1. AMA AI Special Interest Group - Expert Corner
As the inaugural Vice Chair for Education, I am proud to introduce a significant new initiative, the “Expert Corner.” This video series is designed to explore the evolving field of AI by featuring leading experts who will share cutting-edge insights, research, and methodologies. The primary goal is to support graduate students and junior scholars by providing access to resources that may be scarce at their own institutions, thereby enriching their academic journey in AI.
2. Asia Pacific ACR Conference, Bali, Indonesia, 2024
Together with Daiane Scaraboto and Thomas Allard, we co-chaired the Asia-Pacific Association for Consumer Research (AP-ACR) 2024 conference in Bali, Indonesia. The conference attracted 310 participants from 20 countries. This marked the first AP-ACR conference organized without sponsorship from a local university, instead managed by an event production company. Support came from three universities spanning different countries: the University of Melbourne, Singapore Management University, and Virginia Tech University. Additional funding from Sage and the Sheth Foundation enabled us to lower student registration fees and sponsor 15 students as conference volunteers.
Technology is advancing rapidly, reshaping interactions across industries such as marketing, management, healthcare, and education. Forward-thinking enterprises are increasingly mindful of their roles as stewards of ubiquitous products, systems, and services deeply woven into our daily lives. With support from the Virginia Tech Pamplin College of Business and the Institute for Business in Global Society (BigS) at Harvard Business School, Broderick and I organized the 2nd Unconference. In total, we provided funding for travel and accommodation expenses for 22 doctoral students. This unconventional event focuses on workshops, where presenters bring their messiest and most difficult endeavors - ideas rejected elsewhere, projects in limbo, or unconventional concepts needing fresh perspectives, new collaborators, or methodological shifts. This year, we introduce new programming: a series of hour-long roundtables pairing junior scholars (doctoral students and untenured faculty) with senior researchers. Beyond traditional mentoring, these sessions aim to foster active sponsor relationships. Mentors may guide mentees to actively engage, such as suggesting a junior scholar review a journal article, while sponsors might offer hands-on experience as trainee reviewers.
This conference addresses some of the most urgent and complex challenges faced by consumers and the organizations that serve them today. Attendees will discuss how businesses can serve as better stewards of technological progress, ensuring their products, services, and practices contribute positively to consumers and society. Is it possible for for-profit organizations to be responsible to more than their shareholders? Can businesses impact more than just the bottom line? Can technology be a force for good?