2026 ACES Spotlight Speaker Series
ACES Spotlight Speaker Series brings timely topics and innovative projects from the field into direct conversation with our students and community. Organized around themes and challenges relevant to contemporary business practice, each program features industry leaders and practitioners sharing their expertise through classroom lectures, facilitated fireside chats, and networking events. These programs are often developed in partnership with other departments across campus, creating interdisciplinary learning opportunities that connect management education with broader fields including design, culture, technology, and social impact. From exploring emerging career pathways to examining real-world case studies, the ACES Spotlight Speaker Series demonstrates how academic concepts come to life in professional practice.
Spotlight Speaker Zach WatsonLearn More
Fireside Chat
Invisible Labor: The Work We Don’t See
The Isenberg Office of ACES, in collaboration with the Institute for Diversity Sciences and the Manning College of Information and Computer Sciences (CICS), invites you to an engaging fireside chat with Zachary Watson. Zachary will define and explore the often-invisible labor that shapes campus life, drawing on his experience as a thought leader and mental load coach. During the conversation, Zachary will share insights on the hidden work behind academics, relationships, responsibilities, and everyday campus experiences. Attendees will learn what invisible labor is, how students experience and carry this mental load, and how it can affect the college experience. The discussion will also explore strategies for navigating these demands amid broader societal changes. Come ready for an honest, practical conversation about making the unseen work more visible and more manageable.
Open to undergraduate and graduate students. Refreshments provided.
Thursday, October 1, 2026
7:00 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.
Luncheon Workshop
Invisible Labor in Higher Education: The Hidden Work of Faculty & Staff
The Isenberg Office of ACES, in collaboration with the Institute for Diversity Sciences and the Manning College of Information and Computer Sciences (CICS), invites you to a thought-provoking workshop luncheon featuring Zachary Watson and Professor Nilanjana “Buju” Dasgupta, Professor of Psychological and Brain Sciences at the University of Massachusetts Amherst and Director of the UMass Amherst Institute for Diversity Sciences. Together, these facilitators will explore the often-unseen labor and mental load that shape academic and workplace environments.
Through conversation and facilitated discussion, Zachary and Buju, along with other participating facilitators, will examine the hidden work involved in teaching, research, administration, service, and supporting our students. The discussion will highlight why recognizing and managing invisible labor matters, how mental load affects our work and well-being, and how broader societal changes are influencing the demands placed on faculty and staff. This interactive luncheon provides an opportunity to reflect, share experiences, and identify practical strategies for making invisible work more visible and manageable, ultimately strengthening how we support one another and serve our campus community.
Open to faculty, staff, administrators, and doctoral candidates. Light lunch provided.
Friday, October 2, 2026
12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Contact
Reach out to ACES for more information at aces@isenberg.umass.edu.