship25:34 Collaborative Impact and Future Aspirations for DEIOwl Have You Know is a production of Rice Business and is produced by University FM.Episode Quotes:On the difference of equity and equality18:35: [Connie Porter]: This concept of equity is somehow thought to be robbing one group of something and giving it to another, fixing the game, controlling the outcomes, and all of these negative connotations. And as I suggested earlier, there's quite a bit of a difference between the concepts of equity and equality. And if we think about the role of justice in all of this and procedural justice versus distributive justice, if we think about procedural justice and process and due process and fair process and fair access and creating opportunities for every person to thrive, that doesn't necessarily mean that everyone is going to land equally in the same place, but we need an equal opportunity to do that, and I think people don't quite get the concept of equity and what it's trying to accomplish, and that it is not about keeping other people from getting something that they're due.Understanding difference before addressing it17:02 [Alex Byrd]: If you believe in universities, you need to pause and be very careful around people who are making arguments about DEI that want to control what people know and learn… [17:69] People want to turn away from understanding what's different about us, thinking that understanding what's different about us keeps us from uniting. You understand the difference so that you can address it, so you can work better together, and so that you can move more forthrightly into justice.What makes a true DEI ally?19:40 [Connie Porter]: I've come to realize in this first three years of my position in this role, the word ally is very powerful. It's one that people who are supportive of DEI want to be associated with. We encourage people to be, in fact, great allies. But I hear a lot of people self-anointing as an ally, and I just have to say that I find it really a misconception, a big one, that an ally is simply a morally good person who voices support for DEI or just doesn't stand in the way of it. An ally in a lot of the work that's being done in business around this is around the work of being a change agent within organizations. It's action-oriented. It's someone who is knowledgeable and action-oriented around that knowledge. Show Links: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion - Rice BusinessTask Force on Slavery, Segregation, and Racial InjusticeFinal Report - September 2023 | Task Force on Slavery, Segregation, and Racial Injustice | Rice UniversityW. Caleb McDaniel | Faculty | The People of RiceThe Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together by Heather McGheeTranscriptGuest Profile:Constance Elise Porter | Jones Graduate School of Business at Rice UniversityConstance "Connie" Porter | LinkedInAlexander Byrd | Faculty | The People of RiceAlexander Byrd | LinkedIn

We have plenty of Rice families in our history. When decades of grandparents to parents to children all came here and became owls. But we rarely have a mother and a daughter getting their PMBAs at the same time! While Misty and Alexis are currently enrolled here at the business school and on track to graduate this May, they are also co-owners of a family-owned and operated business! La Mer Macaron offers an assortment of homemade macarons for home delivery.Misty is the co-founder and CEO of La Mer Macaron. She spent most of her career as an independent petroleum landman for various companies in Texas, before pivoting to nursing in 202. In 2023, she left nursing and co-founded La Mer Macaron with her family. Alexis is the co-founder and vice president of La Mer Macaron. After years of working in public and behavioral health, Alexis eventually left those industries to pursue La Mer Macaron as well.Our host Maya Pomroy '22 catches up with this mother-daughter powerhouse to discuss their motivations, the challenges of balancing family life with education, the importance of collaboration, and the inception of their macaron business. The conversation highlights the support system within their family, their experience at Rice University, and their aspirations for the future.Episode Guide: 01:10 Alexis's Journey from Public Service to getting her MBA02:46 Misty's Career Pivot: From Oil and Gas to Nursing and Beyond04:43 The Decision to Pursue MBAs Together09:55 Launching La Mer Macaron: A Family Business19:58 The Impact of Rice Business and Future Plans27:40 Reflections on Family, Support, and SuccessOwl Have You Know is a production of Rice Business and is produced by University FM.Episode Quotes:On the intricacies of macaron making18:49 [Maya Pomroy]: When you're making macarons, take me through the process because I'm curious. They definitely have a shelf life, and they're just like perfection, right? When you get them, they melt in your mouth, and all that, and they seem like it'd be really hard to make.19:04 [Misty Fehler] They are very difficult to make. It's a lot of fun. So, I think that's the thing about that we like so much: that there's a challenge, and some of us are super challenge-driven, and then some of us are, you know, structure-driven. There's all, all of our personalities mix in, so we work really well together, by the way.How the Blue Launch program helped scaled their ideas for their business13:57 [Misty Fehler]: All the things that we learned in the MBA were very helpful to apply, and just backing up to the accelerator, why that was so amazing? Because everything we were learning in school, we were getting more of a specialized educational program catered just for that. So, we were learning a lot that we didn't know, which was the whole reason we wanted to do the MBA in the first place. So, it takes all of your ideas that you have to start a business and just trashes everything because you think that you can just go out and start a business, but it's not exactly like that if you want it to be successful. So, we started revamping. Okay, we've perfected making the macaron, but scaling up is incredibly hard. And we were mastering that when we started the Blue Launch program. It was very challenging, but it pushed us to actually put something into action, which we're so thankful for.On their plans for the future23:36 [Maya Pomroy]: So, what are your plans for the future of your business?23:42 [Alexis Weaver]: We're always looking for what the new innovative thing is. I think we all don't want to get too caught into just being a small business. We'd, like, to find a way to make it more innovative, as my mom was saying. And so, hopefully we can take everything we've learned.Show Links: TranscriptGuest Profile:Misty Fehler | LinkedIn Alexis Weaver | LinkedIn La Mer Macaron Rice Alliance

Eager to learn how organizations can innovate their way out of a crisis? You may be surprised that the key to this comes from an arts organization.Tune into a special live recording of our podcast, with John Mangum, the executive director/CEO of the Houston Symphony, and Scott Sonenshein, the Henry Gardiner Symonds Professor of Management – Organizational Behavior at Rice Business. During the pandemic, the performing arts faced an especially grave challenge beyond the shared difficulties with other industries: an existential crisis over the relevance of arts in times of extreme hardship. Professor Scott Sonenshein, a New York Times bestselling author and expert on how employees can create organizational, social and personal change, led a multi-year study of two prominent orchestras (including the Houston Symphony), resulting in a surprising insight with far-reaching applications. Resourcefulness is not just helpful for surviving adversity. It's a strategic framework that enables organizations to become better versions of themselves.In this conversation, John and Scott reflect on how the Houston Symphony transformed their operations and performance delivery during the pandemic, and how business leaders facing disruptions can benefit from critical changes Scott's research uncovered.Following their conversation, musicians from the Houston Symphony perform Fanny Mendelssohn's String Quartet in E-flat major, illustrating the Symphony's commitment to diversity and exploration in music. Musicians:MuChen Hsieh '17, violinAmy Semes '19, violinWei Jiang, violaJeremy Kreutz '20, celloEpisode Guide: 00:36 Exploring resilience and innovation at the Houston Symphony05:16 Deep dive into Scott Sonenshein's research on organizational change10:42 The Houston Symphony's pandemic response and innovation26:30 Leadership, trust, and the future of the Houston Symphony37:26 Closing remarks40:16 Fanny Mendelssohn's String Quartet in E-flat major Owl Have You Know is a production of Rice Business and is produced by University FM.Episode Quotes:What made the Houston Symphony shine during the pandemic?15:48 [Scott Sonenshein]: When you got to see an organization that was relentless in determining to keep playing and keep the music going no matter what form that looked like, you saw a lot of innovation and creativity in finding ways not to just put online what they were doing before but to really reinvent what they were doing so it would be suitable for the format that they could play in. And that's why you saw a lot of the Zoom symphonies and the little boxes, but what the Houston Symphony did was bring musicians into the homes of their audience. And that created a lot of new experiences for their audience. What has the pandemic taught the the Houston Symphony are taking forward for the years to come?36:51 [John Mangum]:  [Music] It's one of the few spaces where you can go and really unplug and just be alone, and that is rare these days. And I think that the symphony is going to continue to scale great artistic heights and commission new works and support young composers and reflect the diversity and energy of our community.How did the pandemic pushed for the Houston symphony to think outside the box21:30 [John Mangum] Even when we had our largest possible audience during that pandemic season, there were only about 400 or 450 people in Jones Hall, which at the time sat 2,900. That was because households had to sit together and then be a certain distance from anyone who wasn't in their household—back to this bubble idea. We weren't under pressure to sell tickets, so that gave us the ability to program whatever we wanted. You didn't have to do a certain number of Beethoven symphonies, or Star Wars in concert, or the kind of things that sell tickets. So we could really explore all kinds of repertoire.Show Links: To Adapt During Crisis, Take a Lesson From JazzHouston SymphonyTranscriptGuest Profiles:John Mangum | LinkedInScott Sonenshein | LinkedInScott Sonenshein | Jones Graduate School of Business at Rice UniversityScott Sonenshein

