1. Research Informs Teaching. I am fortunate to have a background in both management research (through my PhD program of study) and legal research (through my Juris Doctorate program of study). I am a firm believer in the importance of research and the creation of knowledge, as well as the dissemination of that knowledge through rigorous teaching methods. In my courses, I continuously present up-to-date research in management, ethics, and law. This requires me to keep up to date with these fields, which I do by reading top management journals, ethics journals, and Iowa and federal Supreme Court decisions, along with scholarly reviews and commentary. It also requires me to digest this high-level research and find a way to present it appropriately to my intended audiences, whether those be MBA students, undergrad students, or practitioners.
I enjoy working with other faculty, and with doctoral and undergraduate students, on research on management, ethics, the law, and areas of intersection between these disciplines.
2. The Power of Storytelling. Tyrion Lannister stated, “What unites people? Armies? Gold? Flags? Stories. There’s nothing more powerful than a good story.” One of my strengths is taking difficult concepts or findings, and making them relatable and memorable to students through my use of stories.
Many people think of law as a dry and boring discipline dominated by long-winded cases and thick, ancient books. I see law through the brilliant, vibrant stories of the people in these cases, their lives and struggles that brought them to court seeking justice. I am fortunate to have many stories from my own law practice that I use to good effect, and I also create or share stories via books, visual art, and new media.
Some stories are stark and dramatic. I use the book Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson to show students what it is like to wait on death row to be executed for a crime they didn’t commit. When they write their reflective essays, many of them tell me how the stories in this book challenged and reshaped their ideas about criminal justice and the death penalty.
Some stories are lower-stakes, but still important. Our students need to know about the legal risks that businesses face for such things as slip-and-fall cases and other forms of premises liability. Rather than lecture out examples, I used VR technology to create a 3D virtual business district, CerealWorld, in which the students can immerse themselves and explore these risks (safely) themselves. (To see this world, click here: https://skfb.ly/o6Lq8)
3. Care for the Individual. Knowledge and techniques are important, but the people we teach are most important to me. Teaching doesn’t stop for me at the end of class. I enjoy getting to know our students, advising them on potential careers, connecting them with internships and employers, or just meeting them for coffee to discuss how things are going with classes. I have gained many friendships with students (now alumni) in this way. I make a special effort to help students who are struggling, and to mentor students who come from underrepresented groups (e.g., students of color, first generation college students, etc.) For examples, please see this article regarding my work with students with disabilities: http://bit.ly/2Ycel2H.
Professor Andrew Hosmanek 