Newsletter - December 2024

From the Desk of Dean Sarker

Reflections and a Look Ahead

As I complete my first full calendar year as Dean of the Pamplin College of Business, I find it a perfect time to reflect on our collective achievements and share an outline of what lies ahead in the first half of 2025. 

Announcements

AI Update: Artificial Intelligence at Pamplin  

Michelle Seref, Associate Dean, Undergraduate Education 

Pamplin AI Taskforce: Dean Sarker created a Pamplin AI Taskforce in 2024 to develop Pamplin’s position statements on the use of AI in both teaching and research. The Pamplin College of Business Artificial Intelligence Taskforce provides a Pamplin AI Position Statement, AI Research Guidelines, and AI Teaching Guidelines. The college AI statement establishes Pamplin’s acceptance and mindful incorporation of AI technologies in education and research. The teaching and research guidelines suggest ways to increase awareness and faculty support for applications of artificial intelligence and the incorporation of AI tools to elevate research impact and enhance student preparation for emerging technologies in business and society.   

AI in Teaching: As part of our undergraduate curriculum review, we are identifying emerging technology skills that are important for our students to learn and practice. Teaching students how to use AI responsibly and specifying AI expectations in assignment evaluation;  

Using AI tools for teaching support such as generating example data, creating demo case clients, or answering syllabus questions. In coordination with career development for current market needs, we are addressing AI skills as follows:  

• Prompt engineering: How to use generative AI effectively and responsibly;  

• AI development: How to create AI tools using machine learning;  

• Human-centric skills: What knowledge and tasks cannot be replicated by AI (critical thinking, power skills).  

Pamplin Position Statement on Artificial Intelligence: At the Pamplin College of Business, we embrace Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a pivotal emerging technology, akin to the internet and cloud computing in their nascent stages. As we integrate AI into our classrooms and curriculum, we aim to harness its transformative potential for enhancing education and research, while preparing our students for an AI-augmented business landscape. Recognizing the power and responsibility that come with emerging technologies, we stress the ethical use of AI. Our commitment is to educate students in both the technical aspects of AI and the ethical frameworks needed for its responsible application. We strive to balance the enthusiasm for AI's capabilities with an understanding of its limitations, ensuring our graduates are equipped to use AI and other emerging technologies in ways that are beneficial and respectful to society.  

Pamplin Society Panel on AI <<READ MORE>>

Updates from Blackwood Department of Real Estate

• Student Excellence on a National Stage: 
  Blackwood students Daniel Bennett, Sophia Gottlieb, and Renzo Sanio showcased their talent at the prestigious Colvin Case Study Competition hosted by the University of Maryland. Their entry highlighted the transformative development of Winterfield Crossing in Midlothian, VA—a mixed-use project redefining urban living by integrating residential, retail, and recreational spaces. This competition provided an opportunity for the students to apply their academic expertise to real-world development challenges, earning recognition for their innovative approach. 
• Research Excellence in Sustainability: 
  Assistant Professor Xue Xiao was awarded the Pamplin Women’s Group Research Grant for her groundbreaking study titled "The Price of Sustainability: How Much Does It Cost Buildings to Go Green? Evidence from New York City." Her research investigates the economic implications of sustainable building practices, offering critical insights for policymakers and developers. Xue was also invited to present her findings at the MIT Center for Real Estate’s Sustainable Urbanization Lab. Her seminar, focusing on climate risk and its impact on commercial real estate, further cemented her status as an emerging thought leader in the field of sustainable development. 
• Faculty Research with Real-World Impact: 
  Department head Dustin Read, in collaboration with colleagues from Clemson University and UNC Charlotte, recently completed an in-depth study on renters’ perceptions of residential property management in the U.S. The research, commissioned by the Institute of Real Estate Management’s (IREM) J.T. Aveni Center, provides actionable insights into tenant satisfaction and expectations. This work was featured on IREM’s widely followed From the Front Lines podcast. To hear the full discussion, listen here: IREM Podcast. 

