The Kabiller Science of Empathy Prize
Empathy research that’s changing business
What is the Kabiller Prize?
The Kabiller Science of Empathy Prize, made possible by Northwestern University Trustee David Kabiller ’85, ’87 MBA, celebrates faculty and alumni contributions that advance the understanding of empathy and its consequences in business and society. The prize also recognizes thought leaders who have conducted novel research about human empathy, understanding and trust.
Why the science of empathy matters in business
Empathy can often seem like a vague buzzword, but the concept of putting oneself in the minds and perspectives of others has been a central tenet of Kellogg’s culture for decades. Faculty research examines the details of how empathy shapes the human relationships at the heart of businesses, driving negotiation, collaboration and performance. And it translates the data points of behavioral science into practical, actionable insights for leaders and organizations.
Kellogg has always been the leading school that has embraced empathy as core to its culture and curriculum. I hope this award, the research and the conference, will further our collective understanding of the role empathy has in sustaining an innovative society with a heart.
How winners are selected
The Kabiller Prize is awarded biennially to a Kellogg alum and a faculty member. Alumni are selected through nominations from the alumni community. A small committee from the school then selects a recipient. The faculty winner is likewise nominated and selected by a committee of their peers.
How Kabiller Prize winners are recognized
Prize winners are honored at a special event, including a salon-style conversation and a dinner featuring the dean and David Kabiller. Recipients are also celebrated in Kellogg communications.
Faculty recipients receive a grant to support research on empathy. They also have the opportunity to shape a biennial conference on the science of empathy, which attracts world-class academics from other top universities. The alumni prize is non-monetary.
The science behind empathy in business
Long seen as a soft skill, empathy is now emerging as a top business priority. Seventy-three percent of consumers will avoid businesses that don’t show empathy, according to the World Economic Forum. Kellogg is proud to present the Kabiller Prize as a way to bring our rigorous research focus into the complex field of empathy, transforming how the business world works and how its future leaders work with each other and the people in their organizations.
Why empathy matters in business now
Building and running a customer-centric business with high-performing teams requires a finely honed sense of empathy and strong relationships like the ones nurtured at Kellogg. Innovation comes from the ability to empathize with another’s problems and needs, seeing old problems from a different perspective and collaborating to find new solutions.
Why empathy, and why now?
Meet the Kabiller Prize winners
About David Kabiller: The vision behind the prize
David G. Kabiller ’85, ’87 MBA is the co-founder and principal at AQR Capital Management and a member of Northwestern University’s Board of Trustees. His previous philanthropic support of Northwestern has included the Kabiller Prize in Nanoscience and Nanomedicine and the Kabiller Young Investigator Award in Nanoscience and Nanomedicine, among other investments.