2024 Best 40-Under-40 MBA Professors: Emily N. Garbinsky, Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management at Cornell University

Emily N. Garbinsky
Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management at Cornell University

“Emily is absolutely an outstanding professor. She has a knack for bringing in her personal research to make an impact in lectures. She is an engaging lecturer and goes out of her way to bring in unique class speakers. Emily goes above and beyond in helping students with their own work. She has reviewed my business plan and helped guide in proper brand strategy protocol. Only a few years into her time at Johnson, I know she will continue to make an impact on students for years to come.” – Hailee Greene, student

Emily N. Garbinsky, 35, is Associate Professor of Marketing at the Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of Management at Cornell University’s SC Johnson College of Business.

A behavioral scientist, her research focuses on how couples make financial decisions, what motivates people to make more fiscally responsible choices, and how people can maximize purchase happiness and enjoyment.

Her work has won several awards including the 2023 Society for Consumer Psychology Early Career Award, the 2022 Journal of Consumer Psychology Best Paper Award, and the 2019 Journal of Consumer Psychology Best Paper Award by an Early Career Contributor.

She has taught several courses at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Prior to joining Cornell, she spent six years on the faculty at the University of Notre Dame where she won two prestigious teaching awards.

BACKGROUND

At current institution since what year? 2021
Education: PhD in Marketing from Stanford Graduate School of Business 2015; BS in Psychology and Decision Science from Carnegie Mellon University 2010
List of MBA courses you currently teach: Marketing Management (the MBA required marketing core class); Brand Management (an MBA marketing elective)

TELL US ABOUT LIFE AS A BUSINESS SCHOOL PROFESSOR

I knew I wanted to be a business school professor when… I took an undergraduate course with Professor Carey Morewedge on the psychology of how people make decisions.

After one class, I was hooked! I started working as undergraduate research assistant in his lab which allowed me to interact with PhD students and realize that I wanted to pursue a PhD as well.

What are you currently researching and what is the most significant discovery you’ve made from it? I research all things related to the psychology of financial decision-making. Arguably, my favorite stream of research on this topic deals with how couples make financial decisions. In one such paper, I focused on the topic of financial infidelity, or lying to your partner about money. I’m still shocked about all the different (and creative!) ways that people choose to hide financial issues from their spouse.

In one instance, a participant admitted to buying a new bicycle every couple of months (without his spouse’s approval) that is the same color as his previous ones. He chooses the same color because his wife doesn’t know enough about bikes to tell the difference so he can more easily hide it from her! Although most people think that these little white lies are harmless and can prevent fights with their partner, what we find is that couples who repeatedly engage in this kind of secretive financial behavior actually show decreased relationship quality over time.

In addition, this pattern is cyclical – those who hide financial issues from their partner become less satisfied in their relationship which in turn makes them more likely to continue hiding financial issues, deteriorating their relationship even further.

If I weren’t a business school professor… I would want to be a movie critic. Though more realistically, I would probably be an attorney (as law school was my back up if I was not fortunate enough to be admitted to a PhD program).

What do you think makes you stand out as a professor? My sense of humor

One word that describes my first time teaching: Nervous

Here’s what I wish someone would’ve told me about being a business school professor: That the teaching content and examples that students expect (at least in marketing) are continuously changing. I had this idea that once a course is the way you would like it to be, that’s it! But consumer landscapes are constantly evolving and you have to adapt your course material to reflect these changes.

Professor I most admire and why: There have been many professors who have inspired and influenced me over the years, but if I’m forced to select only one, I most admire Professor Chante Cox-Boyd, my social psychology professor at Carnegie Mellon.

I served as her teaching assistant for several years during my time as an undergraduate, which required me to sit in on her course every year. Even though her course covered the same content each time, she had a dynamic and captivating energy that could keep 200 students engaged on a late Friday afternoon. I never tired of listening to her lectures and only hope that one day I can give presentations that make others feel similarly engaged.

TEACHING MBA STUDENTS

What do you enjoy most about teaching business students? That they are not afraid to participate.

What is most challenging? I’m naturally introverted so it requires a lot of energy for me to stand in front of the class. I’m also the farthest thing from a morning person so the 8 a.m. sections can be rough!

In one word, describe your favorite type of student: Excited

In one word, describe your least favorite type of student: Lazy

When it comes to grading, I think students would describe me as… Surprisingly tough

LIFE OUTSIDE OF THE CLASSROOM

What are your hobbies? I love watching movies and try to watch the Oscar nominations for best picture every year. I also love traveling and Sunday brunch, with eggs benedict being my favorite.

How will you spend your summer? A week in Vienna with my partner for a conference and some fun. The rest will be spent in Ithaca going to weddings, doing some wine tasting, and hiking.

Favorite place(s) to vacation: Anywhere I haven’t been yet!

Favorite book(s): Any throwback to my childhood, such as Harry Potter or Anne of Green Gables.

What is currently your favorite movie and/or show and what is it about the film or program that you enjoy so much? I am a huge movie enthusiast so it’s difficult to narrow it down to a single film. I love to laugh, especially while watching movies, so my top 3 current favorites are Back to the Future, Office Space, and Little Miss Sunshine.

What is your favorite type of music or artist(s) and why? I like strong female artists like Taylor Swift, Dua Lipa, Beyonce, etc.

THOUGHTS AND REFLECTIONS

If I had my way, the business school of the future would have much more of this… courses that focus on theory and big picture ideas rather than fancy new tools or content with straightforward applications. I believe that the best business school education comes from integrating both theory and practice, but that sometimes we focus a little much on the latter when teaching our students.

In my opinion, companies and organizations today need to do a better job at… fostering employee motivation and growth. I’ve had too many bright former students confess to me that they leave good jobs solely because they are bored and their managers do not do enough to nurture their curiosity.

I’m grateful for… my health and the opportunity to be surrounded by so many passionate faculty members and students at Cornell. Go Big Red!

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