Dr. Ryan Smerek

Biography

Ryan Smerek is an Associate Professor and the Associate Director of Academic Affairs for the Master of Science in Learning Organizational Change program at Northwestern University. He is passionate about discovering and communicating research-based insights that create positive change in organizations. Ryan has conducted extensive research, taught, and published in the fields of learning, decision-making, innovation, and organizational culture. He is the author of 'Speaking Work: Leading Change Independent Thinker,' which narrates the experiences of individuals leading change and synthesizes decades of research in psychology and management. In his book 'Organizational Learning Performance: Science Practice Building Learning Culture,' Ryan discusses mindsets that foster learning and the importance of social norms in promoting innovation and creativity. He teaches courses on individual and organizational learning, design thinking, cognitive design, and people analytics. Before joining Northwestern University, Ryan worked at Denison Consulting, a culture and leadership assessment firm in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Research Interests