For Adrian and Klaus Trömel, getting an MBA from Rice Business was a family affair. Klaus Trömel served as the secretary general of the European Investment Bank (EIB) until his retirement in March 2018. He began his career as an analyst at Hewlett-Packard's European headquarters in Geneva before working as a trade and pre-export finance officer.Adrian was named the assistant vice president for strategy and investments for Rice University's Office of Innovation in August 2023. In this role, Adrian supports the design and integration of commercialization structures, resources and initiatives across the university to support early-stage inventors and entrepreneurs. The father and son duo join host Scott Gale '19 to delve into their careers rooted in problem-solving, their decades-spanning relationship with Rice Business, personal anecdotes, and how an entrepreneurial mindset propelled them both forward. Episode Guide: 00:42 Klaus' Journey to Rice Business and Early Career04:17 Klaus's Career at the European Investment Bank12:28 Adrian's Path to Rice Business17:53 Adrian's Perspective on Entrepreneurship25:00 Adrian's Role at Rice's Office of Innovation29:46 Reflections on Adrian's Upbringing and Career PathOwl Have You Know is a production of Rice Business and is produced by University FM.Episode Quotes:Entrepreneurship as a key to success42:34 [Adrian Trömel]: Without having an understanding of entrepreneurship, I don't think you can necessarily be at the top of your game in that role, either. And so, finding a place where you can understand—in my case, at the time I thought I wanted to do commercialization—and whether that was big or small, I realize that field of study is entrepreneurship. Finding a place to study that entrepreneurship, to be able to decide whether you want to run an individual initiative, run multiple initiatives, or be able to evaluate those to be able to finance them is where I think finding a place to properly study entrepreneurship makes sense because you can apply those principles anywhere in life.Entrepreneurship is the discipline of being taught23:00: [Adrian Trömel] Entrepreneurship is being taught the discipline of evaluating risks, and it's the discipline of being taught to make holistic considerationsWhat challenges does the Office of Innovation face?27:32: [Adrian Trömel] [In] starting a company, you don't just need classes, and you don't just need a lab. You need a bunch of other things: spaces to work, money to do things with, and the ability to find talent. These are the challenges we're working through at the Office of Innovation—figuring out how to fill those resource gaps, how to provide assets to our community. So, when the next PhD student comes up with a new way to generate green hydrogen, a new method to remove PFAS from water efficiently, a new approach to produce carbon nanotubes and turn them into a valuable product, or a new medical device, they're not going out and trying to figure everything out themselves again. They have everything in a centralized location; they know where to work, find mentorship, seek advice, and secure funding.Show Links: TranscriptGuest Profile:Adrian Trömel | Staff | The People of RiceAdrian Trömel - Rice Business - Jones Graduate School of Business - Austin, Texas, United States | LinkedInAdrian Trömel joins Rice Office of Innovation as assistant vice president for strategy, investments Financing Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation: The Role of the European Investment Bank 

From an early age, Ashley Henry was interested in beauty. Despite getting her bachelor's degree in chemistry and working for the CDC in epidemiology, her childhood dreams never faded.After her stint in public health, Ashley went on to work as a hairstylist before getting her MBA and fully committing to beauty and luxury goods. Ashley is now the global product development manager at Fresh (an LVMH brand) in New York City. She accomplished her goal post-graduation from Rice in 2022, becoming one of the first alums to enter the luxury goods space.Ashley joins host Maya Pomroy '22 to share her journey from a science-focused career path to the beauty industry. She talks about pursuing an MBA to pivot careers, encourages others to pursue unconventional paths with their MBAs, and imparts an important lesson: closed mouths don't get fed.Episode Guide: 00:41 Ashley's Unique Background and Pivot Story01:55 Family Background and Early Interest in Beauty and Fashion04:40 The Journey to Medical School and a Shift in Direction06:27 Career Options with a Chemistry Major and a Passion for Beauty07:49 A Career in Public Health: From CDC to Quarantine Officer12:31 The Pivot to Beauty Industry: A Journey of Entrepreneurship14:49 The Decision to Pursue an MBA at Rice Business18:04 Reflecting on the Impact of Rice Business School18:31 Finding Her Role in the Beauty Industry19:57 The Journey to LVMH and Fresh Beauty27:16 The Power of Storytelling and Networking31:49 Future Aspirations and Advice for Aspiring ProfessionalsOwl Have You Know is a production of Rice Business and is produced by University FM.Episode Quotes:The power of storytelling in business school and beyond27:27: The number one thing that business school taught me was the power and importance of telling your story in a way that resonates with people. Pay attention in Janet's classes, pay attention in comms, pay attention and leverage those things, and think about your story. Think about the transferable skills. Think about how you can connect the dots in a way that resonates with your audience. So, I went into those interviews with these beauty brands knowing how I was able to transition from pre-med, chemistry, public health, hair care entrepreneur into where I was going, and I was able to draw that through line for them and paint that picture for them. So the power of storytelling and your pitch is a story, right? It's a short story, but it's a story. And when you're in an interview, it's a story. It's your opportunity to tell about yourself and your journey and to connect with the person across from you. This was an important skill that I learned in business school that I still leverage every single day.20:52: Business school is a time for you to explore and figure out what you want to do, especially if you want to transition and if you're a career switcher.Closed mouth don't get fed29:52: You have to ask for what you want in this life. No one's going to know what you want if you don't speak up for yourself, and you're going to suffer if you just swallow all of those things and take what you're given in life.The clarity is the work that you have to do within yourself to understand, “What exactly do I want?”How Rice helped Ashley in embracing authentic networking04:19:  Business school gave me the opportunity to get my reps in on talking to people. Because I used to think networking was such a superficial, artificial thing. I'm like, "Oh, you're only talking to someone because you want something from them." But in business school, you have to break out of that quickly. And you had to be able to see someone, go, talk to them, and tell your story in a way that would grab their attention and be able to add value to them.Show Links: TranscriptGuest Profile:Ashley Henry | LinkedIn LVMHFreshRice Business - Meet Ashley Henry, MBA '22 

Brian Jackson is an expert when it comes to challenging himself in unchartered waters.Brian is the manager of renewables origination at TransAlta Corporation, where he oversees the company's renewable energy power purchase agreement origination activities in the United States. Brian has a well-rounded roster of degrees from Texas institutions, beginning with a  BS in political science from Texas A&M University, a JD from South Texas College of Law Houston, and an MBA from Rice University.But before transitioning to the renewable energy industry, Brian worked in the oil and gas sector as both a landman and a lawyer. Additionally, he has taken on entrepreneurial roles in business investing and prospecting, utilizing his diverse skill set and experience to identify new opportunities in the market.The new Rice Business alumni board president joins host Maya Pomroy '22 to tell us about the importance of finding a job that fits your values, figuring out one's identity, and how the adversity he has faced was a blessing in disguise, serving as a gateway for his personal and professional growth.Episode Guide: 00:05 Brian's Early Life and Career Journey01:56 Experience in the Online MBA Program03:09 Global Upbringing and Cultural Experiences11:22 Brian's Transition from Law to Renewable Energy13:42 Challenges and Growth in the Legal Profession17:42 Brian's Reflections on Diversity and Inclusion25:24 Role as President of the Rice Business Alumni Board25:24 Future Goals and AspirationsOwl Have You Know is a production of Rice Business and is produced by University FM.Episode Quotes:What did Brian learn throughout his job-searching experience?13:42: When you're searching for a job from a position of just necessity, it's so different. The questions you ask, the values you're looking for — kind of this idea of mentorship and growth — maybe are kind of all put on the back burner because you're just looking for a paycheck. And so that's where I ended up, kind of in a safe harbor. Maybe not the best fit, and having had that experience, now when I look at a role or, let's say, recently when joining TransAlta, it changed the questions I asked in the interview. It changed really what I was focusing on and the indications I was looking for because of that experience, right? But you don't know to look for those things or to ask those questions, I think, unless you've had that exposure.Speaking from experience is bridge to understanding19:30: The best thing I can do is be vocal and wear my heart on my sleeve and say, "Hey, this is what happened to me. I'm sitting at this table and here to work with you because I'm coming from this place of experience."What drove Brian to be part of an online program even after post-MBA?24:35: I think the online program, what's so cool about it, is that everyone's still typically working. So, they all come from this different background where you're hearing not only about what's going on personally but in their careers at the same time. Everyone's backgrounds were so diverse professionally. And now, seeing where they've all filtered off and where they've gone is just even more fun."Show Links: TranscriptGuest Profile:Brian Jackson - Rice BusinessRice Business Alumni Association BoardBrian Jackson - LinkedIn TransAlta 

