Presenting “edX E-Learning Course Development” at AUE

On January 30, 2017, I shared my book, “edX E-Learning Course Development,” to faculty, students, and staff at American University in the Emirates (AUE). Below are videos and photos — along with a copy of the presentation — from that event. This was the inaugural “Library Distinguished Guest Speaker Series” event hosted by the Library and Information Resource Center (LIRC) and the Office of Research and Advancement (ORA) at AUE. The event took place in the recently renovated AUE Library; an impressively modern space that encourages education and helps create a learning community. I brought in students from my MKT 200-2, Principles of…

Boldly Going: Being an Extra on Star Trek Beyond

On October 15, 2015 I boldly went… onto the set of Star Trek Beyond. I first learned about the opportunity in August 2015 from the Facebook page of the US Embassy in Abu Dhabi. After auditioning, I was invited to act as an extra on the final day of filming at the Meydan Racecourse in Dubai. The production had been previously filming around Dubai in Jumeirah Lakes Towers (JLT) and Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) (where some set shots were captured). First I had to get fitted for a costume.  The outfit they had planned included an alien head, but the headpiece was too tight. So we tried Costume #866:…

Connecting Management Theory to Reality with Anthony Quartararo

Guest speakers offer a wonderful way to bring textbooks to life and show your students how they can connect theory with reality. I’ve had many exceptional individuals share their insights and experiences with my students. So I was thrilled when, on Saturday, November 14, 2015, Anthony Quartararo stopped by my MGT 100, Principles of Management class at American University in the Emirates (AUE). Mr. Quartararo is the President and CEO of St. Petersburg, Florida based Spatial Networks, Inc. Spatial Networks is the developer behind Fulcrum, a mobile data collection platform that you can use to build, deploy, and collect data with customized…

12 Months, 12 Memories: My First Year in Dubai

On September 8, 2014 I opened for Lady Gaga. Well, not exactly: I landed in Dubai, UAE a few hours before Lady Gaga also arrived in Dubai for a concert at the Meydan Racecourse (on September 10). And so began my expat adventure as a full-time business professor. In the 12 months since I have exponentially grown personally and developed professionally. While I had previously traveled internationally, my experience was limited mostly to short trips to a handful of countries. Those early overseas trips certainly exposed me to a more global perspective, but living overseas has allowed me to experience a…