As part of Texas Tech’s Research Spotlight for Women Faculty, four Rawls College faculty members were recognized for exemplifying excellence in research, scholarship, creative activity, teaching and mentoring.
Last month, Texas Tech University launched the Research Spotlight on Texas Tech Women Faculty, an initiative to recognize and celebrate the accomplishments of women faculty members across campus. As a collaboration between the Office of Research & Innovation, the Division of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DDEI) and the Women's & Gender Studies (WGS) program, the initiative featured 44 women faculty members. Four Jerry S. Rawls College of Business faculty members were showcased: Laura Cardella, Elizabeth Karam, Debra (Debbie) Laverie and Yi-Jing Wu.
Each of the women included in the inaugural cohort of the initiative were selected by their department chairs. The awardees were recognized throughout March on the Office of Research & Innovation website, where each woman shared why they chose their field, who inspired them to pursue academia and advice for their female students who are interested in pursuing an academic career
Laura Cardella
Assistant Professor of Practice; Area of Finance
Cardella's areas of expertise include corporate finance and market microstructure.
What inspired you to work in your field/area of expertise?
I chose to study finance because it offers a systematic method to identify value creation and value destruction. We can use the tools of finance to make decisions about future investments, projects, and capital allocations. Recently, I have focused on information flow and the role of technology in financial markets, which is important as we move forward in the age of automation.
Who inspired you to pursue academia?
I can attribute my pursuit in academia to endless encouragement from my Dad and a conversation with Dr. Antonio Camera, who demonstrated incredible enthusiasm for financial theory and its applications.
What would you tell your female students interested in pursuing an academic career?
You have to run your own race.
Elizabeth Karam
Assistant Professor; Area of Management
Karam's areas of expertise are leadership and teams.
What inspired you to work in your field/area of expertise?
I had worked in Human Resources for many years before returning to graduate school to pursue an MBA, and I was always curious to learn more about how to improve the experiences of people in organizations. While taking classes during my master's program, I realized the field of organizational behavior was a great fit because it allowed me to study the psychological aspects of individuals at work.
Who inspired you to pursue academia?
I had a truly inspirational professor (Dr. John Hollenbeck) while pursuing my MBA who encouraged me to pursue a doctorate. We worked together during my doctoral program, and he served on my dissertation committee several years later as well.
What would you tell your female students interested in pursuing an academic career?
It's hard to give this advice in a sound bite, but I would strongly advise spending time considering the type of work that interests and fulfills you as well as the type of impact you would like to have in your professional life. Doctoral programs are an enormous personal and professional commitment, but I have found that the variety of work (research, teaching, university service), as well as the inspiring university environment, are a great fit for me!
Debbie Laverie
Minnie Piper Stevens Professor; Area of Marketing and Supply Chain Management
Laverie's areas of expertise include macromarketing, consumer behavior, branding, sports marketing, and scholarship of education.
What inspired you to work in your field/area of expertise?
My research explores the role of consumption in everyday activities, branding, macro issues in marketing, digital marketing and the scholarship of teaching and learning. I love exploring what motivates consumer and students to behave and to understand the why behind that behavior. Both of my parents were marketers and that was the root of my inspiration.
Who inspired you to pursue academia?
My mentor and professor, in my master's program, Patrick Murphy at the University of Notre Dame.
What would you tell your female students interested in pursuing an academic career?
If you love to pursue new knowledge and to share that knowledge with students, academia is for you. You have the freedom to follow your interests. Mentoring students is extremely rewarding. I take pride in helping students succeed in their careers. I would suggest female students find a good mentor and to pursue what you love. Work hard and the rewards will follow.
Yi-Jing Wu
Associate Professor; School of Accounting
Wu's area of expertise is auditing.
What inspired you to work in your field/area of expertise?
As a former auditor at EY, a Big-4 public accounting firm, my area of expertise is financial statement audits. I am inspired to focus my research and teaching efforts in this area because of the important role audits play in the formation and expansion of our capital markets. High-quality audits are critical to maintaining investor confidence in our capital markets and protecting investor interests. Audit failures, such as Enron, Worldcom, and others, have detrimental consequences for investors and our capital market system. Consequently, I have focused my research efforts on (1) identifying challenges auditors encounter in practice that could lead to less-than-optimal professional judgments, and in turn lower audit quality, and (2) identifying interventions or solutions that can improve auditors' judgments and decisions.
Who inspired you to pursue academia?
Professor Robert Jensen, my accounting professor from Trinity University, inspired me to pursue academia. He was the first to introduce me to the possibility of pursuing a Ph.D. with a focus in accounting and conducting research. While I was his graduate assistant, he encouraged me to consider a career in academia. Going back to school to earn my Ph.D. was the best decision I've ever made!
What would you tell your female students interested in pursuing an academic career?
Key things I would share with female students interested in pursuing an academic career are the following: (1) although you do not necessarily work less hours as in practice/corporate world, you have more control over and flexibility with your work schedule; (2) you are able to devote effort via your research to areas that truly interest you; (3) you have the chance to mentor, encourage, teach, and guide the next generation of female students in your area/discipline; and (4) you have the opportunity to continue to learn new things throughout your career.