Looking at T. Canady Barton's resume, she has some of the biggest company names on the list. After a few years doing chemical engineering, oil and gas, T. pivoted to consulting, tech and entrepreneurship for the bulk of her career. In 2014, she moved to the U.K., where she was the vice president of portfolio management, digital strategy and transformation for Garner. From 2006-2018, she was a founding member and CEO of ThinkPower, Inc., a boutique consultancy focused on driving positive disruption and game-changing results via strategic execution and operational excellence. She joined Google in 2020 as the customer experience and innovation leader for Google Cloud Consulting and was previously head of strategy and operations for YouTube marketing. Now, she's following her own entrepreneurial path with BlackBoxx, redefining care packages and gift-giving!Host Scott Gale sits down with T. to chat all about prioritizing joy and passion in her career, the satisfaction of entrepreneurship, and shifting focus to what her personal and professional legacies will be.Episode Guide:00:28 Journey from Engineer to Entrepreneur01:07 Choosing Chemical Engineering02:40 First Job and Early Career03:58 Transition to ExxonMobil05:33 Exploring Entrepreneurship10:33 Fundamental Principles of Disruption12:46 Rice MBA Experience15:04 Entrepreneurial Journey27:56 Building a Legacy29:07 Final Thoughts and AdviceOwl Have You Know is a production of Rice Business and is produced by University FM.Episode Quotes:It's all about the people, not the formula10:31: [Scott Gale] What are some of the fundamental principles of disruption, in your view, from your learnings? Just curious around the commonalities in that—things to look out for when you're trying to disrupt a big incumbent. 10:43: [T. Canady Braton] Well, I'll say loud and clear that nobody has it figured out. Nobody has to figure that there's not some magic wand. There's not some special formula. Everybody's trying to figure it out in their own way. And the common thread that people get to or should get to is that we're still in the people business, no matter what business you're in—the people business. And if it doesn't matter how great your idea is, it doesn't matter how much money you're going to make. If people can't understand it, and people don't buy into it, and they don't understand how to use it, it doesn't matter. So our job as technologists, our job as business leaders, is to make it easy to understand, to simplify the process, to make it easy for them to explain to their team so it trickles down. If we don't do that, it really doesn't matter. It's not going to go very far. 11:48: Your idea can be brilliant, but implementation matters. Adoption matters. And how do you get that, right? It's not just talking to the C-suite. Of course, you need their buy-in. You need them to validate and adopt it themselves. But you have to get to the heart of the people in any organization. You got to go to every single level of that organization and make sure people are clear that they're bought in. They understand it. And you're moving whatever roadblocks you have to do it. You have to stay scrappy. You have to have grit; if you really want to make it happen, you have to show passion.T's view of entrepreneurship shaped her as an entrepreneur15:14: I saw entrepreneurship around me. It wasn't necessarily successful entrepreneurship, but I did see entrepreneurship, and I saw the reward of building something your own, even if it didn't always net the result you were hoping for, even if it didn't lead to insane riches. I saw the satisfaction of building something with your own hands, right? Whether it was a lawn service, a dealership, or a retail store. And that fire is just something special.Why T is driven by significance in doing something big08:09: I think my biggest driver was just to do something big. Like, you need to do something. And I've said before that my only fear in life has ever been really mediocrity. And I just knew that whatever I did, it needed to be significant. I don't show up to hold space and just take up space and not do anything with it. And so that was my motivator.Show Links:TranscriptGuest Profile:T. Canady Barton - LinkedInBlackBoxx Unlimited, Inc.TD Jakes Foundation

Rice Business is known for producing top industry leaders and 2016 full-time MBA graduate, Erika Kwee is no exception. Erika Kwee is the creator, photographer and writer behind The Pancake Princess, where her colorful, mouthwatering “bake-off” blog compares popular baking recipes side-by-side to help readers and aspiring bakers find recipes that are just right for their tastes and skill levels. Erika spent years building her blog at night while working a tech job by day. As a self-taught baker, Erika has staged under Michelin Pastry Chef of the Year winner, Kelly Nam, at the Michelin-starred Joomak Banjum. In 2019, the blog won Reader's Choice for Best Baking and Sweets from Saveur Magazine and in 2021, Erika was selected as one of Southern Living's Cooks of the Year.She sits down with host Maya Pomroy '22, and shares her journey from English major to baker, her favorite bakes, and how Rice Business was a key ingredient for her career in entrepreneurship. Episode Guide:00:19 The Birth of The Pancake Princess01:28 Erica's Early Interest in Baking02:52 The Evolution of The Pancake Princess Blog07:18 Erica's Journey to Houston & Rice09:58 The Impact of her MBA on Erica's Career12:01 Transition to New York12:13 Erica's Experience with Michelin Pastry Chef15:53 The Art of Baking and Blogging24:42 Erica's Future Goals and AspirationsOwl Have You Know is a production of Rice Business and is produced by University FM.Episode Quotes:In an era where everyone shares content, how can you make yours stand out?15:42: So if somebody's thinking about starting a blog, how do you start? And how do you generate that buzz and that following and that energy, and how would you start doing that?15:57: I think starting a blog today would sound very intimidating to me because the environment just seems so saturated. People are starting blogs, Instagram accounts, and TikTok accounts every day, and lots of people are having great success. So I think it's really about thinking about what you're super passionate about, like what is going to keep driving you to, like, do it consistently, really light that fire, because it's easy to write a few posts and then fall off because, like, maybe you're not that excited about the topic. But then, thinking about the unique value or point of view that you're bringing to the table, what sets you apart? Why would someone want to follow you versus any of the other millions of bloggers out there?An advice on branding19:43: Branding is thinking about what you stand for, what you're interested in, and what you hope that people will take away from it, and just letting that kind of shine through in everything that you do.How did Erika's MBA experience influence her approach to blogging?10:25: MBA programs is all about networking, and so that has carried over into the food blogging space as well, because New York is a hub for tons of food bloggers, restaurant bloggers, content creators, and people in all types of food. I think that being able to build a network here has helped for my own mental health as well as building these connections for this very diverse career that I now have of all these different income streams that are coming in. And everyone is always giving me, like, new ideas on what to try. So that's one of the marketing courses that I took in the MBA also helped. When I think about how I'm trying to deliver value to my blog readers and the people who are consuming my content, I'm thinking about how to target, like who am I trying to serve, what their needs are, and how I can best serve them. So a lot of that, the marketing frameworks that I learned in the MBA have helped.Show Links: TranscriptFood Blogger Pro@joannebchang • Instagram photos and videosSmitten Kitchenhttps://cravecupcakes.com/Recipe for Success FoundationGuest Profile:Erika Kwee LinkedInErika | NYC content creator (@thepancakeprincess) • Instagram photos and videos About - The Pancake Princess 

