Webster Vienna Professor Koko Warner-Merl

Koko Warner-Merl is a professor of economics in the Business and Management and International Relations programs at Webster University's Vienna campus. She earned her master's degree at the Elliott School of International Relations at George Washington University and her Ph.D. in economics from the University of Vienna. In addition to her professorial role, Warner-Merl also works at the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, where she researches the economic impact of natural catastrophes and extreme events.

NB: What drew you to Webster?

KWM: The opportunity to gain teaching experience while doing full-time research. Webster provides that experience and has been a keystone to my professional growth. In the long run, I'm certain that the opportunity to teach at Webster will be one of the strategic developments in my career path.

NB: What makes the Vienna campus unique?

KWM: Webster's program in Vienna stands out in many ways. Webster Vienna provides a high-quality, “full-service,” American-style education in Central Europe—a fact which draws students from far afield. Webster’s students enjoy more “face time” with instructors, more real-life working experiences and gain degrees and qualifications that make them highly competitive in the job market in Vienna. The University actively caters to the needs of its students; and while this is certainly standard for the Webster system, it is a novel strength that only Webster Vienna truly masters in this geographical region.

NB: Is there one thing that stands out in your five years at Webster?

KWM: I had the chance to teach a course on the World Trade Organization in Rick Foristel’s burgeoning program in Shanghai, China. This was a highlight of my entire Webster experience. Class size was, for Webster standards, enormous—about 50 students per section—but reflected an unquenchable demand for the Webster education.

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NB: You recently earned your skipper’s license. What compelled you to take on that challenge?

KWM: I took up sailing seriously about two years ago, after successfully defending my dissertation and finishing my doctoral studies. Since then, I've sailed on the dinghies in regattas to work on my “feel” for the wind, tied endless knots in odd moments, attended classes for theory and navigation and first aid and weather/meteorology and even took a class on motor mechanics of diesel engines. My studies “required” me to sail on the Mediterranean for several weeks—one of the wonderful parts of the entire experience—in long cruises and shorter regattas. I passed the last hurdle in the process a few weeks ago in the form of a seven-day practical exam.

NB: So are you holding your classes on the Danube now?

KWM: Actually, the experience gave me insight into several key leadership skills that are also applicable to the Webster teaching experience. These include basics such as having direction and vision, and more advanced skills, such as the ability to build teamwork among the crew—or class—and helping each crew member perform to his or her best ability within the limits of personal capability. With sailing, as in learning, there is always something new to learn and always a new horizon to explore.

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