Portland State University Assistant Professor of Management Meredith Woehler was selected as Researcher of the Year by The School of Business deans for the high quality, volume and significant impact of her research.
“In terms of relevance, Dr. Woehler focuses her research on employee agency related to the identification of practical steps employees can take to change their social world, performance or career progression,” said Pam Tierney, associate dean of faculty and research at The School of Business. “Within this context she has focused on the effect of important issues such as gender, race and intersectionality.”
Woehler’s literature review on gender and networks was also recently accepted for the Journal of Management 2021 Annual Review issue. The review helps scholars identify how women and men can develop and utilize the relationships they need to be successful at work and in their careers. She is also working on a project addressing the impact of gender and racial stereotype-based expectations on employees’ networks, salary and performance ratings.
Her work has recently been published in three of the management field’s most influential journals: Organization Science, Journal of Applied Psychology, and Journal of Management.
“We’re extremely proud of the type of research Dr. Woehler has produced and its potential to fundamentally change the experience of employees in work settings in positive ways,” said Tierney.
Woehler presented her on-going research at the Academy of Management Conference, a top conference in the management field.
Woehler was also honored for her publication, “An investigation of professional networks and scholarly productivity of early-career physical therapy faculty,” with the Stanford Award by the Academy of Physical Therapy Education for “having presented the most influential ideas for Physical Therapy Education in 2019.”
Woehler joined PSU in 2019 after holding a one-year, invited research post-doctoral position at Vanderbilt University. She earned her Ph.D. in Organizational Behavior from the University of Kentucky in 2017.
Woehler teaches a variety of management courses, including organizational leadership. In her free time, she enjoys outdoor activities like rock climbing, camping, hiking and kayaking.
Woehler and other 2021 research award winners will be celebrated at the Research Awards Ceremony on May 7. The ceremony is part of PSU’s Research Week, a week-long series of events intended to honor and call attention to the exceptional research, including scholarship and creativity, of PSU faculty members and students.