More than 40 years ago, I first entered a university (the University of Toronto as an undergraduate student), and universities have been central to my life ever since. This area of interest for me encompasses a wide range of issues: everything from personal, professional growth (I am a big fan of, for instance, Cal Newport, and I welcome insights that can be applied across any of a variety of areas) to group dynamics (often couched within discussions on leadership – Simon Sinek is a favorite) to the role of the university in society (I am a regular follower (reader/listener) of HESA, THE, and UWN). I am not sure how/if these interests might be turned into projects, per se, but the area continues to be one that is a priority for me.
As an example, I am just finishing reading Andrew McAfee's book entitled, The Geek Way: The Radical Mindset That Drives Extraordinary Results. Probably identified to me by the book sections of one of my go-to publications (i.e., The Economist, the Globe and Mail, the Guardian, or the New York Times), I find inspiration for my own work from books like this one. In this particular case, it is stimulating to think about how the four norms of science, ownership, speed, and openness could or should be translated to a higher education environment (in all of its forms). My thinking continues about how I might develop this work more systematically (and I will continue, regardless, to delve into individual writings, etc.).
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