My dissertation examined how network churn, the dynamic process of adding and removing ties from one’s network, unfolds over time to affect individual performance. I study these dynamic processes in the context of a large U.S. based corporate law firm, with implications for other professional service firms and knowledge intensive industries.
I am also interested in questions surrounding innovation, and particularly unusual technologies. In a recent paper (with Melissa Schilling and Barak Aharonson, (Organization Science, 2020), I look at the cognitive search processes individuals use to explore uncharted areas of the technological landscape. We propose and find support for three processes: distant recombination, scientific reasoning, and long search paths that enable inventors to create outlier patents that are technologically distant from pre-existing patents. Open access: https://pubsonline.informs.org/doi/pdf/10.1287/orsc.2019.1328
I earned my Ph.D. in Management & Organizations from NYU's Stern School of Business. Before the doctoral program, I worked for Goodman Research Group (Cambridge, Massachusetts), where I conducted research on and evaluation of educational programs for clients, including LEGO, Discovery Channel, and NASA. I graduated from Williams College with a B.A. in Psychology (with Honors) and Art History. I also played for the Williams Basketball team.