Magdalena, at home in five countries

"I've lived in five different countries, so now wherever I go I never feel like a foreigner", explains Magdalena Cholakova, Assistant Professor at the Department of Strategic Management and Entrepreneurship at the Rotterdam School of Management. Before going to the Netherlands, she obtained her PhD at Bocconi and an MPhil in Organizational Behavior Management at Trinity College, Dublin. "My experience is decidedly transversal, also from the standpoint of my studies. I obtained my BA degree in Cognitive Psychology at Jacobs University Bremen, in Germany. This kind of formation led me to develop a strong interest in everything having to do with individual emotions, decision-making, and reasoning in this field. With my PhD, I was able to apply those studies to the corporate and entrepreneurial sector". Cholakova analyzes the cognitive and emotional mechanisms which help people develop new ideas, and how people make decisions in uncertain contexts, especially when new businesses are being created.

"I chose the Rotterdam School of Management because it's an excellent institution in terms of resources, and offers fine opportunities for an academic career. Also, the department where I work, which consists of 35 people, has a strong propensity for entrepreneurial culture and experimental research". A strong feature of Cholakova's professional university experience has been her teaching; in fact, she earned the Professor of the Year Award in 2014. This recognition was established by RSM students, and is assigned every year to the professors who receive the best student evaluations. "Our students are very stimulating because they are talented and motivated. I have a responsibility towards them as their professor, and I'm proud of being able to contribute to channeling their enthusiasm so that they can put effective entrepreneurial ideas into practice. They have brilliant minds: I try to inspire them - and learn from them - every day".

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