Experts Matter. Find Yours.
Connect for media, speaking, professional opportunities & more.
Progress lost? Is there any chance for lasting peace in the Middle East?
War is on again in the Middle East - and after years of talks, negotiations and most recently the Abraham Accords - has it all been lost now that war has returned? Glen Duerr, Ph.D. a Professor of International Studies at Cedarville University and a renowned expert in the areas of international relations and comparative politics, can explain the peace process and what might be next in Arab-Israeli relations. If you're covering this ongoing war and need to know more - then let us help with your questions and stories. Dr. Duerr is an expert on this subject and is available to speak to media regarding this topic– simply click on his icon to arrange an interview.
UC Irvine expert on metacognition: Megan Peters
How do our brains take in complex information from the world around us to help us make decisions? And what happens when there’s a mismatch between how well your brain thinks it’s performing this function and how well it’s actually doing? UC Irvine cognitive scientist Megan Peters takes a deep dive into metacognition - our ability to monitor our own cognitive processing. To reach Prof. Peters, contact Heather Ashbach at hashbach@uci.edu or 949-284-1577. “Our brains are fantastically powerful information processing systems. They take in information from the world around us through our eyes, ears, and other senses, and they process or transform that sensory information into rich internal representations — representations that we can then use to make useful decisions, to navigate effectively without running into things, and ultimately, to stay alive. And interestingly, our brains also can tell us when they’re doing a good job with all this processing, through a process called metacognition, or our ability to monitor our own cognitive processing. My name is Megan Peters, and I’m an associate professor in the department of Cognitive Sciences at UC Irvine. I’m also a Fellow in the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research Brain, Mind, & Consciousness program and I am president and chair of the board at Neuromatch. My research seeks to understand metacognition — how it works in the brain, and how it works at a computational or algorithm level — and it also seeks to understand what this metacognitive processing might have to do with the conscious experiences we have of our environments, of each other, and of ourselves. So in our research group, we use a combination of behavioral experiments with humans, brain imaging (like MRI scans), and computational approaches like mathematical modeling and machine learning or Artificial Intelligence, to try to unravel these mysteries. I think my favorite overall line of research right now has to do with cases where our brains’ self-monitoring sometimes seems to go wrong. So what I mean is, sometimes your brain “metacognitively” computes how well it thinks you’re doing at this “sensory information processing” task, but this ends up being completely different from how well you’re actually doing. Imagine it this way: you’re driving down a foggy road, at night in the dark. You probably can’t see very well, and you’d hope that your brain would also be able to tell you, “I can’t see super well right now, I should probably slow down.” And most of the time, your brain does this self-monitoring correctly, and you do slow down. But sometimes, under some kinds of conditions or visual information, your brain miscalculates, and it erroneously tells you, “Actually you can see just fine right now!” So this is a sort of “metacognitive illusion”: your brain is telling you “you’re doing great, you can see very clearly!” when in reality, the quality of the information that it’s receiving, and the processing it’s doing, is really poor, really bad — in essence, that means that you can feel totally confident in your abilities to accurately process the world around you, when in fact you’re interpreting the world totally incorrectly. Now normally, in everyday life, this doesn’t happen of course. But we can create conditions in the lab where this happens very robustly, which helps us understand when and how it might happen in the real world, too, and what the consequences might be. So this is fascinating both because it is a powerful tool for studying how your brain constructs that metacognitive feeling of confidence, and also because — in theory — it means that your subjective, conscious feeling of confidence might be doing something really different than just automatically or directly reading out how reliably you brain is processing information. And that could eventually provide a better way to investigate how our so-called phenomenological or conscious experiences can arise from activity patterns in your brain at all.” To reach Prof. Peters, contact Heather Ashbach at hashbach@uci.edu or 949-284-1577.
