91探花

This fall, 91探花 and the Center for Entrepreneurship welcomed Tatiana Somi脿, Ph.D., a Marie Sk艂odowska-Curie IF Global Research Fellow. 

The fellowship is named after Marie Curie, a Polish-born, naturalized-French physicist and chemist. The Marie Curie Global Fellowships (or Marie Sk艂odowska-Curie Actions/MSCAs) are a set of major research fellowships created by the European Union and European Commission which aim to support research and foster career development of researchers at all career stages. The grant provides significant funding at 250,000+ euros and promotes interdisciplinary research and international collaborations, supporting scientists from not only within Europe but across the globe.

鈥淢arie Curie Fellowships are highly prestigious European Union grants that allow the recipient significant focused time for their post-doctoral study and professional development. We are thrilled to host Tatiana here at 91探花 for two years to help expand the Center for Entrepreneurship's research team,鈥� said Dr. Luke Pittaway, O鈥橞leness, professor of entrepreneurship at 91探花鈥檚 College of Business.

Somi脿鈥檚 research project, WOentrecompMEN, explores the validity of the Entrepreneurship Competence (EntreComp) Framework, which the European Union created to foster the development of entrepreneurial competencies. Somi脿 is comparing EntreComp with American frameworks and studying the specific competencies of American and Italian entrepreneurs. The research will have a special focus on entrepreneurial competencies of women and gender studies in entrepreneurship education.

鈥淚 chose OHIO thanks to Dr. Luke Pittaway, my supervisor in this project. He is an established academic in the entrepreneurship education field with expertise in entrepreneurial behavior. He was also awarded USASBE鈥檚 Entrepreneurship Educator of the Year. This will allow me to significantly develop my teaching and supervisory skills,鈥� Somi脿 said. 鈥淚 am hosted by the Department of Management, and I have access to the university鈥檚 infrastructures and facilities, such as the College of Business, the CoLab, the library and other facilities. Dr. Pittaway made workspace for me in the CoLab to further the entrepreneurship educational aspects of my project.鈥�

She will spend the first two years conducting research at OHIO, and a final third year in Italy sponsored through the Free University of Bozen-Bolzano (or unibz). Unibz was ranked among the best 20 small universities worldwide in  

鈥淚 chose to conduct the first part of my research in the U.S. because North America stands as the role model for high-growth enterprises and entrepreneurship education. Compared with other countries, the United States has the longest history in entrepreneurship education and has friendly conditions for entrepreneurship,鈥� Somi脿 explained. 

She is eager explore the influence of the culture, and 鈥渆ntrepreneurs who create a disproportionate change in their environment, who innovate and push society forward.鈥� 

Somi谩 has particular interest in gender studies within entrepreneurship education.

鈥淭he work that Tatiana is conducting is significant,鈥� Pittaway said. 鈥淭here is a lot of effort within entrepreneurship education to identify the key entrepreneurial competencies that might best inform program and course designs. The competencies required, though, do differ between forms of entrepreneurship, cultural contexts, and types of people, and there is debate about the overall objectives of practice. Her work on gender and culture will help inform this ongoing conversation.鈥�

On first impressions of the Athens campus, Somi脿 remarked, 鈥淚 was very surprised by the beautiful landscape. Everyone is really so friendly, and I am feeling at home here.鈥