Office Hours with Dean Gropper

What’s fueling South Florida’s economic growth, and what will shape the region's next chapter?

Dean Daniel Gropper sits down with economists Andrew Garrison and Brian Strow to explore the forces transforming the region. From the businesses and families drawn to South Florida to the growing pressures of housing affordability and infrastructure, they unpack the opportunities and trade-offs that come with a booming economy.

They also examine AI’s place in an economy built on information and relationships, and why preparing the next generation of business leaders means more than teaching them to use new technology.

Guests

Andrew Garrison
Instructor, Department of Economics; Director of the Phil Smith Center for Free Enterprise

Brian Strow
Visiting Professor, Department of Economics, FAU College of Business

Recorded Oct. 23, 2026

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AI is changing how businesses hire, how research gets done, and what students need to know. In this episode of Office Hours, Dean Daniel Gropper of the Florida Atlantic University College of Business welcomes four new members of the Department of Marketing to talk about how they are adapting their teaching and research in the new world of artificial intelligence.

Hear from our professors on using AI without outsourcing your brain, avoiding “AI slop,” and why quality has to beat quantity. 

Faculty Members

Jake Hoskins, PhD, Assistant Professor of Marketing, Florida Atlantic University
Jake specializes in marketing strategy and quantitative marketing. He uses econometric modeling and large datasets to study retailing, brand management, innovation, and online marketing, with a focus on questions that matter to managers.

Sarah Lefebvre, PhD, Assistant Professor of Marketing, Florida Atlantic University
Sarah is a marketing and hospitality academic specializing in food and beverage consumption behaviors, the service experience, and brand reputations. Her research explores how sensory factors like scent and lighting affect what people eat, and how the way tip options are presented affects tipping.

Olivia Nadel, PhD, Full-Time Teaching Faculty in Marketing, Florida Atlantic University
Olivia’s work sits at the intersection of consumer psychology, strategic communications, and marketing. She designs research that answers complex business questions, then turns the findings into strategies organizations can use.

Cristina Stewart-Harfmann, MBA, Instructor of Marketing, Florida Atlantic University
Cristina teaches digital marketing, social media marketing, influencer marketing, and brand promotion. She brings 12 years of experience as a content creator who has partnered with hundreds of brands.

Recorded: Oct.6, 2026

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Why do some societies explode with creativity and wealth, and why do they eventually fade? In this episode of Office Hours, Dean Daniel Gropper sits down with historian and author Johan Norberg, senior fellow at the Cato Institute and author of Peak Human: What We Can Learn from the Rise and Fall of Golden Ages.

Norberg explains what seven golden ages, from ancient Athens to the Dutch Republic, had in common: they learned from their neighbors, and they protected the eccentrics and troublemakers who came up with new ideas. He argues that these societies ended by choice, when they lost confidence in their own institutions, rather than by fate. The conversation also covers Sweden’s real economic story, why socialism keeps coming back, how to think about AI regulation, and where America stands at its 250th anniversary.

Recorded 9.3.26

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Episode recorded on April 3, 2026

 Supply chain disruption sounds like a business problem — until it shows up at the gas pump and the grocery store. In this episode, Dean Daniel Gropper sits down with Steven Carnovale, associate professor of supply chain management at FAU's College of Business, to break down what's actually happening in the wake of the Iran conflict and why the Strait of Hormuz is such a critical pressure point for the global economy. 

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 In this fireside chat, Dean Daniel Gropper sits down with former U.S. Senator Phil Gramm, PhD economist, history-making legislator, and one of America's most prominent voices on economic policy. Together, they have a wide-ranging conversation on Senator Gramm’s career, his convictions, and his new book, The Triumph of Economic Freedom: Debunking the Seven Great Myths of American Capitalism. Dean Gropper and Senator Gramm explore his journey from Georgia to Texas A&M University to Capitol Hill, the ideas behind the book, and what economic history can teach us about the historical experiences of Socialism and Capitalism, and their relevance for today’s economic policy debates. 

Recorded 3.18.26

Pictured here from left to right is Tom Mersch, member of the Dean's Advisory Board, former Sen. Phil Gramm, adjunct professor Michael Block and Dean Gropper. 

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In this episode, Dean Daniel Gropper sits down with Michael Faulkender, former Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of the Treasury for a wide-ranging conversation on U.S. economic policy and its real-world effects.

Faulkender shares his perspective on the current economic landscape and unpacks how major legislative efforts—such as the GENIUS Act and the One Big Beautiful Bill—shape labor markets, consumer behavior, and overall economic growth. 

Episode Recorded, January 15, 2026

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Join Dean Gropper as he sits down with the newest addition to FAU's marketing department, Dr. Cony Ho. Dr. Ho shares his unique journey from an initial passion for sports to pursuing a career in "pure marketing" academia.

Recorded November, 4 2025

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In this episode, Dean Gropper sits down with Dr. Abhijit  Ghua, a new marketing professor in the College of Business, to discuss his background, research, and the evolving role of artificial intelligence in marketing. Dr. Ghua shares his perspective on how AI has shifted from prediction to creation—exploring what generative AI means for businesses, consumers, and the way we interact with technology in everyday life. From AI-driven shopping experiences to its growing presence as a “virtual friend” or therapist, Dr. Ghua dives into the fascinating questions that shape his work: How do consumers respond to generative AI? And what does this mean for the future of marketing? 

Recorded  October 15, 2025

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In this episode of Dean Gropper Presents, Dean Daniel Gropper welcomes Stephen Reid, the newest assistant professor in the Department of Management Programs at Florida Atlantic University's College of Business. Stephen shares his journey from working as a data scientist at Qualtrics to pursuing a PhD and joining academia.
Motivated by a desire to make a deeper impact beyond corporate profits, Stephen discusses how reading Give and Take by Adam Grant inspired him to explore the science behind workplace motivation and happiness. He reflects on the freedom and fulfillment that academic research offers, and how it allows him to pursue topics that matter — both personally and professionally.
Tune in for an insightful conversation about purpose-driven careers, the transition from industry to academia, and the power of research to shape better workplaces.

Recorded October 10, 2025

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Dr. Michael D. Bordo is a Board of Governors Professor of Economics and director of the Center for Monetary and Financial History at Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey.

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