It's a fabulous fall - and our expert can explain why all those colors come out this time of year
Autumn has arrived. And as we all take time to welcome this wonderous palette that nature delivers year after year, those who are curious about all those colors are looking for answers. Why there are so many different shades, tints, and tones? What causes the colors to change? And where's the best place to find one of nature's finest displays of leaves? It's a topic that comes up every year, and recently Connecticut Public Radio connected with UConn's Bob Fahey to get some of the answers about autumn in New England. I ventured into a forest in northeastern Connecticut with two UConn tree experts. We met up at Horsebarn Hill, one of the best viewpoints in the state, surveying a rolling river valley showing off with fall colors. We see oaks just starting to turn red. Nearby hickories provide a dash of yellow – and, of course, the maples are already stealing the show, even on a cloudy day. Here’s what I found out: Our trees are diverse One reason the foliage is so good is simply due to the number of species we have. “We have a very diverse hardwood forest in this part of New England,” said Bob Fahey, an associate professor and forest ecologist at UConn. “We have both species that are more southern species and also some of the more northern species.” “In comparison to say, the Mid-Atlantic or other places that have lots of deciduous species, we have maples, which are just the best,” he said. “We also have a number of species that have nice yellow foliage,” he said. “Birches and beech. If you go a little bit farther south from here, mostly what you have is oaks. And oaks can have good fall foliage colors, but there are a lot of times they don't and they don't last for as long.” We have lots and lots of trees The diversity of species provides a diversity of color, said Tom Worthley, an associate extension professor and a forester at UConn. He asked me to remember the last time I flew over Connecticut. What did you see, he asked. Lots of trees, right? “Most of the ground is covered by a tree canopy,” Worthley said, noting that some estimates put that tree canopy cover at around 75% of the land area of the whole state. “Back where we were standing a few minutes ago, we had some cherry trees,” Worthley said, his eyes scanning the trees enveloping us. “There's a few remnant ash, there's some walnut around the edges here. And let's see, some hickory.” A walnut tree towers over us – and there are even some white pines. It’s that varied bioscape that sets New England forests apart. “Even in my two-acre forest behind my house, I have 22 different species of tree, which is more than some regions of the northern part of the U.S.,” Fahey said. Travel to the west, and what you’re likely to see are lots of evergreens and aspen trees. “Not that there aren't others, there are plenty of others, but not in the same abundance and not in the same kind of mix that we have around here,” Worthley said. Climate plays a role Across New England are rolling hills with microclimates that can contribute to vibrant fall colors. “You’ll see ... highly different color in different parts of the landscape, which has to do with temperature differences,” Fahey said. Combine that with Connecticut’s mix of southern and northern species and the colors here might not be as exciting and bright as what you would see in Vermont and New Hampshire, Fahey said. But our foliage season can sometimes last a little bit longer. One reason? Oaks. “We have so much more of that oak component,” Fahey said. “The oaks will hold their leaves until the end of October.” Moisture, temperature and the amount of daylight all contribute to how long it takes for a tree to shed its leaves. And, for each species, the calculation is different. “A tree makes an economic decision,” Worthley said. “It decides, ‘Well, it's costing more in energy to keep these leaves going than what they're producing for me and so it's time to shut them off.’” Why do leaves fall anyway? It’s when leaves are green that the most important work is happening, pulling carbon out of the atmosphere and giving us oxygen. And for that green color, we can thank the pigment chlorophyll. “The color that's in the leaves – is always there from the time the leaf is grown,” Worthley said. “As the growing season fades, the chlorophyll disappears,” he said. Then the other colors in the leaf can begin to show off. Pigments like anthocyanins (reds and purples) and carotenoids (yellows and oranges) peek out, tiny threads in an autumnal blanket transforming New England’s green forests into a richly colored landscape. The colors are out - but only for a limited time. If you're a journalist looking to know more about this topic before all the leaves fall, then let us help. Dr. Fahey is an Associate Professor in the Department of Natural Resources and the Environment and Center for Environmental Sciences and Engineering at the University of Connecticut. He is also the George F. Cloutier Professor in Forestry, director of the UConn Forest, and associate director of the UConn Eversource Energy Center. Simply click on his icon now to arrange a time to talk today.
There's nothing new about tensions, clashed and all out war in the Middle East. For thousands of years, it has been an area that has seen bloodshed, war and very few moments of peace. With all of the world watching the war in Gaza between Israel and Hamas, a quick lesson in the history of the region might help everyone understand this very complex region a little easier. It's why we sat down with Glen Duerr, Ph.D. a Professor of International Studies at Cedarville and a renowned expert in the areas of international relations and comparative politics. If you're covering this ongoing war and need to know more - then let us help with your questions and stories. Glen is an expert on this subject and is available to speak to media regarding this topic– simply click on his icon to arrange an interview.
