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Alumni

To Make Greener Buildings, Try Innovating around the Edges

The building industry is slow to change. But three Yale alumni are finding ways to make changes on the margins and in the process offer solutions that aren’t easy to ignore.

A aerial photo of a 20th-century building retrofitted with solar panels.
  • Discussion: Women and Leadership

    What does it mean to be a leader and a woman? How much do bias and cultural assumptions still present challenges for women as they move up in their careers? A panel of accomplished Yale SOM alumnae discussed their experiences of leadership and management and reflect on strategies women can use to navigate in the workplace.

  • Private Equity in Transition

    A recent online discussion with three experienced private equity professionals provided a survey of the industry’s development over the last decade, as well as advice for those interested in moving into the field. The participants were Peter M. Schulte ’83, Dan O’Connell ’80, and Sally Rocker ’81. The discussion was moderated by Andrew Metrick, Yale SOM Deputy Dean for Faculty Development & Michael H. Jordan Professor of Finance and Management.

  • How does Google keep innovating?

    In its early days Google didn’t have a marketing team. Now with many brands to support, the company has brought its data-driven approach to its relationship with users and advertisers. Qn magazine spoke with Claire Hughes Johnson, VP of new products, media, and platforms, about the role of marketing in launching new products.

  • Should the government subsidize alternative energy?

    When solar panel manufacturer Solyndra went bankrupt after receiving millions in federal loan guarantees, some said that the government should stop interfering in energy markets. Nancy Pfund and Ben Healey show that the U.S. government has a long history of subsidizing emerging forms of energy, dating back to the 19th century.

  • What is the future of venture capital?

    On December 2, 2011, a panel of Yale SOM alumni from the venture capital and technology fields discussed their own experiences and reflected on the current state of venture capital; disruptive new models for raising financing, such as social media; and the outlook for the industry.

  • Is there profit in outer space?

    Getting a rocket into space is complicated business. In addition to expertise in physics, materials science, and electronics, you need the business savvy to create a sustainable company in an industry replete with flameouts.

    A view of Earth from orbit
  • How do you sell steel?

    How does a manufacturing company in Baltimore thrive selling steel around the world? Titan Steel Corporation keeps manufacturing jobs in the U.S. by continually adapting to shifting suppliers and customers as macro trends and exchange-rate shifts alter the global competitive landscape.

  • When do you know you're a leader?

    Two accomplished graduates of Yale SOM talk about their transitions to leadership roles with Amy Wrzesniewski, associate professor of organizational behavior.

  • Can you lead from the middle of a big corporation?

    Managers from four global companies talk about how they launched social and environmental innovations within massive organizations.

  • What keeps the world's ships going?

    Global trade is heavily dependent on the world's fleet of cargo ships, which carry everything from oil to iPads. Shipping operators in turn depend on specialized financing to stay in business. Scott Lewallen '89, global head of shipping finance for SEB Merchant Bank, describes how this little-noticed industry keeps globalization sailing ahead.