Daily life at GEM

---

Over the past two weeks, I've managed to really settle into daily life at GEM. However, I've really felt like part of me has not left Georgia Tech! I'm finishing up a teams seminar at Georgia Tech next week (I've been attending the class virtually from 8:30 to 11pm from my hotel room) and have been collaborating with the researchers at Georgia Tech, George Mason and Northwestern University on various papers. Not only am I studying globally distributed virtual multiteam systems, I definitely feel like I am a part of one now....with all of the challenges inherent in these systems. When students working on their projects say that they have trouble scheudling and attending meetings across the six hour time difference on a regular bais, I completely understand.

I am also really enjoying meeting new people and hearing more about different approaches to life. I especially enjoy the long lunches with interesting people! Some new friends of mine over here have a daughter who is enrolled in public school. I was fascinated to hear about the way that nutrition in public schools is appoched in France. Basically, the students all have access to very high quality food at lunch (we're talking caviar, really good cheeses, beef bourguignon, etc). Its kind of a cultural learning experience for the children--they learn to appreciate and understand food, and this way, all children have access to high quality nutrition. Parents do have to pay for this on a graduated scale, but even poorer children get healthy meals. Very interesting idea!

I'm also getting the opportunity to take a network analysis class taught be Dr. Chollet and Dr. Parker here at GEM. I've been to two classes so far, and had some really enlightening discussions! On Fridays at GEM, they have "Friday seminars" that are designed to create a more cohesive community of researchers and help improve research papers. If you submit a paper to be discussed/critiqued during the seminar, someone ELSE presents it and everyone else talks about it (while you don't say a word). This upcoming Friday, I'll be presenting an interesting paper written by one of the new faculty here on the topic of "shared aesthetic mental models in teams". Its a cool idea that builds on the notion that shared mental models in teams are sometimes very intangible, especially when it comes to aesthetic or creative tasks.

The globaly innovation project is going great so far it seems. The business students seem to be learning how to deal with cross-boundary collaboration, and seemed really positive about the project on Monday when I did a presentation in their classes.

---

Photos

Public school in France
I wish my public school had looked this inviting!

First view of the day!
These are the mountains I see every morning outside of the hotel