New Goizueta Research: Fandom and the Republican Party and Why It Matters
When we think about “fans” we typically think about sports or entertainment … but new research from the Goizueta Business School shows that political figures are showing increased levels of fandom. Fans of political figures often support candidates, providing a very knowledgeable base for them. Political fans work to use their knowledge to influence others, raise money, attract volunteers and win elections. Professor Mike Lewis from Emory University’s Marketing Analytics Center looked at political fandom among Republicans and the current slate of presidential candidates. The survey of likely Republican voters found former President Donald Trump has a hold on Republican fandom that actually impacts the other candidates in a surprising way. Candidates who are openly anti-Trump see their fandom negatively impacted. The study found former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has a 90% rate of anti-fandom followed by South Carolina’s Tim Scott at 56%. Both have had negative opinions of Trump. The survey can be found here: The survey is a must read for anyone interested in politics, it showed: Political Fandom by Generation: Millennial Republican voters had the strongest Trump fandom (63%) followed by Generation X (58%). Ramaswamy had the second highest fandom among Millenials while DeSantis was second among Gen X. Having a Beer with Trump: The survey of almost 1,000 Republican voters was asked which candidate would participants most likely meet to have a coffee or beer. Former President Trump was the overwhelming choice among respondents in all age groups. Vivek Ramaswamy was the second choice among most age groups. Christie was the last choice in most age groups. Voters and President Biden: A final question asked likely Republican voters how they feel about President Biden. The Biden Positive segment was 23.6% of those asked versus 76.4% in the Biden Negative segment. The largest Biden negative group was among Trump fans which because of the number of supporters was also the largest Biden positive group. The smallest Biden negative group was fans of former Governor Chris Christie. Campaigns and elections are won or lost on polling, market research and the data collected by surveys just like this. And if you are interested in knowing more about this survey and how fandom is becoming an essential piece of political campaigning - then let us help. Mike Lewis is an expert in the areas of analytics and marketing. This approach makes Professor Lewis a unique expert on fandom as his work addresses the complete process from success on the field to success at the box office and the campaign trail. Michael is available to speak with media - simply click on his icon now to arrange an interview today.
Promoting your expertise just got easier with a host of new platform features. Well the world’s best platform for Expertise Marketing just got even better! We’ve just released the latest release of ExpertFile and it’s huge. Our newly designed, mobile-ready platform provides the most intuitive, collaborative solution for creating, managing, and showcasing your experts and insights. Whether you are managing content directly on your website or promoting it through one of our powerful distribution channels like our expertfile.com search engine used by leading media outlets, you will find a lot of great new features packed into this release. With a host of new and enhanced features, streamlined workflows and more advanced analytics we’ve made showcasing your expertise, capturing valuable inquiries, and tracking your results easier than ever. You will see some exciting improvements that enable you to create highly customizable, searchable directories and media-rich profiles and content features to sharing valuable expert insights with detailed Posts and Q&A. Built for marketing and communications professionals and compatible with your current systems we continue to take the burden out of managing your expert content, and eliminate the need for ongoing, costly or time-consuming IT projects. The following highlights some of the great new features and functionality that can be found across the platform. We hope you take a moment to explore the new ExpertFile. And please let us know what you think! Cheers, Robert ------------ Robert Carter Co-Founder & VP Product | ExpertFile A Quick Tour of What's New with the ExpertFile Platform Home Screen Experience the power of the ExpertFile Platform from the moment you log in. The *NEW* Home Screen is your gateway to a wealth of essential information related to your account, key analytics, recent activities and more. With intuitive menus and a new universal search bar for easy discovery, the Home tab is your jumping off point for effortlessly exploring all your expert content and quickly connecting with valuable inquiries. Our refined layout features clear tab structures, quick action buttons and links making it a breeze to create and manage your experts and their insights, whether creating detailed media-rich profiles, insightful posts, Q&A or other featured content. Plus, gain valuable insights and optimize your expertise marketing strategy with convenient access to resource links and tools to grow your online presence both on your website, through Google or by one of our powerful distribution channels. New Home Screen features include: Quick action buttons to access all frequent activities Universal search capabilities for all your expert content User/license overview Analytics summary Recent content & login activity People Tab Manage your experts and your team through the People tab. Quickly add users and create captivating mobile-ready profiles that showcase their knowledge and thought-provoking content. Effortlessly update experts profiles using our user-friendly inline editor or take advantage of bulk actions to make changes across your entire team. Easily create and assign your experts to categories and tags enhancing discovery and building of custom directories and featured content. Transition profiles seamlessly from drafts to public visibility, or establish private password-protected viewing for exclusive restricted access directories and targeted profile outreach. Build the perfect support network. Manage your experts, their content, and inquiries with ease, while collaborating with diverse teams. With unlimited admins and agent users, we allow for more efficient management and better visibility across your entire roster of experts or within specific groups of experts. Easily add users from a diverse range of departments such as marketing communications, digital, research, analyst relations, and more to help maintain fresh and engaging expert content and ensure you never miss valuable inquiries. Assign agents to make edits or handle inquiries on an expert or multiple experts behalf. Extend your reach with access to leading tools for leveraging your experts, including easy export functionality and variety of integrations options for your website and with external platforms. New People Tab features include: New user setup enhancements Streamlined profile status options Advanced filtering capabilities People specific activity log Post Tab The Post tab is the starting point for sharing your organization’s insights on current news, trending topics and more by creating shareable Posts that connect back to your experts. Interactive and mobile-ready, Posts let you quickly deliver expert, SEO friendly content to your audiences on any device at any time. Quick links allow you to create drafts including using our new AI Brainstorming feature to help generate ideas and initial drafts. For more interaction with your expert Posts streamline content discovery and expand your content distribution capabilities by tagging your Posts. Whether you choose to publish immediately or schedule for future release, you have the flexibility to align your content with breaking news, important announcements, cyclical trends or your marketing calendar. Finally increase the power of Posts by assigning individual experts to each post to better connect your insights to your experts, driving more profiles views and valuable inquiries. New Post Tab features include: Quick create button with AI brainstorming Advanced filtering capabilities Bulk action management options Connected “experts” visibility Enhanced tag management Post specific activity log Q&A Tab The Q&A tab makes leveraging the power of Q&A easy. Deliver insights through expert curated Q&A, either with a single question and answer from an expert or organization, or allow for multiple experts to provide a variety of answers. By connecting your answer to your experts, you’ll drive profile views and capture valuable inquiries. Streamline content discovery and expand your content distribution capabilities by tagging your Q&A. New Q&A Tab features include: Quick create button Advanced filtering capabilities Bulk action management options Connected “experts” visibility Enhanced tag management Q&A specific activity log Analytics Tab Track your performance with the customizable features of the new Analytics Tab. Access current metrics across all important areas from your people to Posts, Q&A and inquiries. Define your view by type and time period. Quickly export your monthly PDF reports or create custom exports to allow for detailed reporting that matches your organization’s reporting cycles. Easily export all your metrics to create additional reports in other systems you currently use. New Analytics Tab features Include Content-type specific reporting Date range filtering Customizable graphing capabilities Enhanced data exports Downloadable monthly reports Bulk actions & Filtering Inquiries Tab The Inquiries tab provides access to all the capabilities you need for viewing, managing and responding to your opportunities. The layout lets you quickly understand the nature of your incoming inquiries whether they’re related to media, speaking, research, customer/business requests and more. Quickly view key details of all incoming inquiries including time-sensitive requests that require immediate follow-up. Activate only the type of inquiries you’re looking to receive through our inquiry type setup. At the same time keep unwanted messages away from your experts with our AI Quarantine function that monitors all your incoming inquiries and proactively blocks messages that can be reviewed later. Ensure total visibility with our mailing list functionality that enables inquiries to be seen by type beyond the specific setup for each expert. New Inquiry Tab features include: Enhanced AI Quarantine protection Organization wide blocking Network level blocking Enhanced inquiry filtering Inquiry specific activity log Settings The new Settings section provides easier more intuitive access to a wide variety of account customizations and system settings to tailor your implementation. This includes access to integration options from Custom API to Embeds and our WordPress plugin. New Settings Section features Include Enhanced brand management capabilities Improved asset uploader Refined layout New “Customer Success” resources
ChristianaCare Launches a New Speakers Bureau: Is This the Future of Healthcare Communications?
