Friday, March 15, 2024

Catching Up with a Good Friend While in Paderborn

I have likely been to more than a dozen universities in Germany over the past decade, and as a result have crossed paths with Christof Backhaus many times.  He took the train from Muenster to Paderborn today just to have a coffee with me.  Our visit was quick, but quite enjoyable.  And, Christof informed me of his upcoming wedding plans!
Christof and Dwayne in  Paderborn

Thursday, March 14, 2024

Confirming Celebration Skills at the Publishing Seminar in Paderborn

One aspect of the publication process that we discussed was celebrating key milestones in the process.  Obviously we should celebrate when our manuscripts are published, but we also discussed celebrating "revise and resubmit" invitations (and thus NOT receiving rejections).  I did not have to repeat the lecture points here...apparently many of them have been perfecting their celebration skills for years!

Michelle Mertens and the rest of the participants demonstrate their celebration skills!

Monday, March 11, 2024

Discussing Scholarly Research in Paderborn, Germany

Lena Steinhoff invited me to return to Paderborn, Germany, to conduct my "Publishing Scholarly Research" seminar.  (I had previously been to Paderborn in 2007 and 2015.)  We had 10 participants (3 from Paderborn, the rest from Germany and Austria) attend four day-long sessions as we discussed various topics related to publishing academic articles.  

Participants in the 2024 version of the "Publishing Scholarly Research" seminar.

Friday, December 8, 2023

Coaching at the "Let's Talk About Service" Conference in Namur, Belgium

Wafa Hammedi invited me to be a part of the "Lets Talk About Service" conference hosted by the University of Namur in Belgium.  (Click here for the conference website.)  This was the 10th year of this event; I also participated during my previous sabbatical (in 2015).  The event focuses on bringing Ph.D. candidates and assistant professors together to discuss service research issues.

The 2023 LTAS Participants (almost 100 in total)

My role at the conference was to serve as a "coach" for a group of seven young scholars for the LTAS "Collaborative Workshop."  They were given the task to develop ideas for a project that could lead to publication in a leading journal.  My team (Team DigiTAS) worked together in designing a study that could be targeted to the Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science.

(Clockwise from upper left) Victor, Andreea, Samer, Lukas, Janice, Lisa, Dwayne, and Claire

Seven more "senior" scholars served as coaches for the various teams.  Wafa Hammedi (far left in photo below) and Linda Alkire (far right) were the LTAS organizers; Rebekah Russell-Bennett organized the "Collaborative Workshop." 
Wafa H., Jonas H., Anu H. , Jens H., Rebekah R-B, Matthew A., Andrew G., Dwayne, and Linda A.  

Sunday, December 3, 2023

Battling the Snow in Brussels, Belgium

My host, Bart Lariviere, had thought of several options for us to consider doing on Sunday afternoon, but the cold weather and threat of ice/snow caused him to revise his plans.  Instead we took the train into Brussels to see the Christmas market and eat some lunch.  Shortly after we left the train station we saw St. Michael's Cathedral.  This is where the king of Belgium was married. 

Brussels Cathedral

We went inside and saw beautiful stained glass windows and Nativity scenes from countries from around the world.  Bart purchased a candle in honor of my visit with him (as is his custom when entertaining guests), and so we took a picture of the two of us and the candle.

After a couple of hours walking around the Brussels city center, we went to Bart's house where he served a typical Flemish dish (a meat stew).  His wife Isabelle and one of his sons joined us for dinner.
Bart, Olivier, and Isabelle at dinner.

Saturday, December 2, 2023

Enjoying the Sites in Dendermonde, Belgium

This trip was my third to Europe in 2023.  I selected this spot so that I could spend some time with a colleague from Belgium--Bart Lariviere (at the Catholic University of Leuven, or KULeuven).  We went to the Dendermonde city center to see the sites and have dinner. 

Stadhaus Dendermonde (City Hall)

We had a nice dinner at Grande Cafe Den Abazjoer, which sits on the corner of the Dendermonde Markt (city center).
Bart and Dwayne both had the seafood dish...it was excellent!
 
After dinner we had to cross back over the Dender river to get to our car.  The bridge we walked across is called Vlasmarktbrug.  (See below.)

Vlasmarktbrug (over the Dender River)

Earlier in the day, as I was walking around Dendermonde (in very cold weather) I came across this guy.  (See below.)  He looks happy to be in Dendermonde.


Sunday, October 8, 2023

Meeting a Fellow Perrysburger in Vienna

Candy and I attended the "English Speaking United Methodist Church of Vienna" this morning.  It was about a 25 minute walk from our AirBnb apartment.  One of the first people to introduce themselves was Jerry Barton.  He asked us where we were from, and Candy said Ohio.  He then asked where in Ohio, and she said "Perrysburg."  He exclaimed, "Perrysburg?"  I started to explain that it was close to Toledo when he said he was a 1966 graduate of Perrysburg High School.  Actually, he grew up on Ft. Meigs Road, less than a mile from our house.

Jerry Barton and Dwayne 

He normally plays the organ for the church service, but did not do so today.  Candy was fascinated by the organ and took a picture: