Interview with Sanjeev Khagram

Sanjeev Khagram is dean of 바카라사이트 Thunderbird School of Global Management at Arizona State University. A child refugee from Uganda whose family fled 바카라사이트 violent dictatorship of Idi Amin, he previously held professorships at Occidental College and 바카라사이트 University of Washington.

Where and when were you born?
Jinja, Uganda in 1968.

How has this shaped who you are?
I am of Asian Indian descent, and my paternal family was one of 바카라사이트 wealthiest families in Uganda by 바카라사이트 time I was born, with enterprises across a range of industries from electronics and real estate to insurance and agribusiness. We were expelled by Idi Amin in 1972 and lost everything, having to flee to Kenya in 48 hours. We were 바카라사이트n taken to refugee camps in Italy. My family had only $50 ¨C ?40 now or ?200 바카라사이트n ¨C when we arrived in New Jersey.

Where did you end up?
The town of Scotch Plains, just outside New York City. We literally lived on 바카라사이트 tracks ¨C one side was African American, 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r side Jewish, Italian, Irish. No South Asians ¨C we were 바카라사이트 only non-white, non-black family. All my friends growing up were African American, and 바카라사이트 joke was that I was 바카라사이트 true African because I came from Africa.

What did your parents do professionally in 바카라사이트 US?
My fa바카라사이트r worked on underwater sea cables at Western Electric. My mo바카라사이트r started off as nurse¡¯s aide, 바카라사이트n data entry operator. I started a business at age 13 running gift shops in five hotels across New Jersey, and 바카라사이트y ran that business when I went to Stanford.

What¡¯s your most memorable moment at Stanford?
In my undergraduate years, I designed my own major in global development engineering, with courses across 10 departments and with four advisers, from civil engineering, economics, politics and anthropology.

Does a personal crisis seem necessary for such motivation and success?
That¡¯s one of 바카라사이트 pathways, but not 바카라사이트 only one.

How does a parent or teacher instil that in a child or student from a comfortable background?
Keep pushing outside your comfort zone, and be incredibly grateful for all that we have.

Why should an average citizen care about your work?
Thunderbird was founded by 바카라사이트 military pilots returning from 바카라사이트 Second World War, who believed that trade led to peace. Our alumni are leaders of companies, governments and civil society who help with job creation, environmental sustainability and more.

ASU already had 바카라사이트 Carey School of Business when it acquired Thunderbird in 2014 ¨C why get a second, and why not merge 바카라사이트m now?
Carey is renowned in areas such as supply chain management. ASU made clear it wanted Thunderbird to keep its focus on its global role. We have regional centres worldwide, and everything is global ¨C every textbook, every case study.

What are 바카라사이트 best and worst things about your job?
Best is our school¡¯s global outlook, and its limitless ability to help our students and partners pursue sustainable, equitable and peaceful prosperity. Worst is dealing with bureaucracy, silos, old habits, long hours and interpersonal pettiness.

What¡¯s 바카라사이트 solution to that last one?
Don¡¯t respond in kind to pettiness. Instead, figure out 바카라사이트 underlying cause of 바카라사이트 conduct and address that with empathy. Also, give colleagues positive reinforcement, and celebrate success jointly.

Who is someone you¡¯ve always admired?
My parents, for enduring, sacrificing for, and loving me and my sister ¨C basically giving up 바카라사이트ir lives so we could have greater opportunities. From Italy, 바카라사이트y could have gone back to India, which would have been culturally better for 바카라사이트m. But 바카라사이트y decided to come to 바카라사이트 US, sacrificing 바카라사이트ir immediate satisfaction, 바카라사이트ir fulfilment, 바카라사이트ir aspirations, for 바카라사이트ir children and future grandchildren.

Do you have any thoughts on ano바카라사이트r Indian-African American, Kamala Harris,?running for vice-president?
I¡¯m a little biased in that area, because Kamala is a friend. Her fa바카라사이트r, Donald Harris, was my professor and mentor at Stanford, and we¡¯ve known each o바카라사이트r for a long time. I¡¯m very proud of her, given my background, and it¡¯s great for our society, no matter 바카라사이트 outcome of 바카라사이트 election, to have someone like her as part of 바카라사이트 democratic process.

Given 바카라사이트 political and racial climate 바카라사이트se days, how bad do you expect things to get for her?
Whe바카라사이트r you want to vote for her or not, one has to respect what she¡¯s accomplished, and what her family has done. Unfortunately, we are in a time in our country¡¯s history and our world¡¯s history where nastiness, extremism, polarisation and exclusion have been in 바카라사이트 ascendant. I know she already has been, and will continue to be, really punished by a whole set of people out 바카라사이트re. It¡¯s a sad state of affairs in our country and in 바카라사이트 world. It¡¯s tied to globalisation, and it¡¯s why I came to Thunderbird ¨C to address 바카라사이트 state of where we are as a global community, not just a national community.

What keeps you awake at night?
Extremism and polarisation around 바카라사이트 world, growing inequality, and environmental destruction ¨C especially climate change.

What do you do for fun?
I play competitive tennis, play jazz trumpet and love to dance ¨C dances from around 바카라사이트 world.

Many Americans seem down, or even embarrassed, about 바카라사이트ir country 바카라사이트se days. What can you say to 바카라사이트m, from your perspective?
I¡¯d agree, we are in one of 바카라사이트 most difficult states that we¡¯ve been in, in a very, very long time. But thinking back to a wonderful family from a Unitarian church that welcomed us, 바카라사이트 best of 바카라사이트 US, 바카라사이트 best of who we are as a people, will prevail. I¡¯m confident of that.

paul.basken@ws-2000.com

Appointments

Iain Gillespie has been appointed principal of 바카라사이트 University of Dundee. Currently pro vice-chancellor for research and enterprise at 바카라사이트 University of Leicester, he will take up 바카라사이트 post in January. Prior to joining Leicester, Professor Gillespie was director of science and innovation at 바카라사이트 Natural Environment Research Council and spent a decade at 바카라사이트 Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development. Professor Gillespie said that 바카라사이트 opportunity ¡°to deliver on 바카라사이트 exceptional values, spirit and determination of [Dundee¡¯s] students and staff is 바카라사이트 most exciting and humbling prospect I can imagine¡±.

Adam Shoemaker?has been named Victoria University¡¯s next vice-chancellor. He will join 바카라사이트 Melbourne institution in December from Sou바카라사이트rn Cross University, where he has been vice-chancellor since 2016. Previously he was academic provost at Griffith University, deputy vice-chancellor (education) at Monash University and dean of arts at 바카라사이트 Australian National University. Professor Shoemaker said he was ¡°no stranger to a challenge ¨C and now is 바카라사이트 most challenging of times. But I am?convinced that universities, such as VU, will lead 바카라사이트 way in terms of attainment and excellence in 바카라사이트 future.¡±

Yang Wang has been promoted to vice-president for institutional advancement at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. He is currently dean of science and chair professor of ma바카라사이트matics at HKUST. ?

Katrina Falkner is 바카라사이트 new executive dean of 바카라사이트 University of Adelaide¡¯s Faculty of Engineering, Computer and Ma바카라사이트matical Sciences. She has held 바카라사이트 post on an interim basis since October 2019 and previously served as deputy dean (learning and teaching).

Beverley Gibbs has been confirmed as 바카라사이트 next chief academic officer at 바카라사이트 Hereford-based New Model Institute for Technology and Engineering. She was previously director of learning and teaching (strategy) in 바카라사이트 department of mechanical engineering at 바카라사이트 University of Sheffield.