Peter Giannopoulos

Chicago, Illinois | n/a

I'm a former tenure track philosophy professor at a Research 1 university. I recently resigned and returned to the hometown I love, Chicago, to renew the family relationships and friendships that I sorely missed. What has remained constant, as I’ll explain below, is my dedication to physical fitness, training, and competition. With over a decade away domestically and abroad in academic pursuits, I learned that I flourish when I am in a supportive network of friends and mentors. I believe support has the greatest impact when it is both received and given to others. I want to bring this attitude to the passionate members of blueseventy racing.

My academic research was in ethics, bioethics, and philosophy of race. I am now pursuing a career change from academia into management consulting. The “epiphany” moment for this shift came during my advanced undergraduate “Ethical Issues in the 21st Century” course last year. While leading students through a multi-faceted ethical / legal / social justice issue involving access to some of the latest health care technology, associated data sets, and historically marginalized communities of color, I came to this realization: that I thrive on leading and collaborating with others to tackle complex real-world challenges.

Philosophy structures analytical approaches to problems and data sets, draws insights in plain language, and provides recommendations to persuade its audience to act responsibly. I wanted to dedicate the values-led skills I honed during my doctoral training and as a professor to developing insights for clients, whether corporations framing a sustainability strategy, non-profit organizations developing a digital platform, or governments dealing with an affordable housing crisis. Some of my former colleagues might think that resigning the academic profession’s “gold standard” position is a bit crazy. But far from leaving philosophy behind, I want rather to put my money where my mouth is and bring my skill set, in partnership with other like-minded individuals, to bear on real world issues! The career shift may be considerable, but I always meet challenges methodically, organizing them into achievable goals, and with integrity and grit.

Now, what has been constant in my life over the past decade in academic research, teaching, and mentoring undergraduates to help them achieve their educational and career goals is a passion for physical activity, training, and competition. I have been a dedicated runner (10+ years), swimmer (5 years, but recently taken up again after a long hiatus), yoga practitioner and instructor (9+ years), and cross / resistance training athlete (10+ years). Frankly, it was my dedication to these activities that got me through the "decathlon" that is achieving a Ph.D. and tenure track position!

I’ll continue to rely on these activities, along with cycling, which I recently added to the mix, in the next phase of my career and social life. I want to pursue them with individuals who are just as passionate, can serve as partners and guides, and who can become supportive friends as we meet training and racing goals together.