People fascinate me. Two research projects at Grinnell taught me the value of studying people in aggregate and as individuals. For a sociology project, I used statistical analysis to study a group’s connections and what the members thought the connections were. I learned the nodding acquaintance between reality and perception, how they can influence each other, and the importance of questioning your data. Researching an ethnography taught me how much you can learn from actively listening to people who see the world very differently. Those lessons have served me well, helping me develop a web content management system years before they were common; create an annual research and arts event that, more than 25 years later, is still going strong; and make friends across political, social, and cultural divides.
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