High unemployment numbers and a shaky economy have provided a host of challenges for the American workforce. These issues also have provided scientists studying workplace attitudes, emotions, performance and stress with an enhanced sense of purpose.
This month, the University of Houston is hosting a national conference focused on the economy's impact on organizational and workplace psychology. Graduate researchers from across the country will head to Houston for the Industrial/Organizational -Organizational Behavior Graduate Student Conference (IOOB). Hosted by UH's psychology department and Bauer College of Business, the event will run March 12 - 14 on the campus of UH-Downtown.
The conference's theme is "Thriving in An Ever-Changing Economy: The Role of Industrial/Organizational Psychology and Organizational Behavior." It will feature workshops and lectures presented by renowned professionals and academicians. Keynote speakers include Sheldon Zedeck, author of the book "Work, Families and Organizations"; noted researcher and UH professor Robert Eisenberger; and John Scott, co-founder and CEO of human resources consulting firm Applied Psychological Techniques. Workshop topics include wage-and- job hour studies, compensation research and constructing effective job-attitude surveys.
The conference also will provide opportunities for dialogue between the Houston business community and graduate students interested in applying their knowledge and talents to real-world situations.
"This event is a great opportunity for professionals in the Houston area to meet graduate students who soon will be seeking research or consulting opportunities," said Alexandra Luksyte, UH graduate student and one of the event's coordinators. "Additionally, the event can serve as a venue for managers and human resources professionals to learn about the function of industrial/organizational psychology and organizational behavior."
This will be the first time UH has been selected as the host institution for this prominent graduate student conference. Each year, universities from across the country submit proposals and applications for the opportunity of hosting IOOB. The three-day event is coordinated and organized by UH psychology and business graduate students. The conference's executive committee members are graduate psychology students Luksyste and Robert Stewart and graduate business student Marina Sebatijanovic.
Registration is $60, and $70 after March 5. For additional details and a schedule of events, visit the conference's Web site at www.uh.edu/ioob.