Only just a few months after their win of an IABC Gold Quill Award (shared with ExpertFile), the ChristianaCare healthcare communications and digital team has once again made major moves to make their organization even more accessible to the community with the launch of their new ChristianaCare Speakers Bureau. As one of the leading healthcare systems in the United States, Delaware based ChristianaCare is home to a wide variety of medical experts. Now live, the ChristianaCare Speakers Bureau features 80 experts who are currently available for speaking engagements on a wide variety of health topics including: Aging and Senior Health, Cancer, Children’s Health, COVID-19, Diabetes, Pregnancy and Childbirth. Sports Medicine, Stroke, Weight Management and Women’s Health. Designed with the ExpertFile platform, the ChristianaCare Speakers Bureau provides easy discovery and access to experts, including their biographies, downloadable photographs, samples of past presentations, languages spoken and more. The site can be viewed here. Screenshot from the new ChristianaCare Speakers Bureau launched Aug. 2023. The site provides easy discovery and access to experts, with the ability to search by topics and keywords. Detailed profiles for experts include biographies, downloadable photographs, samples of past presentations, languages spoken and more. How a Speakers Bureau boosts thought leadership A Speaker's Bureau is an initiative within an organization that assembles a team of expert speakers who can represent the organization and speak authoritatively on its behalf. While media appearances are often the core focus for experts in organizations, a Speakers Bureau opens up additional opportunities to speak at events such as in-person conferences, webinars, podcasts. Speakers ideally represent a diverse group of professionals from within the organization, and can share their knowledge, insights, and experiences on a range of topics relevant to the organization's mission, values, and field of work. Through event appearances, these experts help to enhance the organization's visibility, foster community engagement, and solidify the organization's reputation as a thought leader in its field. Speakers Bureaus provide effective and efficient way to promote the organization's initiatives, achievements, and viewpoints to the wider public. Creating New Connections Between Experts and the Community Following a string of successes that followed the launch of their ChristianaCare Experts site that resulted in major increases in national media coverage and SEO performance, the formation of a Speakers Bureau was a smart move that will further extend the reach of the ChristianaCare brand. Events provide an excellent way to connect meaningfully with a wider audience to help ChristianaCare make progress on key goals such as delivering effective community health education and improving healthcare equity. “At ChristianaCare, our mission of service to the community includes a commitment to provide timely, accurate health information so that people can make informed decisions about their health,” said Karen Browne, vice president of marketing and communications. “Through our new speakers bureau, we’ve expanded our capacity to meet these needs in the community.” The Benefits of a Speakers Bureau Given the fragmentation of traditional media channels and the massive growth in events such as webinars and podcasts, Speakers Bureaus are fast gaining popularity as a proven way to personify your organization and build a stronger connection to your brand. So far the ChristianaCare Speakers Bureau appears to be off to a solid start. "We had a huge response to our media release when we launched earlier this week and in the first day alone we had multiple organizations sending speaking opportunities for our medical experts. We're also seeing a great response internally as more of our experts requested to join the Speakers Bureau once it went live," said Hiran Ratnayake, Senior Manager of Media Relations at ChristianaCare who played a key role in developing the Speakers Bureau with his colleagues Shane Hoffman, Communications Director and Tom Hendrich - Senior Digital Content Editor at ChristianaCare. Is a Speakers Bureau Right For Your Organization? Here are some key benefits to consider in determining if a speakers bureau makes sense for your organization: Bolsters Community Engagement: An active Speaker's Bureau helps create a bridge between your organization and the community you serve. Promotes Diversity and Inclusion: A Speaker's Bureau offers an exciting opportunity to showcase the diverse voices and unique experiences within your organization. Enhances Organizational Visibility: The increased exposure at events can lead to greater recognition in the industry, more opportunities for collaborations, and ultimately, a wider reach for your healthcare services. It also is a proven way to boost SEO pagerank and domain authority in search engines and also provides a lot of additional content for your social channels. Develops Professional Skills: For healthcare professionals who participate, a Speakers