Leading anthropologist urges UTA students to develop professional networks
Pioneering cultural anthropologist Elizabeth Briody emphasized the value of networking and relationship-building to an audience of students and current and future anthropologists at the 23rd annual Ben and Trudy Termini Distinguished Anthropology Lecture, which took place March 23 at The University of Texas at Arlington.
Her lecture, “Trailblazing Anthropology in the World,” recognized the trailblazers working to make a difference in the world and urged audience members to mentor and network with the next generation of trailblazers in their field. She defined trailblazers as pioneers who apply knowledge, skills and experience to problem-solving in the world.
“Tonight is for the next generation trailblazers,” she said. “It’s for those who are on the cusp of making a big impact in whatever way they choose in the world.”
UTA’s Department of Sociology and Anthropology hosts the annual Termini Lecture, which highlights a globally distinguished anthropologist. Drs. Ben and Trudy Termini generously sponsor the event, which includes an evening lecture followed the next day by an informal student/speaker lunch discussion.
Briody acknowledged that her expansive career as a leading cultural anthropologist, most notably her nearly 24-year run at General Motors Research, benefited from the help of her network of mentors and colleagues. Their guidance led to her becoming a trailblazer herself. During her career, she has been honored with the Society for Applied Anthropology’s Bronislaw Malinowski Award for lifetime achievement. She previously led the National Association for the Practice of Anthropology and served as secretary for the American Anthropological Association.
She told students and faculty the one thing that stood out most during her career was networking. She was keen on emphasizing the importance of building a network and networking for the next opportunity in their careers.
Following her exit from General Motors, Briody founded Cultural Keys, a consultancy that helps organizations like Hanes, NASA, MARS Inc. and Purdue Mechanical Engineering transform their culture and improve their effectiveness.
“When I left General Motors, I quickly learned the value of networking,” she said. “It turned out almost all the work I got when I left General Motors was because I knew someone or because that somebody knew someone else.”