A well-designed office can be a huge draw for top talent. It's not just about having a cool space to work in, but also about creating an environment that is conducive to productivity and creativity.  Additionally, offices can be optimized for productivity by a combination of engineering solutions such as sound-dampening walls, installing and using the right type of lighting, ventilation, and furniture. Here are seven modern office design concepts that are sure to attract and retain the best employees.

Every year, October is the peak time for future PhD candidates to start applying for their first-choice positions. For those students who want to stay in their current institutions, the process may be fairly straight forward. However, for candidates seeking opportunities internationally or even simply in a different university, the prospect and the process may be somewhat more daunting.

As many of your know, the Nobel Prize for Economics 2013 went to a pair of economists for their work in the field of “Market Design” – the study of creating an optimal marketplace to reduce market failures. Al Roth, one of the recipients, is best known for his work in orchestrating kidney transplant matches using such economic principles. While kidneys are his specialty, he has also researched other processes that could be better organized using similar principles.