People Archives

Dr. Suzanne Simard’s Battle as a Female Ecologist

How did Dr. Suzanne Simard overcome gender discrimination in her career? How did her gender slow down her research? Dr. Suzanne Simard (author of Finding the Mother Tree), who grew up in a logging family in British Columbia and earned a Ph.D. in forest sciences in 1997, is a pioneer in the research of the cooperative relationships among plant life. But many of her coworkers and colleagues opposed her research because she’s a woman. Learn how Dr. Suzanne Simard proved her coworkers wrong.

Steve Jobs and Pixar: The Surprising Connection

What is the relationship between Steve Jobs and Pixar? Did you know Pixar wouldn’t exist without Jobs? When Steve Jobs was forced out of Apple in 1985, he helped build George Lucas’ computer graphics division as an animated studio. The company was named Pixar, which highlighted Jobs’s passion for design and detail. Read below to learn how Steve Jobs created Pixar.

Steve Jobs’s Products: Where Art Meets Technology

Was Steve Jobs an artist? How are Steve Jobs’s creations like art? Walter Isaacson’s biography, Steve Jobs, depicts the entrepreneur’s highs and lows throughout his career. While reflecting on Jobs’s successes, Isaacson compares Apple products to works of art. Learn the similarities between famous artists and Steve Jobs’s art.

Steve Jobs’s Personality: What Was He Really Like?

What was Steve Jobs’s personality like? How did he treat his employees at Apple? Steve Jobs was one of the leading figures in electronics when he was alive. His biography by Walter Isaacson, Steve Jobs, claims this is because he was a strict and intense leader who strived for perfection. Learn more about Jobs’s determined personality below.

Machiavelli: Borgia Should Have Been More Prepared

Might Cesare Borgia have conquered all of Italy? Where did he go wrong? During the Italian Renaissance, Cesare Borgia found huge success and was poised for more. But, it all came crashing down around him. According to Machiavelli, Borgia might have stayed in power if he had been more prepared for life’s inevitabilities. Keep reading to learn how fortuna can destroy a prince.

Ernest Shackleton’s Elephant Island Rescue Mission

What happened on Elephant Island while Ernest Shackleton fulfilled his rescue mission? Who was in charge on Elephant Island? After the Endurance ship sank, Ernest Shackleton and his crew headed to Elephant Island. There, Shackleton put Frank Wild in charge as they awaited rescue. Continue reading to find out what happened on Elephant Island, Ernest Shackleton’s plan for rescue, and how long the crew was on the Island.

Thomas Hobbes: Human Nature Is Cruel and Selfish

What is Thomas Hobbes known for? How did Hobbes’ views influence modern-day moral philosophy? Thomas Hobbes was an English philosopher who lived during the 17th century and who exerted a significant influence on modern philosophy. According to Thomas Hobbes, human nature is essentially cruel and selfish, and the only way to subdue humanity’s evil impulses is through power. Here’s how Hobbes’ philosophy influenced modern-day societal order.

Ernest Shackleton’s Leadership: How He Stepped Up

How did Ernest Shackleton step up as a leader when the Endurance sank? What are lessons on leadership to take away from Shackleton’s experience? In 1914, Ernest Shackleton and 27 other men set out on the Endurance ship to Antarctica, but the ship became trapped in ice. Shackleton effectively led his team through a time of crisis, and all the men survived because of his leadership skills. Learn more about Ernest Shackleton’s leadership skills from Alfred Lansing’s book Endurance.

Ernest Shackleton’s Endurance Expedition: Background

What do you need to know before learning about the Endurance shipwreck? Was Ernest Shackleton qualified to lead an Antarctic expedition? In Endurance, Alfred Lansing recounts the unsuccessful Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition. But before getting into the details of the shipwreck, he gives a brief overview of other Antarctic expeditions that inspired Shackleton to conduct his own expedition. Read below for a background of Shackleton’s Endurance expedition.

How Did the Crew of the Endurance Survive?

How did the crew of the Endurance survive? How did the crew live on ice glaciers? Alfred Lansing’s book Endurance recounts the Endurance crew’s journey home against impossible odds. What started as an expedition to Antarctica turned into years of living on ice and islands. Find out the most incremental moments that helped the Endurance crew survive the harsh conditions.