Bureau offers an excellent opportunity to develop public speaking skills, foster leadership abilities, and establish themselves as thought leaders in their respective fields. Facilitates Knowledge Sharing: A Speaker's Bureau cultivates a more dynamic learning environment, which can lead to new ideas, innovations, and improved patient care within your organization. Strengthens Crisis Management Readiness: Having a pool of trained speakers ready to contribute can be incredibly beneficial in times of crisis. These professionals can help your communications team more effectively communicate critical information to the public, media, and other stakeholders. Enhances Employee Engagement: Employees who are given the opportunity to share their knowledge and represent their organization publicly, often feel more valued and invested in their work. Going Beyond the Walls of Your Medical Facility In the constantly evolving world of healthcare, accurate and timely information is critical to informed patient decisions and effective treatments. Organizations such as ChristianaCare understand that their role as a prominent healthcare system is to deliver information that extends beyond their immediate medical responsibilities. It’s simply no longer adequate to provide care within the walls of a medical facility. Today there is a critical demand for a more engaged approach, requiring hospitals and healthcare systems to leverage their in-house expertise for community education. A more informed community, armed with knowledge, which can make empowered decisions about their healthcare. While the public has an abundance of medical information at their fingertips, to help them participate more actively in their healthcare, much of the information found on social media today often lacks clarity, context, and credibility, leading to confusion and misinterpretations. Healthcare experts, leaders, and executives can play a pivotal role in dispelling myths and offering credible, evidence-based insights. An engaged, approachable healthcare professional is a reassuring sight, reinforcing the community’s faith in the system. It’s a win-win for these experts and the healthcare institution they represent. And most importantly it's a win for the communities they serve, as people identify potential health issues earlier, adopt healthier lifestyles, and reduce emergency hospital visits. This puts less burden on the region’s healthcare system, and better utilizes resources to reach a broader audience. After all, healthcare is not just about curing the sick; it’s about educating, engaging, and empowering the community for a healthier future. Congratulations to the entire team at ChristianaCare for creating such a valuable resource for your community. And thank you for letting us be a part of this exciting journey.
Finding Truth among the Tweets. Our expert weighs in on the role social media has during war.
With the Israel-Hamas war raging on, social media provides a source of information for many individuals to stay up to date. Across platforms there are reliable sources but there are also those with an agenda to spread false truth, blatant lies and sew doubt with doses of 'mis' and disinformation. It's a topic Goizueta Business School professor David Schweidel is watching closely. "We are seeing once again the need for the regulation of social media platforms," says Schweidel. " Platforms have a financial incentive to serve up the most provocative and arousing content and content moderation is often at odds with financial goals." Social media is being flooded with content, much of it misinformation, and social platforms are unwilling or unable to effectively moderate what’s being posted. "Beyond the likely reduction in revenue, implementing content moderation at scale is expensive and difficult. If viewed from a short-term financial perspective, allowing for a free for all is less costly and will result in more user engagement, which drives revenue," Schweidel adds. And it is not as if legislators and lawmakers are not aware. As of today, social media platforms aren’t liable for the content posted on them (under the FCC’s Section 230). Two recent lawsuits sought to challenge section 230, but the Supreme Court declined to take such action. These challenges were based on platforms actively promoting content through their algorithms, thereby going beyond simply being intermediaries providing access to content posted online by others. Some, such as the ACLU, view this as allowing for free speech online. There's a lot more to know, such as: The challenges in identifying real vs. fake content Which platforms are being effective in moderating content How US and EU laws vary in terms of regulating misinformation on social media platforms And that's where we can help. David A. Schweidel is Professor of Marketing at Emory University’s Goizueta Business School. He's a renowned marketing analytics expert focused on the opportunities at the intersection of marketing and technology. David is available to speak with media regarding this important topic, simply click on his icon now to arrange an interview today.
