Why Wharton?
I've always been interested in research, and I taught courses for employees while I was a project manager in New York. When I began my PhD studies at Rutgers, I gravitated toward ethics, deceptions and negotiations, and child labor. Two years in, I realized I needed to find a better home for my interests. I found out about the Wharton Ethics and Legal Studies department from a colleague who had gotten her PhD here. Up to that point, I didn't know that a targeted business ethics programs existed.

Is Wharton what you expected?
What has surprised me about Ethics and Legal Studies is the breadth of courses that we have access to. I've taken classes in philosophy, psychology, economics, and law. Another big surprise was the degree of freedom we have in shaping the program as it fits our research needs and interests.

What else stands out for you?
One of the best things about Wharton is the quality of faculty and the immense body of expertise here. The fact that the school is a real community struck me from the first day — I've never seen it anywhere else. There are always activities, birthday celebrations, and staff asking how they can make our experience better. PhD students are an integral part of the school, and we are both nurtured and supported. During the first year, we sometimes felt overwhelmed, but faculty members actually came to us to ask if we wanted to meet and discuss our work. In most schools, a student has to beg to get any time with a professor.

What are the research resources like?
The resources are outstanding. In our department, we have the Carol and Lawrence Zicklin Center for Business Ethics, which gave me funding for summer research. We can access readings and films there, as well as data from the World Bank. My favorite thing is the document delivery service, which emails you links to new articles and allows you to order them online. There are also seminar series across campus. On any given day, you have an opportunity to attend a talk and see how your work fits into current thinking and where your field is moving.

How about the community?
Having come from Europe and commuter schools, it was amazing to discover just how vibrant Penn's campus is. I've established new friendships across departments — in Management and OPIM, but also in Philosophy, English, even the Dental School. One of the highlights of my experience here was attending a conference on integrated social contracts theory, organized by the most prominent scholars in that field. It was fascinating to see this top-notch research coming out of the department. I've also attended conferences with Wharton faculty, and they will make a point of introducing you to other people and supporting your presentation. I've already developed a network of contacts, which is invaluable, particularly when I'm ready to enter the job market.

What are your research goals?
When I came to Wharton, I wanted a solid grounding in philosophy and law, which I didn't get in business school. Right now, business ethics is evolving toward a combination of normative and empirical research, so I would like both to be a management scholar and philosopher and to produce pioneering research in the field.