AC4-IACM Scholarship Almnus Interview: Dr. Patricia Satterstrom

Patricia Satterstrom, 2011

Where are you now since being an AC4 scholarship recipient in 2011 and first-time attendee to IACM?

I earned my doctorate from Harvard Business School (HBS) this past May, and I am now an Assistant Professor at the NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service. My family and I just moved to New York City, and I am excited to attend IACM this year, especially since it’s walking distance from our new apartment!

How did the AC4 scholarship shape your IACM experience or research and work on management post-IACM?

The AC4 scholarship that I received in 2011 was pivotal in allowing me to attend the IACM conference, which was in Istanbul that year. I appreciate that the IACM conference is held in interesting locations; however, traveling outside of the United States is prohibitive as a graduate student, so the scholarship allowed me to attend when I otherwise would not have been able to.

As an AC4 recipient, I had the opportunity to present an early-stage research project and make valuable connections with students and faculty that sustained me throughout graduate school. The IACM conference is relatively small — at least compared to our large management conference — and I have been able to stay in touch with several of the people I met in 2011 and in subsequent years. While my research has evolved over time, I appreciate that IACM helps me stay more up to date with research on power, conflict, and negotiation.

Any advice for current first-time and/or prospective AC4 scholars/ IACM attendees?

Before you arrive, look through the list of speakers and attendees and identify a couple people it would be helpful for you to meet. If they are senior people, you might want to reach out to them before the conference to set up a time to chat. It’s a whirlwind of academic and social sessions, so you can easily run out of time if you don’t plan ahead or if you’re too ambitious. For me, meeting graduate students from different schools who share my interests has helped immensely–you see them year after year and they become your community and you can support and help each other through grad school and the job market. Don’t think of the conference as consisting just of the academic sessions; rather, join the dinners and impromptu gatherings since those are the places you really get to know people.