Diana Khandilyan is an energy industry expert who dedicated more than 20 years to the international oil and gas exploration industry, focusing on emerging technologies, process optimization and corporate sustainability. The energy transition motivated her to pursue an MBA degree from Rice Business to explore the business viability of emerging trends, followed by immersion in clean-energy technologies.The geophysicist and energy transition advocate joins host Maya Pomroy '22 to discuss her 20+ years in the international oil and gas industry and her transition to the renewable energy space.The 2023 Rising Star Award winner talks about growing up in Armenia and Russia. She also dives into her newest position and the integral role Rice Business has played, and continues to play, in her life and career.Episode Guide: 01:01 Discussing the Impact of COVID-19 on Graduation02:05 Diana's Background and Career06:25 Understanding the Role of Women in STEM09:10 Diana's Journey in Energy Transition10:45 The Decision to Pursue an MBA at Rice14:23 The Impact of the MBA on Diana's Career20:04 Discussing the Current Landscape of Energy Transition22:09 The Role of AI in Energy Transition25:38 The Goal of Net Zero Emissions by 205027:23 Future Career Goals28:20 Advice for Prospective MBA StudentsOwl Have You Know is a production of Rice Business and is produced by University FM.Episode Quotes:Time is an investment in the energy industry[09:59]: Several interesting conversations we had during the class with our guest speakers, with our overall, the macroeconomic overviews, that made me understand the trend towards energy source diversification. And if that is happening, then inevitably there will be new opportunities where investment will be going instead of coming to oil and gas.So, it was driven by old follow the money situation. And if the investors are thinking and investing in sustainable projects, in green energy, or any other options rather than oil and gas, then probably this is where I need to be.Excellence in expertise requires industry and world awareness09:39: It doesn't matter how good you are at what you do. You need to understand what is happening across the industry and what is happening in the world, as well. Geoscience is not limited13:28: Geoscience is not limited. It's not just we are so technical we can do one thing. We can actually do many, many things. This would be probably if any other prospective student's thinking about changing their profession, thinking that they are very technical, as I was thinking before. You are not. Please don't be discouraged. You will learn ninety-nine percent of things you will learn is new, but the application of the things that you will learn, you are doing today. So, this will just help you and expand your horizons, but it will not be completely pushing you towards the unknown. So, don't be discouraged.On being a woman in the STEM industry16:32: I never felt like, because of the woman, I could not do something. It's never, never on my radar. And maybe because I didn't think that the people around me who I work with didn't think that either. I was just able to filter out whatever would be offensive or sensible for other people. You just learn to do that, and push forward.Show Links: TranscriptGuest Profile:Diana Khandilyan | Jones Graduate School of Business at Rice University Diana Khandilyan LinkedIn 

Conventional wisdom says that conflict and dissent among an organization's top leaders can improve strategy and performance. But new research indicates the opposite is true. In fact, dissent at the top often damages working relationships, communication and decision quality. In this episode of Owl Have You Know, Daan van Knippenberg joins host Scott Gale '19 to talk about his research on conflict in leadership. It turns out there is little evidence to support the idea that outcomes improve when leaders disagree on strategy. He explains what CEOs and leaders can do to foster open and constructive dialogue on strategy, even when viewpoints differ. He discusses his transition from the Netherlands to the U.S. and the cultural differences he's noticed between the two countries. He also shares his research on the value of diversity in team decision-making and his passion for developing equity and inclusion practices.Episode Guide: 00:33 Journey into Organizational Behavior03:04 Transition from the Netherlands to the U.S.04:18 Comparing Student Bodies: Rotterdam vs. Pennsylvania10:59 The Decision to Move to Rice University16:53 Deep Dive into Strategic Conflict Research30:30 Recognizing and Engaging with Diversity Perspectives31:41 The Role of Conflict in Team Dynamics32:13 The Subjective Experience of Conflict33:46 The Misconception of Constructive Conflict36:10 The Impact of Conflict on Team Performance44:15 Strategies for Avoiding Oppositional Stances46:06 The Importance of Shared Mental Models52:45 The Impact of Remote Work on Team Dynamics56:22 The Disconnect Between DEI Practices and Team Diversity ResearchOwl Have You Know is a production of Rice Business and is produced by University FM.Episode Quotes:You cannot make conflict go away by denying it23:58: There is conflict when you experience that somebody else is getting in the way of what you're trying to achieve. One of the things it means is that you feel that we have a conflict. I cannot make the conflict go away by denying it.On the value of diversity09:43: The notion that there is value in diversity is based on the idea that if people have different perspectives, you can benefit from the diversity of perspectives. It makes you understand things better. It can make you more creative and can make you make better decisions. It can prevent you from blind spots in your decision-making, et cetera.Show Links: TranscriptGuest Profile:Daan van Knippenberg | LinkedInDaan van Knippenberg | Jones Graduate School of Business at Rice UniversityDaan van Knippenberg - Google Scholar

Rice grads end up all over the world, and Dymphna van der Lans is no exception. Dymphna has worked and lived in China, India, and Kenya and engaged with island nations in the Caribbean and the Indian and Pacific Oceans to support their transition away from polluting diesel fuels to renewable sources of energy. Dymphna brings more than 25 years of experience managing and leading global development, energy, and climate initiatives in the nonprofit and private sectors. She is currently the chief executive officer of the Clean Cooking Alliance, and recently led international corporate engagement with the World Wildlife Fund's Climate & Energy team.She sits down with host Scott Gale '19 to unpack her impressive career, her experience working internationally, developing an early appreciation for the Chinese language and culture, and her passion for the energy transition and climate initiatives.Episode Guide:00:56 Dymphna's Early Life and Education04:55 Dymphna's Journey to China14:24 Career Path and Mentorship16:38 Focus on Renewables and Alternative Energy18:42 Dymphna's Role in the Clinton Climate Initiative20:24 Journey to Working with a Former U.S. President20:49 The Future of Energy: Opportunities and Challenges20:49 The Importance of Diverse Energy Solutions22:01 The Role of Renewable Energy in Corporate Operations23:28 Addressing Energy Challenges in Island Nations25:08 The Mission of the Clean Cooking Alliance27:53 The Future of Clean Cooking and Energy Systems29:31 Predictions for China's Role in Global Energy31:12 Advice for Prospective Rice Business StudentsOwl Have You Know is a production of Rice Business and is produced by University FM.Episode Quotes:26:01: My organization [Clean Cooking Alliance], we're about 50 people. We work with a whole bunch of different partners to make sure that countries in the Global South are thinking about how they're transitioning to access to clean cooking. We're already providing these solutions to help them continue to grow. We work with the governments directly. We work with, sort of, adjacent ecosystems to help them think about what it means to have access to clean cooking and how you think about clean cooking projects. It's fantastic work. It gets ignored all too often because for people, it doesn't feel like an energy issue. It's a household issue. It mostly impacts women. So, it often gets overlooked. And my job is to make sure it doesn't and it gets funding.On being comfortable with  different cultures and working in different countries10:02: I've just realized that I enjoy figuring stuff out and finding myself in new places, just like trying to really quickly understand how the system works, how people work, and how I operate most effectively and efficiently in a different context that is not my own. And I'm very comfortable doing that.Finding power in peer mentoring conversations15:43: I found the real true power and honesty to be in those peer mentoring conversations. And when you do those, be explicit about it; this is not just like a friend or friends talking about something over a coffee. It is actually a fundamental question that you're wanting other people to filter back to you or mirror back to you that maybe hindering you in your projection or your ability to execute or balancing your life as a mother has always been a big question for me as well. And for a long time, I was raising my daughter by myself. So those conversations are so important. And I would encourage anybody to seek those out and be really thoughtful about them, ask good questions, and really listen and reflect back on what that means for you and in a position of leadership.On Dymphna's Rice experience13:24: There's a thing about trusting your instincts and your gut, and my ability to sense what's happening in a room and in the system. Like I had the language to apply that to different situations that I didn't have before. I always had the feeling that I was understanding it, but I never had the language to actually articulate what I was seeing or even articulate a vision for how to work through things.Show Links: TranscriptGuest Profile:Dymphna van der Lans - UN Foundation//Chief Executive Officer Clean Cooking Alliance Dymphna van der Lans | unfoundation.org 

