The Hannah Frankman Podcast

Thomas Hogan: The First Semester at America's Newest University

Dec 12, 2024

Thomas Hogan, Professor of Economics at the University of Austin, shares insights from his transition back to academia after years in the business world. He discusses the innovative culture and rigorous academic environment at UATX. The conversation covers his unique Socratic teaching approach, the significance of economic literacy, and the exciting Polaris project aimed at long-term student engagement. Hogan also highlights the groundbreaking Bitcoin endowment fund and emphasizes the need for open dialogue in education to foster a robust intellectual culture.

01:20:07

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Episode guests

Thomas Hogan

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Quick takeaways

Thomas Hogan emphasizes the importance of fostering a collaborative culture at UATX through a Socratic, discussion-based teaching approach.

The innovative curriculum development at UATX focuses on essential economic principles, empowering students for diverse professional fields.

Implementing the Chatham House Rule in classroom debates cultivates an environment where students can freely express controversial ideas without fear.

Deep dives

Understanding Customer Needs for Success

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Intro

3min

Navigating New Horizons: The University Experience

24min

Fostering Open Dialogue in Education

25min

Unlocking Economic Understanding

19min

Innovating Finance and Education: The Bitcoin Connection

4min

Recommended Introductory Economics Literature

2min

Exploring Future Economic Insights and Community Engagement

3min

Thomas Hogan is a professor of Economics at the University of Austin, where he is making a return to academia after spending years in the business world. Thomas has worked in finance and business, and served as the Chief Economist for a US Senate Community.

In this episode, expect to learn about Thomas’ first term teaching at UATX and the culture they are fostering at America’s newest university. You’ll learn about the approach Thomas is taking in his classroom applying a socratic, discussion based format for his seminars, and employing the Chatham House Rule during classroom debates. You’ll also learn about the development of the curriculum at UATX and why economics is so important for people to understand, regardless of what field they’re going into.

Chapters:

0:00 - Intro

3:44 - The First Term at University of Austin

6:13 - The Faculty Experience at the University of Austin

10:16 - The Polaris Project and Thomas' Classroom

20:38 - What Brought Thomas to UATX

25:22 - What Led Thomas to Teaching

26:57 - UATX vs. George Mason

31:04 - Setting a Culture for Debate

36:31 - The Chattam House Rule

42:02 - The Hiring Process at UATX

47:18 - The Structure of Classes at UATX