Wharton Stories: Women

2019 IDDEAS Cohort group photo in front of LOVE statue hero
Since 2012, IDDEAS@Wharton has been a pathway for undergraduate students of all backgrounds to enter the world of business research.

Building a Diverse Pipeline for Business Faculty

A black-and-white photo of a person on an indoor cycling bike
“I really wanted people to find this safe place, this safe workout, because it’s low-impact. People can come and take a class if they’re 17 years old or if they’re 82 years old.”

Why The Co-Founder of SoulCycle Restarted with a New Fitness Venture

Doctoral student Julianna Pillemer and Prof. Nancy Rothbard seated on a black video set
Prof. Nancy Rothbard and doctoral candidate Julianna Pillemer discuss their research collaboration on potential conflicts between workplace friendships and organizational goals.

Managing the Dark Side of Workplace Friendships

Esther Uduehi standing in front of Steinberg-Dietrich. She has black hair and is wearing a black dress with a leather belt.
Second-year doctoral student Esther Uduehi, president of the Wharton Society for the Advancement of Women in Business Academia, talks about life as a PhD student.

Building Community and Connection with Women in Business Academia

Prof. Diana Robertson smiles at the camera. She has light-brown hair, and is wearing a blue blazer and white blouse. She sits at an office desk.
“One of the big things is just recognizing when it’s an ethical issue, not just a business issue. I want to give (my students) the ability to recognize the ethical issues and have a framework for analyzing them.”

From Tom Brady to Philly’s Soda Tax: Prof. Diana Robertson Brings Real-World Business Ethics into the Classroom

Professor Nancy Rothbard has brown hair, and is wearing a black and gray plaid jacket and a black necklace. She is smiling.
“As an academic, you’re an entrepreneur of ideas. I’m constantly developing new ideas, putting them out there, and seeing how the market reacts. Do I get people interested? Do I affect people’s lives?”

Prof. Nancy Rothbard on the Interactions of Work and Life and Her New Role as Management Chair

Headshot of Tanya Paul. She has short, dark hair and is wearing a khaki jacket over a pink shirt.
Getting a PhD wasn’t part of Tanya’s long-term plan when she started as an undergrad at Wharton. She initially aspired to work as a data scientist or analyst but soon fell in love with data in a whole different way through a research assistantship.

How This Doctoral Student Began Her PhD Journey as a Wharton Undergrad

Headshot of Jessica Jeffers in front of a brown wall. She has blonde hair and is wearing a white shirt.
“There is a pipeline problem in business academia: more women tend to drop out of the program, or choose a non-academic career. At some point we realized, we wanted to make sure that other generations had access to this kind of a group, because it was so instrumental to our success.”

How This PhD Student Took Advantage of Wharton’s Resources and Created a New Pipeline for Women in Academia

Corinne Low stands in front of a brick wall, next to a white lion statue.
“I love that Wharton students all come in with business experience. I say that I’m going to be the expert in economics and you’re going to be the expert on applications to the business world. We’re going to bring those together.”

Prof. Corinne Low Teaches Business Principles to Wharton MBAs and Zambian 8th Graders

Headshot of Alison Wood Brooks. She has curly, brown hair and is wearing a blue shirt
“By working with great professors, I can see firsthand how it all works, what they do day-to-day, and model myself after them.”

PhD Student Talks About the Diverse Skill Set You Need to Become a Professor