Keri Sprung '22 is the vice president for education and director of the Women's Center at the Texas Heart Institute. She provides strategic direction to the physicians and scientists leading innovative research, education, and clinical programs at the Institute in partnership with regional, national, and international collaborators.During her studies at Rice, she served as the class representative, co-chair of the Rice Business Association for Executives, and a Rice Business Board Fellow for Children At Risk, a non-profit that serves as a catalyst for change to improve the quality of life for children through strategic research, and advocacy. Upon graduating from Rice Business, she was honored with the M.A. “Mike” Wright Award, the top leadership award. Host Maya Pomroy catches up with her friend and fellow '22 alum in this episode. Listen as they chat about their unforgettable Executive MBA cohort days, Keri's passion for healthcare and innovation, and the importance of finding good mentors. Owl Have You Know is a production of Rice Business and is produced by University FM.Episode Quotes:Cultivating growth with the Rice executive program19:25 - One of the shining parts of the Rice Program executive program is the leadership component, the leadership track. And I didn't even realize how committed Rice was to making sure this leadership and personal growth component was interlaced into really the entire journey of the 22 months. And so I grew as a leader. Not just from the material we were learning, but I think the interactions with our cohort and with our deans and professors. For me, I work in a medical community, and most of the leaders I'm around are doctors and scientists. So, it was really helpful for me to step out of the healthcare setting and to be around everybody who was a leader going into this program already but working on the different areas of their leadership. And it was really nice to learn from one another.What's next for Keri?29:38 - I wanted to make sure that I didn't just graduate and go back to my old ways. And so I've been mindful that I didn't expect to do this, but I started to engage with a startup nonprofit. One of the things I wanted to do was work with startups because I have a 360-degree view of innovation in medicine.The need for trust in Cohorts24:11 - The reality of business is that you're not doing this alone. Once you get to this level, you're not going to be a good leader if you can't motivate and work with different teams and disciplines.Embracing pivoting 5:28 - I realized that I embraced pivoting before pivoting was a trend post-COVID. So I decided to pivot, take my one exit from medicine, and go try to do some work in the real estate industry.Show Links:TranscriptGuest Profile:Keri Sprung - Texas Heart InstituteKeri Sprung - Rice BusinessKeri Sprung - Rice Business, Student FeatureKeri Sprung - LinkedIn

Many of us have probably had that moment – where you quit one job because you found your “dream” job. But that second place wasn't everything you thought it would be. So what comes after that? Wendy Fong decided to start her own company to fulfill her search, and to help others with theirs.Wendy is a business coach and talent optimizer, with a passion for building dream teams and developing their leaders. She is the founder and principal of Chief Gigs, which offers leadership and team development, organizational consulting, and search. Chief Gigs helps businesses and the people within them achieve optimum performance and thrive in a dynamic and diverse world.She chats with host Maya Pomroy '22 about her pivot from the corporate world to entrepreneurship, the ongoing strength of the Rice network, building great teams, her passion for fighting human trafficking and her dream of one day opening a nonprofit in Cambodia.Owl Have You Know is a production of Rice Business and is produced by University FM.Episode Quotes:Embracing diversity and self-awareness for optimal performance [10:27] Maya: What's something that often goes overlooked when it comes to optimizing team performance that you have found?[10:34] Wendy: Interestingly enough, people's biases are so strong even though they don't know it. People tend to hire others who are like them. And so, sometimes I found entire teams all centered around one quadrant. So, you can plot people based on your answers into the world of work. And everybody is in the same quadrant with the same strength, but also the same, you know-[11:04] Maya: Weaknesses. Yeah.[11:04] Wendy: ...caution areas, right? And so, I think the most important thing is for people to be self-aware, so they can say, "Okay, I know this other person might not be the person when I interviewed them we just are BFFs right away, and we hit it off, and maybe the conversation was a little awkward. But the reason that is, is because they are the opposite for me." And...[11:31] Maya: Different perspectives.[11:32] Wendy: Exactly, and I need that. And for leaders to understand, if you need that, you have to be able to work with different people with different work styles.When Wendy realized that her true passion is helping people02:27 - After having been in operations for so long, I learned that my true passion was people instead of operations. But it was all so intertwined when you have a big job that you don't realize. And so after that, I tried to make my way to helping people as much as I could.How do you know if it's the right time to do leadership development?15:46 - Before you start seeing performance issues, right before you start seeing the cracks, is when you should really be engaging and building. Unfortunately, the issue with a lot of organizations is that they don't invest enough money into training and development. They don't invest enough money into HR departments.Show Links:  Chief Gigs Craft The Life Vahalla Investiment Group (VIG) United Against Human Trafficking Transcript Guest Profile:Wendy Fong LinkedIn

From the president to the provost, a lot of people are working behind the scenes to make sure our university runs smoothly. As the Howard R. Hughes Provost of Rice University, Amy Dittmar oversees Rice's academic enterprise, including direct reporting relationships for the deans of eight schools, the dean of undergraduates, the dean of graduate and postdoctoral studies and other key leaders. With a focus on expanding opportunities for a growing student body and increasing faculty, Amy runs several capital projects to support the university's research and educational mission. She is also a professor of finance at Rice Business and a professor of economics at the School of Social Sciences.Amy joined host Scott Gale '19 for a live event in McNair Hall to discuss her path to the higher ranks of academia, her vision for Rice's future, continuing to foster the community Rice is known for, and how we can adapt and embrace new technologies.Owl Have You Know is a production of REpisode Quotes:ice Business and is produced by University FM.Episode Quotes:Advice for prospective students looking into a career in research25:14: [Scott] What kind of advice do you give to a prospective student that's thinking about kind of a research career? What does one look for as they sort of self-select into that kind of experience? 25:28: [Amy] I think you have to be pretty independently motivated. It is one of these things that you have to kind of have that self-drive. Though there's a lot of team science out there, it is often something you're doing harshly on your own. So, I think you have to kind of think about that, but I think that if you're someone who likes to deeply think about a problem for long periods of time, it's incredibly rewarding. There's other ways you can do it and have a more applied aspect to it as well. So, I think that's one piece, and it's a long road.How Amy's perspective and experience shape her views on key issues circling around academia?13:28:  To me, it's really important that I'm at a place that has excellence across the board. That it's not one school that's really wonderful, and then everybody else is kind of living in the shadow. Rice has a commitment to excellence across all the disciplines and that was important to me.On planning for Rice's future21:15: Rice is just an amazing institution. So, I think being able to educate and impact more individuals is part of the mission. But to continue to do that, how Rice is. So, we're not looking to be thousands and thousands and thousands more. So, that's one piece. And the other is around excellence across the board. But I think there's some pockets that are just amazing excellence when it comes to especially research. And so, thinking about how we can enhance that even further. So, how we can take and build connections between schools.Show Links:  Transcript Guest Profile: Amy Dittmar - Provost - Rice University | LinkedIn  Office of Provost | Rice University 