Updates from the Marketing Department 

• The Marketing Department at Pamplin College of Business hosted a Virginia Tech & University of Virginia Research Camp on October 18, 2024, to foster collaboration and innovation between the two universities. The event featured presentations of ongoing research, feedback sessions for PhD Student dissertations, and roundtable discussions on impactful research practices. Dean Saonee Sarkar and Associate Dean for Research Rajesh Bagchi emphasized the importance of building a vibrant research community across institutions and producing rigorous, meaningful contributions to the marketing field. The camp strengthened ties between the universities while cultivating impactful ideas for future academic work. 
• On November 15th, faculty and staff from Women in Marketing and Sales (WIMS) convened for a Mini-Workshop focused on Practical Applications of AI in Teaching, Research, and Administrative Work. Led by Professors Monica Hillison, Shilpa Rao, and Boya Xu, the session offered interactive, hands-on demonstrations and practical strategies for utilizing AI tools like Large-Language Models (LLMs) to streamline administrative processes, enhance research capabilities, and elevate teaching practices. Participants explored various tools and innovative methods for integrating ChatGPT into their workflows, sparking lively discussions and generating fresh ideas for academic applications. The workshop was highly successful, providing valuable insights and inspiring attendees to harness AI's transformative potential in their professional endeavors. 
• Professor of Marketing, Shane Wang, has been awarded 2024 Marketing Science Institute (MSI) Scholar - Shane joins Professor Jian Ni (MSI Scholar 2020) and Associate Dean Rajesh Bagchi (MSI Scholar 2020) as a new member of the esteemed scholar group. The MSI Scholars program was established to bring together a select group of mid-career level academics, with the purpose of recognizing individuals’ excellence in scholarship, developing a cohort across marketing disciplines and strengthening ties between scholars and MSI. His research focuses on artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques with applications in business and social media analytics, firm strategy, and management. His current research and teaching interest maps the relative strategic positions of competitors where they matter most – in the minds of customers.

Updates from Undergraduate Programs

• Pamplin Plus Curriculum Updates: The Undergraduate Student Policy & Curriculum (USPC) committee continues to work with department curriculum committees to review degree core courses and updates to the common business core. Departments are submitting their course recommendations this semester with plans to continue collaborative discussions in the spring semester. The updated business core will go through governance next year with plans to implement starting Fall 2026. The Pamplin Plus curriculum planning is being developed simultaneously; if you are interested in participating in discussions regarding the design of PRO+ modules, please reach out to Dean Seref. THANK YOU Curriculum Committee Faculty and Department Heads!

• TLC Faculty Group: The Teaching and Learning in the Classroom (TLC) Roundtable sessions will continue in the Spring. The three Fall sessions topics were: Student Engagement in Online Learning, Designing Assignments with Generative AI, and Assessment Strategies and Tools. Resources for each topic as well as the calendar of upcoming TLC Roundtable topics can be found in the TLC Teams Site (click to join!). THANK YOU TLC Faculty and University Partners!

• Undergraduate Events: The Fall/Winter 2024 Commencement ceremony will be held on December 20^th. Pamplin faculty and staff are invited to join graduates at the Pamplin Fall Commencement Breakfast at 8:30 AM in the University Club South End Zone (click to REGISTER). The Undergraduate ceremony will be at 10:30 AM and the Graduate ceremony will begin at 2:30 PM, both in Cassell Coliseum. Faculty are welcome to join as guests. THANK YOU to DABS, PRISM, and Advancement Event Planning!

• Scholarships & Awards: The Pamplin Undergraduate Awards Committee will meet in February to review nominees for the three college senior awards. Nominations are due by January 31, 2025; please contact your department rep. THANK YOU to Lisha Henshaw and Awards Committee Faculty!

• Academic Affairs & Advising: Wednesday, December 11^th is the last day of classes for Fall 2024, and the last day for students to apply for a W grade for a current Fall course. As a reminder, there should not be any final exams or assignments due on Reading Day (Thursday, Dec 12^th). Final grades for Fall 2024 are due by Friday, December 20^th. Any requests for incomplete grades require the assignment of incomplete grade form and approval by your department head. THANK YOU to Katie Wells, Advising Team, and Department Admins!

• Engage TA Program: TA assignments for Spring 2025 are being finalized. Faculty TA requests have been reviewed by department heads and student applications have been submitted. Training for new TAs will be held in January 2025 before the beginning of the Spring semester. THANK YOU to Barb Fraticelli, Faculty, and Department Heads!

• Career Services: Graduating seniors are asked to complete the VT First Destinations Survey (FDS) to share their career plans. Seniors pick up graduation cords from Career Services after completing their FDS survey or meeting with a career advisor to discuss career options. Please encourage graduating students to meet with career advisors and complete the FDS survey to help us collect career outcome data and provide additional career experiences. If you would like to invite Career Services to your spring classes, please submit a request. Spring Business Horizons will be Thursday, Feb 6^th. THANK YOU to Jenn Tortora, Pamplin Career Services team, and our Career Faculty!

