Aaron Glassenberg earned his doctorate in organizational behavior from the joint PhD program between Harvard Business School and the Department of Psychology at Harvard University. His dissertation explored the additive effects of personality, organizational culture, and implicit theories on individuals' decisions to speak up or withhold comments, ideas, and criticisms at work. Additionally, he looked at evolutionary factors (e.g., specific aspects of physical appearance) to determine if these factors affected speaking up to authority figures in the workplace. He studied speaking up due to its importance for learning, safety, and innovation in organizations. His previous research included topics such as psychological safety and effective management strategies during a recession. Prior to this, he conducted research in the Department of Psychology at Harvard University and Northwestern University on facial attractiveness.
During his time at Harvard, Dr. Glassenberg won the "Outstanding Student Paper" award at the Academy of Management conference in Montreal for his research on managing a consulting firm during a recession. He achieved semi-finalist status in the Harvard Business School Alumni New Venture Competition with his MBA business plan coauthor. Prior to graduate school, Dr. Glassenberg worked as a consultant, founded a startup, and worked as an analyst to expand the branch network of a large distributor.