McNair Hall is home to an impressive collection of public art. With 19 installations that have been an intentional element of the building renovations since 2018, Rice is proud of the diverse permanent collection, which represents artists of a number of different ages, countries, genders and backgrounds. The new art helps communicate our philosophy that a good piece of art forces you to think, engage and have an opinion. So today, we sit down with Alison Weaver and Dean Peter Rodriguez to discuss this exciting and important collection. Alison Weaver was named founding executive director of Rice University's Moody Center for the Arts in July 2015. Prior to her appointment, she was the director of affiliates for the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York. At the Guggenheim, Weaver led its programs and operations in Berlin, Bilbao, Venice, and Las Vegas, while managing its departments of exhibition management, registration, art services, and library/archives in New York. Peter Rodriguez has been the dean of Rice Business since 2016. Since then, he has doubled MBA enrollment, grown the tenure-track faculty by more than 35%, introduced the first online graduate degree at Rice, launched the undergraduate business major, renovated McNair Hall and helped the Rice Business community survive Hurricane Harvey and grow stronger during COVID. Alison and Peter discuss how the initiative started, the overarching theme for the collection, dive into the significance of the pieces you see in the halls and outside the building, and the symbiotic relationship between business and art.Owl Have You Know is a production of Rice Business and is produced by University FM.Episode Quotes:We are living in a world without boundaries17:38 [Alison Weaver] This idea, that instead of thinking about things as siloed and maybe individually—let's say, fields of expertise staying in their lane—I think the real question is: What can we learn from each other, and what exciting sparks are generated when those fields collide? So when you think about artists and the creative problem-solving that they do, and many are research-driven in their practice, they are looking deeply into questions that concern them. And those could be questions of the environment. They could be questions of, in the case of the artist Beverly Pepper, she's interested in big pharma. How is the pharmaceutical industry affecting our culture and our public health? These are questions that aren't just purely aesthetics. And I think that what I hope putting art into spaces can do is really open up those fields of inquiry for unexpected exploration.Art is beyond museums23:43 [Alison Weaver] The artwork that meets people where they are—where they're studying, living, and working—is quite different. We do exhibitions at the Moody, and of course, I love it when people come to see them, but they come and go, so you have a snapshot in time, but not that durational relationship, and that's special.On creating a platform for the intersection of art and ideas06:55 [Peter Rodriguez] If you think about where organizations create value, it's through the creative process. You have to find solutions to complex problems to create value in the world. And that's less about being cloistered away and, you know, sharpening your pencil and green eyeshade on doing work than it is about trying to work together. And opening your mind to things that haven't been done before and ways of proceeding. And so that's what we want our students to think about: how do they open their minds and use their very best of all that they know to make change happen and to make progress in the directions we want? So whether it's medicine, the energy transition, or tech, creativity is at the heart of everything businesses need to do. And we needed a way to live that a bit more than we were living it at the time.On making art accessible30:55 [Alison Weaver] One of the interesting things about public art is that there is no barrier if it's in your everyday world. And so, the work behind us is here all the time. Whether people are taking classes or studying in the building, they will pass by it. They might spend time looking at it and might not. I think the best way to—I wouldn't say explain, but to make accessible—any art, but certainly contemporary art, is to make it familiar and accessible, like public art. So we start there by just putting it where people already are.Show Links:  Rice Business Public Art Collection Mission | Moody Center for The Arts Rice Public Art | Moody Center for The Arts Transcript Guest Profile: Alison Weaver Peter Rodriguez | Rice Business 

The Rice Energy Finance Summit (REFS) is an annual student-led conference promoting forward-looking discussions on the most relevant energy finance, investment and strategy topics affecting the global energy industry. And founders Jan Goetgeluk and Jesús Patiño say it's just another example of what you can do with the support and resources found within the Rice community & network. Jan is originally from Belgium, where he earned a bachelor's and master's in mechanical engineering from Ghent University, and came to Houston in 2007 as a project engineer for Katoen Natie, a Belgian petrochemical logistics conglomerate. Jan is the founder and CEO of Virtuix and the developer of the Virtuix Omni, the first virtual reality interface to move freely and naturally in video games and virtual worlds. Jesús has over 15 years of experience in the oil and gas industry. He began his career in the oil field with M-I SWACO in his home country of Mexico before expanding into deepwater drilling assignments in the US Gulf of Mexico, Equatorial Guinea, and Ghana. Jesús is a strategy and business development consultant at AerMill Solutions. He previously worked at Oceaneering International as a commercial manager for intervention services. They join host Scott Gale ‘19 to discuss how they first met at Rice international student orientation many years ago, how Hurricane Ike affected the first year of the conference (as well as their friendship), and the importance of swinging big.Episode Quotes:A reflection on rich experiences during and after Rice16:40 [Jan] It's such an incredible rich experience being at Rice Business School. It's a unique time in your life, and for me, it's still today the best time of my life. [Jesus] And that goes definitely to the program and also for the alumni life, right? Once you're an alum, there's always something interesting going on. And being outside Houston, it's harder to remain involved, but attending the events outside Houston and trying to be part of it. You always get more than what you put in.Ideas are like buses 18:39 [Jan] If you want to organize a conference and make it a big success, it's just a matter of doing it. A lot of people have a lot of ideas in life. And I always say that ideas are like buses. There's another one every five minutes. You have to do it, and you have to execute and make it happen.The Rice Business School advantage13:05 [Jesus] Every time I speak with a student, nowadays, I always tell them that there's only two years in their lives where they are going to be able to start an email saying, "I am a Rice MBA student that wants to speak with you." And that line is powerful because it really resonates with people; you get their attention, and that's a door opener that you shouldn't let go.Show Links:TranscriptGuest Profile: Jan Goetgeluk LinkedIn Profile Jesús Patiño's Professional Profile on Rice University Other links: About the Rice Energy Finance Summit  Virtuix

Crystal Maxwell was born in Texas but raised in Saudi Arabia as an "oil brat." Both her parents worked for Aramco. Exploring different cultures developed her global perspective that helps shape her investment recommendations even today. She moved back to the U.S. for college and earned her bachelor's degree in hotel restaurant management from the University of Houston but pivoted to wealth management with the help of an MBA from Rice.Crystal sits down with host Scott Gale '19, and shares her journey: growing up amongst the expat community in Saudi Arabia,  an early career in hospitality and a Rice MBA that led to a 20-year career as a wealth advisor with UBS financial services. We'll hear her advice for aspiring wealth managers and her passion for the Houston Rodeo. Owl Have You Know is a production of Rice Business and is produced by University FM.Episode Quotes:Why is wealth management all about relationships?14:42 - Wealth management is all about the relationships and you're building relationships with your clients. You're trying to make their lives better. You're helping them in all aspects of anything that has to do with money, and you're not going to be able to do that alone. You need the relationships. I've relied on people from my Rice network, but also within my firm, to bring the right expertise, synthesize the right information, and be able to deliver that to my clients.A characteristic you need for a career in financial services17:53 - You have to have empathy [in financial services]. This job is about helping people reach their goals, helping people be able to pay for college for their kids, retire, and go on vacation all at the same time. And then, on the flip side, or further down the road, it's people wanting to make an impact with their assets.Learning more through business school13:30 - I know in lots of industries, the amount of information that comes out is quite a bit, but in finance in particular, You've got so much information that comes out every single day, and if you want to be an expert in any one sector, not even stock, but a sector, you could read an analysis all day long. You could really spend all of your time doing that, which nobody can do. As a financial advisor, I can't spend my entire day just reading about different companies. As much as I enjoy that, I've got to synthesize all that information and then know how to apply it and how it's going to affect my clients.Show Links:  Houston Rodeo Aramco Transcript Guest Profile: Crystal Maxwell LinkedIn Crystal Maxwell - UBS Advisors

Rawand grew up watching his father's passion for engineering. Despite avoiding the field at first, Rawand developed a similar passion for the craft.Rawand is a Ph.D. candidate at the Rice University George R. Brown School of Engineering and has more than five years of experience at NASA, first as a graduate research fellow, then as a life support systems engineer. He shares his journey and the technology he helped create that puts fires out in space and will reduce air conditioning costs on Earth. He sits down with host Maya Pomroy to talk about his experience of transitioning from engineer to entrepreneur, his company, Helix Earth Technologies, and how the Liu Idea Lab for Innovation and Entrepreneurship and the Napier Rice Launch Challenge ignited a new fire within him.Owl Have You Know is a production of Rice Business and is produced by University FM.Episode Quotes:Solving problems not only in space but also on earth12:17 - I found out there's a whole bunch of different problems that we could solve on Earth. And one of them being that we could help solve air conditioning energy use problems. So, in human environments, especially in a place like Houston, 70% of the energy used in the air conditioning cycle is devoted to just pulling the humidity out of the air, not cooling the temperature. And so we found out that we could actually solve this problem with our filters and reduce the energy cost by more than 50%. I started pursuing this research and eventually was able to get involved with the innovation fellowship program at Liu Idea Lab for Entrepreneurship.How Rice helped Rawand pursue entrepreneurship15:08 - I've always been interested in entrepreneurship, so I've always had that vision to go and spin out and do my own thing, but it never became real until maybe a year and a half ago. A lot of it is because of Rice.What's the most essential part of a pitch?20:43 - The most essential piece of a pitch there's a couple things. So the first thing is that you want to be very clear. You know, what is the problem that you're trying to tackle, and why does it matter? So for us, it's air conditioning; we want to save the planet, and that's a great thing to do, but also have to make it clear: why does it matter? And so, when you look at the amount of money that people spend on companies and just individuals or corporations, how much they spend on air conditioning energy costs, it's enormous. And so, when you put a $200 billion price tag in front of people's faces, that catches attention.The emissions that come with that are also enormous. So, you want to be very clear as to why the problem is big, why it needs to be solved, and why should people care? That's the biggest part of the pitch for me.On what he learned from his start-up competition experience15:52 - I was used to presenting things from a scientific perspective, where it's like, Okay, here are all the things we've done. (16:04) In the business planning competition, you have to throw all that out. You have to tell people a good story. You don't have to necessarily have all of the answers, which is one thing that was a little bit difficult for me. You have to have a good plan for how you're going to actually achieve the things that you set out to achieve.Show Links:  Helix Earth Technologies  Transcript Guest Profile: Rawand Rasheed | LinkedIn 

