MAA New York: A talk on Purposeful Empathy with McGill's Anita Nowak, PhD

In the face of climate change, social inequalities, a mental health crisis, geopolitical threats, and rapidly advancing technologies, Anita Nowak, BA'97, BCom'97, PhD'11, will share why empathy has never been more important to democracy and the future of humanity.

A subject matter expert in empathy and social entrepreneurship, her research demonstrates that humans are born to empathize, that empathy has been a part of our successful evolution as a species, and that extending empathy is good for us. In fact, practicing empathy on purpose can lead to better health, happier and more productive workplaces, and a more meaningful life. She believes empathy is our collective "superpower."

A two-time McGill alumna, Dr. Nowak is a decade-long lecturer at McGill's Desautels Faculty of Management, past Fellow of the International Women's Forum, and recipient of the 2021 McGill Alumni Association's David Johnston Faculty and Staff Award. Her talk will be drawn from her debut book, Purposeful Empathy: Tapping Our Hidden Superpower For Personal, Organizational, and Social Change.