French Premiere: “Operation Arctic Cure” with HEC Professor Craig L. Anderson

On November 4, HEC Paris will screen the documentary “Operation Arctic Cure.” Released on National Geographic in the United States in early 2024, this French premiere links "awe" with post-traumatic stress and depression (PTSD) as US veterans try to heal through “awesome” experiences. To test this possibility scientifically, the filmmakers depended on the expertise of Dr. Craig L Anderson. Craig will reveal the methodologies used and new findings not covered in the documentary.

Speaker: Craig L. Anderson, Assistant Professor in Marketing, at HEC Paris

Room: Study Room, at the Learning Center of HEC Paris (limited to 30 seats)

Program:

· Screening of “Operation Arctic Cure” (45 mn)

· Marketing Professor Craig Anderson explains his research on the health benefits of awe and its potential use in marketing for social and environmental good.

· Q&A

About the documentary:

Awe is a powerful emotion, but can it also be a tool for healing trauma? In Operation Arctic Cure, war reporter Bob Woodruff leads a group of military veterans on an Arctic expedition to test whether awe-inspiring nature can help them recover from post-traumatic stress and depression. The filmmakers depended on the expertise of Dr. Craig L. Anderson to test this possibility scientifically.

About the researcher:

The emotion of awe only became a serious research topic in 2003. Assistant Professor in the Marketing Department, Craig L. Anderson has been studying this emotion and its impact on both mental and physical well-being for over a decade. Craig Anderson began his research on awe at the University of California, Berkeley, under the supervision of Dacher Keltner, a professor of psychology and a pioneer in this field. Since joining HEC Paris in 2023, Craig is committed to bridging the gap between academics and practitioners, having initiated an inspiring workshop on awe in Paris last month.

About the lecture:

Following the screening, Craig will explain how the awe-inspiring Arctic expedition impacted the team’s stress hormones, autonomic physiology, sleep quality, and PTSD symptoms. He will share in more depth the research methodologies used in the film and reveal exciting new findings not covered in the documentary.

The remainder of the time will be open for audience Q&A.

Share your view on social media with #OperationArcticCure.