Today’s global business environment has led to rising demand for more advanced qualifications. Aston University’s Geoff Parkes explains how a DBA degree can help leaders meet employer demands and identify cutting-edge solutions to business problems. In recent years, the Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) has emerged as a prestigious qualification that equips aspiring business leaders with the skills and knowledge necessary to address complex challenges in the corporate world. Delivered online, Aston University’s Executive DBA programme is designed to accommodate professionals’ busy schedules and exemplifies the flexibility and relevance that DBA degrees offer in today’s dynamic business environment. Turning theory into practice DBA programmes, like their doctoral counterparts, require candidates to delve deeply into advanced business topics and contribute to their chosen field through original research presented in a thesis. What sets DBA graduates apart is their ability to bridge the gap between theory and practice. They are trained to apply their extensive knowledge directly to real-world business problems, making them invaluable assets to their employers. While DBA students are generally not inventing new theories, they are applying existing models in innovative and creative ways that contribute new knowledge both to academia and practice. Universities and business schools that offer DBA programmes will have a cadre of academic supervisors and faculty who can combine scholarly rigour with practical business experience. This is what students look for in their choice of institution. According to the Global DBA Survey from Compass, the typical DBA candidate boasts an impressive 15 years of professional experience on admission to the programme. It’s the norm for DBA students to complete their research while holding middle or senior management positions, showcasing their commitment to career advancement and expertise development. In fact, a DBA candidate’s thesis is usually directly related to a live work issue that requires this level of rigour. Rising educational expectations In the rapidly evolving business landscape of the 21st century, businesses worldwide are seeking leaders who can seamlessly navigate new challenges without extensive training. While a bachelor’s degree coupled with professional experience was once sufficient, the demand for more advanced qualifications has grown substantially. For many, the Master of Business Administration (MBA) has therefore supplanted the Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) as the requisite ‘entry-level’ degree, with DBA degrees elevating candidates even further. A recent report from EFMD Global found that DBAs are on a growth trajectory, with 86 per cent of institutions offering the qualification expecting an increase in enrolments in the near future. Career advancement and reputation are key growth factors for those seeking to study the qualification. The main driving motivations are the transformation of careers (cited by 81 per cent of respondents), the ambition to achieve the recognition of ‘Doctor’ (cited by 76 per cent) and the need for research with managerial impact (71 per cent). Business as an international language The proliferation of DBA education globally is a relatively recent phenomenon, with many programmes established in the last decade. This trend is not confined to a specific geographic location – the aforementioned Global DBA Survey from Compass indicates that 42 per cent of programmes are based in Europe, 28 per cent in North America and 22 per cent in Asia. DBAs are demonstrating their ability to impart business knowledge that transcends borders. Moreover, the survey highlights an 80 per cent increase in demand for DBA programmes worldwide, with no region experiencing decreased interest and significant growth in the Middle East and Asia. Aston University’s Executive DBA programme, with its flexible distance learning approach, exemplifies this global trend. Taking an academic approach to business Contrary to popular culture perceptions, business leaders rely on a foundation of knowledge acquired through rigorous academic and professional development. A guide in US News & World Report outlines the various stages of a typical DBA online programme, emphasising that candidates undergo multiple phases of research and evaluation to become workplace-ready executives. The journey includes: Research methods: DBA programmes commence with research methods courses that equip students with essential skills for business research. These practical courses introduce students to valuable sources and questions, preparing them for their thesis projects. Thesis and defence: After completing research methods courses, DBA candidates propose their doctoral theses, refining them with faculty supervisors. Supervisors ensure that thesis topics are original and contribute knowledge to the field. Candidates then conduct research and present their findings in a viva, which determines whether they have met the required standard for a doctorate. Benefits of DBA completion DBA graduates stand to enjoy several benefits, including: 1. Increased salary: DBAs command significantly higher salaries compared to other business degrees. PayScale data reveals that while graduates of a bachelor’s degree in business earn an average of GBP£34,000, MBA graduates earn median salaries of £52,000. DBA degree holders stand to earn even more, in executive positions that might include operations director (£87,989), vice-president (£92,800) and finance director (£102,078). 