For our final episode of season 3, we wanted to bring you one last conversation from this year's Alumni Reunion.Brad Burke is the managing director of Rice Alliance, Rice Business' flagship entrepreneurship initiative launched in 2000. Brad has led Rice Alliance since 2001, helping the Rice Business Plan Competition become the world's largest and richest student startup competition. Since Rice Alliance's inception, more than 2,950 tech startups have participated in its programs. In the Rice Alliance space in McNair Hall, host Maya Pomroy '22 chats with Brad about his journey to Houston, his illustrious career spanning 22 years at Rice, and some of the most memorable competition winners that have stuck with him over all these years. Owl Have You Know is a production of Rice Business and is produced by University FM.Episode Quotes:On Houston's Energy transition28:00 - So, we launched a Clean Energy Accelerator two years ago, and we're about to start evaluating the applicants for the third cohort of the Clean Energy Accelerator. And part of the reason is we're attracting startups from all over the U.S. and outside the U.S. to come through the accelerator. We want to help them be more successful, but we also want to show them what's going on in Houston…[28:36] We also want to show the investors in Houston really promising clean energy technologies. And so, it gives investors in Houston an early look at some of these promising technologies. So, Houston has the ability, and we've been the energy capital of the world. We have the ability to be the energy transition capital of the world because we have the knowledge, the expertise, the resources and almost every major energy investor.How the Rice Business Plan Competition sparks new angel investments in Houston24:53 - This competition has mobilized a number of individuals who weren't doing angel investments before. And now they're doing not just investment in the business plan competition; they're investing in companies from Houston as well.On the impact of the Rice Alliance and Rice Business Plan Competition16:25 - It's amazing, you have the opportunity to mentor these amazing, bright, enthusiastic young founders, who are generally first-time founders. And then you have the opportunity to see this innovation benefit society, come to the world. And so, you can see a real impact in what you do.Show Links:  Rice Alliance Rice Business Plan Competition  OwlSpark Startup Accelerator | Rice Alliance BlueLaunch Small Business Accelerator | Rice Alliance Transcript Guest Profile: Brad Burke | Jones Graduate School of Business at Rice University Brad Burke - LinkedIn Brad Burke | Princeton Innovation

Born and raised in Mexico, Daniel Gutierrez knew from an early age he wanted to build a career in economics. In 2009, Daniel and his wife moved to San Antonio to join the North American Development Bank as a senior analysis and structuring specialist. North American Development Bank is a binational financial institution, established by the governments of the U.S. and Mexico, that supports the development of infrastructure in the areas of potable water, wastewater treatment and solid waste, as well as projects aimed at improving air quality, conserving water, reducing energy consumption and developing renewable energy sources for communities located in the U.S.- Mexico border region.While in this role, Daniel decided to pursue his MBA and joined the Professional MBA program at Rice Business in 2012. Since graduating, Daniel has remained with North American Development Bank, and is currently the associate director of asset management. He joins host Maya Pomroy this episode to discuss growing up in Mexico in the 80s during inflation, NAFTA, how going to Rice Business' Diversity Preview Weekend changes his life's path, receiving an Owl Award for best Capstone project for Ovarcome, a Houston-based ovarian cancer nonprofit founded by another Rice Business alum, and the lessons he learned during his time at Rice. Owl Have You Know is a production of Rice Business and is produced by University FM.Episode Quotes:How Mexican leaders can prepare for the future13:16 - To build the next generation of leaders in Mexico, they have to think about where they want to develop their MBA studies or studies of where they can learn leadership, all the skills the MBA program grants, and critical thinking ability. All those skills will be needed in the next years—in the next 20, 30 years, the border region between Mexico and the US is going to become very dynamic. It's probably going to be one of the greatest times to be involved in an MBA program and to use those knowledge to make great things happen in Mexican businesses.15:40 - The importance of teamwork definitely was something that I recognized from what was taught to me at Rice. And I still consider teamwork as one of the important elements of my daily working life.On his evolving interest on artificial intelligence21:41 - I'm excited about all that kind of wave of artificial intelligence coming up and bringing every debate.Copyright issues, schools that are worried that students will use that technology to present their essays, stuff like that. But the real discussion is how are we going to train the next generation to use or leverage this technology. For the betterment of human beings, for the betterment of humanity.Show Links: North American Development Bank Ovarcome Transcript Guest Profile:Daniel's LinkedIn

Climate change is on the news and in our faces every day, from wildfires to record-breaking heat waves. And today, we are talking to a Rice grad who's working to combat these developments, through clean energy, carbon management and venture capital investments. Phoebe Wang is a cleantech venture capitalist who serves as an investment partner at the Amazon Climate Pledge Fund. Previously, she was an investment director at Shell Ventures where she led investments in early- and late-stage startups working on technologies to accelerate the energy transition, including in the areas of hydrogen, carbon management, energy storage, mobility, and power. During her 10-year tenure as a venture capital investor, Phoebe has invested more than $150 million in frontier technology startups such as Antora, Celadyne, ZeroAvia, and many, many more.In another episode from our 2023 Alumni Reunion series, host Maya Pomroy '22 and Phoebe chat about her passion for fighting climate change for the future generations, her work with Amazon's Climate Pledge Fund, and winning a C3E business award. Owl Have You Know is a production of Rice Business and is produced by University FM.Episode Quotes:Paving the way for a sustainable future in clean energy and climate control11:33 [Maya]: So you were very optimistic about clean energy and climate control, so we can shift it back to having clean air for everyone. So, what progress do you hope to see over the next few years? What are you most excited about?11:49 [Phoebe Wang]: So right now, whenever we are looking at technology, we have a lens of whether, when at the mature stage, the technology can sequest or can abate gigaton equivalent of CO2 because we need to have that level, so that we can move towards, a future that is livable for our next generations. So that's something not very easy to do. But fortunately, we have a ton of innovation, a ton of entrepreneurs, and a ton of venture capital coming into this industry.Nurturing unicorns, jobs, and sustainability through strategic investments04:13 - So far, I've invested in over 30 companies out of those, three are unicorns and have created tremendous job opportunities in local markets. And then also have had a big impact on the carbon markets. We're now looking at a lot of different areas with the CO2 lens. And, in addition to that, we're looking at how to preserve biodiversity because we don't want to have unintended consequences if we only apply the carbon lens when we make investments.On the roots of her interest in clean tech01:35 - My interest in cleantech, or what we call climate tech, stems early on – like when I was very little. I grew up in Asia, and then, if you see over there, pollution is such an important issue. And it is actually a global issue now. So, back then, I almost did environmental engineering, but the job market was not very good that decade ago. So, I actually switched over to material science engineering. Now, it's kind of coming full circle that I'm looking at investments in climate tech.Show Links:TranscriptGuest Profile: Phoebe Wang on LinkedIn Phoebe Wang - C3E