2. Multiple career paths: Unlike PhD programmes that primarily prepare students for academic careers, DBAs offer participants the flexibility to pursue both academic and business careers. Aston University’s Executive DBA programme, in line with global trends, focuses on preparing students for senior management roles. DBA candidates align their research projects with their career paths, showcasing their advanced knowledge and expertise in specific domains. In conclusion, the rise of DBA programmes is driven by the growing demand for advanced business education, the globalisation of business knowledge and the need for leaders who can integrate academic rigour with practical expertise. DBA graduates are well-equipped to meet employer demands and explore innovative solutions to contemporary business challenges, making them invaluable assets in the ever-evolving world of business. Dr Geoff Parkes is DBA programme director and associate professor in marketing and strategy at Aston Business School, Aston University. Following a career in industry, he graduated with a DBA in 2015 Discover Aston University’s online Executive DBA programme Aston University is a public research university situated in Birmingham, England. In 2020, Aston University was named ‘University of the Year’ by the Guardian and ‘Outstanding Entrepreneurial University’ in the Times Higher Education Awards. Aston was also shortlisted for ‘University of the Year’ in the Times Higher Education Awards 2021
Jacqueline Ortiz Honored for Increasing Patient Access to Interpreter Services
Fifty-eight years ago, a young man from Argentina wound up in surgery at a California hospital after stomach pains turned out to be peritonitis, a potentially life-threatening inflammation of the membrane lining the abdominal wall. He was discharged to his wife’s care, with one problem — neither the man nor his wife had any idea how to care for the open wound in his abdomen. Jacqueline Ortiz The couple did not understand the lengthy instructions delivered in English, and there was no interpreter to explain to them in their native Spanish what to expect. So, when the man tried to take a bath and discovered the gauze was stuck to his wound, he didn’t know what to do. Fear and uncertainty compounded an already stressful time. Jacqueline Ortiz wasn’t yet born when her father’s health care emergency took place, but growing up she heard the story over and over. It was more than family lore for Ortiz — it was a lesson. Ortiz said she wanted her mother, pictured with her at the DVTA event, to see the growing number of people working as interpreters to ensure people get the information they need in the language they understand. Ortiz, now the vice president for Health Equity and Cultural Competence at ChristianaCare, saw firsthand how the experience left her parents terrified of the medical environment. Removing barriers to good health Years later, Ortiz is a leader in advocating for patients to have access to qualified, culturally responsive medical interpreting services to remove communication barriers with providers and ensure the best possible care and outcomes. “Language access is what fills my heart and soul,” Ortiz said. Her pioneering efforts and enthusiasm for promoting the use of trained interpreters in health care earned Ortiz the inaugural Making an Impact Award from the Delaware Valley Translators Association (DVTA) during an event Sept. 9 at Widener University. In her role at ChristianaCare, she builds the organization’s capacity to reduce the incidence of disease and improve health outcomes, advance equitable health care services, and reduce health disparities for identified conditions and target populations through culturally competent care, including providing health care in patients’ native languages. She has over 20 years of experience researching, teaching and working in cultural competence and health equity, social networks, and economic sociology. “Language access is what fills my heart and soul,” Ortiz said. A vision for serving everyone Eliane Sfeir-Markus, CHI, president of the DVTA, said the award recognizes the efforts of those working to make interpreting and translation more available to people with limited English proficiency, and those who are deaf or hard of hearing. Ortiz’s pioneering work to expand language services for patients and implement comprehensive cultural competence training at ChristianaCare have set a standard for caring for patients in their native languages. “Jaki’s vision for a health care system that truly serves everyone, regardless of their cultural or linguistic background, is inspiring,” Sfeir-Markus said. “We as patients deserve someone who knows our culture to take care of us.” ChristianaCare has more than 20 health care interpreters and over 100 caregivers who have undergone additional training to provide interpreting services when needed. ChristianaCare has more than 20 health care interpreters — who wear eggplant-colored uniforms — and over 100 bilingual caregivers who have undergone special training to serve as interpreters in some settings. “Jaki is a well-known name in the field of interpreting and translation because she has advocated for education and professionalization of interpreters in health care,” said Claudia Reyes-Hull, MArch, CMI, CHI, manager of Cultural and Linguistic Programs at ChristianaCare. “Thanks to her advocacy, more health care systems are recognizing the need to have trained interpreters for their patients.” In accepting the award, Ortiz said interpreters play a critical role in health care by making it possible for patients — and their families — to take an active role in their own care and decrease the anxiety over visiting a health care provider. She credited the success of ChristianaCare’s interpreting and translations services and its continued growth to the collaborative spirit and camaraderie among its team of caregivers, particularly Reyes-Hull. Ortiz said her family’s personal experience with a lack of interpreting services during a hospital stay made them anxious about health care for years. “Probably all of us in this room have walked into a courtroom or a lawyer’s office or a hospital room or a clinic and introduced ourselves and seen that immediate response and relaxation in the person we were speaking with,” Ortiz said to the translators at the DVTA event. “You make those interactions within our legal, educational and health care systems so much better.”