It's not everyday you talk to a reporter with an MBA.Kalyn Norwood is Hearst Television's White House Correspondent. She joined the company's Washington Bureau in July 2022, right after earning her MBA at Rice Business. An Emmy award-winning journalist, Kalyn landed in Washington D.C. after a stint in Albuquerque, where she worked as an anchor/reporter at KOAT, covering the state of New Mexico. She helped lead the station's election coverage, as well as President Biden's visit to the state. Host Maya Pomroy turns the tables on Kalyn and asks her a few questions about her unique and unconventional flight path from being in front of the camera to hitting the books at Rice. Kalyn shares a day in the life of a Washington D.C. correspondent and how her Rice education has strengthened her ability and understanding of her craft.Owl Have You Know is a production of Rice Business and is produced by University FM.Episode Quotes:Despite being different, you must pursue your goals23:32 - Don't be intimidated by how things are right now and close yourself off to a certain career path or position because you haven't seen anyone that looks like you doing the job. You could be that first. So prepare as if you're able to do the job, and hopefully, by the time you get there, you can be someone that other young girls look up to.Navigating the role of journalism with the rise of social media26:09 - The role of local journalists and those that air on local TV stations, like the work we do here at Hearst TV, is to provide that value and background. So we did the digging, we did the research. We talked to both sides, Republicans and Democrats, on this issue. You saw the headline, but here's the full story, as much as we can give. Like, here's the rest of the story. Here's what both of your interested lawmakers are saying on this. And if you continue to do a great job to provide value to people, they'll watch your stuff.Diversity is an asset22:22 - To me, diversity is only an asset. Not a liability because you're representing a community that's part of America's society. It should only be seen as an asset because there's more that connects us all.Why do we have different views genetically modified food27:50 - I'm so grateful that I decided to go back and get my MBA because I feel I have a better understanding of how the world works. I said at the beginning that everything's a business, but it is true. I think you'll understand your bosses better and the decisions that they make, and hopefully, you can provide value to whatever organization you're in a better way.Show Links:TranscriptGuest Profile: Kalyn Norwood | LinkedIn Kalyn Norwood on Twitter Kalyn Norwood on Instagram

We're so excited to bring you another conversation from this year's alumni reunion! Tracy Dennis `00 and John Dennis `93 met the first week of freshman year as undergrads at Harvard and have been together ever since, even both eventually coming to Rice Business for their MBAs! Tracy is a lecturer of management at Rice Business, teaching Principles of Survey Design. She started two research and insight agencies and is currently a lead UX researcher for Globalization Partners. John has been a principal, managing director, and managing partner of WoodRock & Co. since he founded the firm in 1998. Tracy and John join host Maya Pomroy '22 to talk about their lives together, what brought them to Houston and to Rice, post-Partio Lamaze classes, and why they continue to give back to the Rice community.Owl Have You Know is a production of Rice Business and is produced by University FM.Episode Quotes:How an MBA transforms lives and inspires people to give back8:54: [Tracy Dennis] I see the benefits of my MBA in everything that I do every single day. I see it at work, I see it at home, I see it with our daughters, who are in their early careers. You know, I feel like I have benefited immensely from my MBA, and I'm grateful. I really want to give back because of it, and I want to just continue to be a part of it just because it played such a big role in my life, and it's an exciting place to be right now. There's lots of great things going on.On giving back to the Rice community14:00: [Tracy Dennis] I don't think of what I do with Rice Business as volunteering. I do it because I feel strongly about Rice Business, and I personally get so much out of it, and I want to give back to the school because it's given me so much.On what made John choose Houston04:47: [John Dennis] While I enjoyed growing up here, I never thought I would come back. But I think seeing Houston through Tracy's eyes gave me the opportunity to kind of look at it with an open mind, and it's been very, very good to us.Learning more through business school02:13: [Tracy Dennis] I had a short career as a bond trader but had always wanted to go to business school to connect a bunch of dots. You know, there were a lot of things that I was exposed to that I wanted to learn more about but just never had the time to do. And so, for me, business school was the opportunity to do that.Show Links:  Globalization Partners WoodRock & Co. Transcript Guest Profile: Tracy Dennis | LinkedIn  John Dennis | LinkedIn

Turner Hoff grew up in a family of real estate entrepreneurs. When he was young, his goal was to work in construction like his father. After undergrad, he spent two years working with his father, redeveloping and flipping single-family homes in Houston, and joined Rice Business' Full-Time MBA program in 2011, seeking a deeper understanding of real estate finance and professional experience in the field. Shortly after leaving Rice and moving to D.C., Turner met Ariane Valle – his girlfriend and the co-founder of their food delivery service Vegetable and Butcher. They shared an interest in health and wellness, and a “food as medicine” philosophy. Vegetable and Butcher is celebrating their sixth year anniversary this year. Turner joins host Maya Pomroy to talk about creating a company to solve his own frustrations in the food delivery space, vertical integration, and how the food tech space has developed over the years and through the pandemic.Owl Have You Know is a production of Rice Business and is produced by University FM.Episode Quotes:Connecting and immersing yourself in community 25:32 - If you have some idea for the industry you want to be involved in, do everything you can to immerse yourself in that community. I've found that people are generally open to and genuinely enjoy being helpful to others. So just finding opportunities to connect and immerse yourself in a particular community. Rice and the business school do a great job teaching you what it means to network and different ways to go about it.Being able to grow efficiently as a company16:33 - The efficiency component came from raising very little capital, and it's forced us to be a very resourceful, scrappy team. And there are advantages and disadvantages to that. But it put us in a position of strength ultimately in the end because we've had to be exceptionally resourceful to get to where we are today.Putting heavy emphasis on the product and experience05:55 - In this market, it's not about being first to market but about getting the product and experience right, which is why we've placed such a heavy emphasis on it.Show Links:TranscriptGuest Profile: Turner Hoff LinkedIn Vegetable & Butcher Vegetable & Butcher Instagram Netcito Lilie Lab | Rice University

During this year's alumni reunion Partio, we caught up with some alums right on campus. One of those alumni was Daniel Barvin ‘18.Daniel has held many different roles, in both financial advising and oil and gas sectors, and eventually earned an MBA from Rice Business in 2018. But in December of that same year that he tested positive for the C9orf72 gene expansion, which means may develop ALS later in life. Daniel's father, aunt, and uncle all have ALS. In 2020, he began volunteering at I AM ALS, and also joined Coya Therapeutics, a clinical-stage cell therapy platform company developing first-in-class therapeutics for ALS and other neurodegenerative diseases, where he is currently VP of operations and patient advocacy.In this episode recorded in the Rice Alliance space in McNair Hall, Daniel chats with host Maya Pomroy '22 about his journey, his passion for ALS research, and building community and support online with others affected by this disease.Owl Have You Know is a production of Rice Business and is produced by University FM.Episode Quotes:Changing the future of what it means to have ALS through Coya27:20 - We are in this age where we all know someone who's dealt with a neurodegenerative disease… [27:32] And Coya is looking to change what that experience is, change what it means to be diagnosed with these diseases, and show that through Houston's effort, through Rice's effort, through all of our efforts, we can change the future of what it means to have this disease and have it not be a death sentence.How I AM ALS helped launch the movement18:01 - I AM ALS has the beauty of being patient-led, letting anyone who comes say, "We'll let you start a team. We'll provide resources in terms of team management." And that was just the perfect place for us to start this ferocious movement.Empowering ALS patients with his story11:34 - The silver lining was after we came back from vacation, I was asked to do a talk for a high school, helping explain my story after an ALS documentary was shown. And I went and spoke at Carnegie Vanguard High School in front of the entire student body—800 students—and told them the story of my life. And the connection was palpable. And I said, "This is it. This is what I need to be doing."On being intentional about relationships16:33 - What I said when I was doing the advocacy part, I said I'm going to make less ALS patients. I'm going to make better ALS patients because I think that if I eventually get this disease, The fact that I'm able to plan, prepare, connect, comprehend, you know, this entire life of advocacy, and then I eventually get it, my mindset will most likely be far different than someone who just has to live with it.Show Links:  Coya Therapeutics End The Legacy I AM ALS Transcript Guest Profile:LinkedIn