• Undergraduate International Programs: Winter 24/25 faculty-led study abroad programs include New Zealand and Australia (MGT), Germany and Austria (MGT), Dominican Republic (HTM), Spain (MGT), and Italy (BUS). Spring 2025 faculty-led study abroad programs include Paris (MGT), Caribbean (HTM), Panama (BIT), and Croatia (REAL). If you are interested in joining or planning a study abroad program, please contact the International Programs office. THANK YOU to Jennifer Clevenger, Pamplin International Programs, and our Study Abroad Faculty!

• Living Learning Communities: Pamplin’s three LLC’s Innovate (Entrepreneurship), Impact (Data Analytics), and Securitas (Cyber Security) are closing out a successful semester of classroom engagement paired with community building! THANK YOU to our Program Coordinators, Academic Coordinators, and Pamplin Center Partners!

Updates from the Executive Ph.D. Program 

This past October, a group of Executive Ph.D. students presented their original cases at the North American Case Research Association’s (NACRA) Annual Conference in Orlando, Florida. Two of them, Jessica George and Michelle Pannone won the “Best Student Case” Award for their case titled, “A New Target for Dart Drones? Staying or Changing the Course as a Tech Centered Venture.” Fellow presenters from the Executive Ph.D. program include David Chinn, Daria Efimova, Jason James, Charles Onstott, Zohaib Qazi, Raji Raman, and Ed Walters. 

Updates from Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management

Just before Thanksgiving, students from the Feiertag Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management (HTM) demonstrated their exceptional talent and expertise on the international stage. Jasmine Palli (CHIA), Frank Lee (CHIA), Charlotte Nunberg (CHIA), Ada Osuorah (CHIA), Katelyn Stafford (CHIA), Chris Cammarata (CHIA), and Ellie Dorner (CHIA) competed in the highly prestigious STR Global Market Study Competition, showcasing their mastery of the hospitality industry. 

After securing second place among over 20 universities in the Americas Competition held on November 15–16, the team advanced to the Global Competition on November 22, earning an impressive second-place finish globally. Their presentation focused on the Raleigh-Durham hotel market, analyzing its six distinct submarkets and over 31,000 hotel rooms. The students provided a comprehensive and insightful analysis, thanks to the guidance and support of numerous industry professionals and partners, whose expertise and generosity were invaluable. 

This outstanding performance continues a legacy of success for Feiertag HTM students: 

• 2020: Global Champions 
• 2021: First place in the U.S., Second place globally 
• 2022: Fourth place overall 
• 2023: First place in both the Americas and Global Competitions 
• 2024: Second place in both the Americas and Global Competitions     

Honors, Awards, Achievements

• The Feiertag Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management achieved a remarkable No. 8 global ranking and No. 2 U.S. ranking in the 2024 Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU), also known as the Shanghai Ranking. This represents a significant rise from the department's 2023 rankings of No. 13 globally and No. 5 in the United States, solidifying its position as a leader in hospitality and tourism education and research. 
  
  The ARWU, widely considered one of the most prestigious global university ranking systems—alongside the QS World University Rankings and The Times Higher Education Rankings—places a strong emphasis on faculty quality, research output, and academic influence. Unlike other ranking systems, ARWU does not adjust for institutional size, making this achievement particularly noteworthy for Feiertag as a relatively smaller department competing with global giants in the field. 
  
  This ranking reflects the department’s commitment to producing impactful research, fostering innovation in hospitality and tourism management, and cultivating a global community of leaders in the field. The Feiertag Department’s ability to thrive among larger programs highlights its exceptional faculty, industry connections, and focus on cutting-edge education. 
  
  
• “The Project Management Institute Washington DC Chapter (PMIWDC)—the largest chapter of its kind globally, boasting over 11,000 professional members—proudly honored our “VT – Virginia Tech Executive PhD” program with the 2024 President’s Trophy Award. This prestigious recognition celebrates their outstanding commitment and contributions as a GOLD Level Partner. Their exemplary partnership throughout 2024 has set a high standard for collaboration and excellence, underscoring the significant impact of dedicated partners and sponsors in advancing the field of project management. 
  
  
• Meeting random prospective employers at a job fair can be stressful for job-seekers, especially those people who think and act differently from the rest of the crowd. But what if the job fair routine was reversed, and instead of job candidates trying to fit in with company requirements, the companies tailored the jobs to meet the skills of the unique candidates? That’s the idea behind the cybersecurity “reverse job fair” being developed by the Integrated Security Education and Research Center at Virginia Tech’s Pamplin College of Business. ISERC recently received a grant of $194,270 from the National Institute of Standards and Technology, part of the U.S. Department of Commerce, to create a program to bring more people with diverse ways of thinking into the field of cybersecurity. Read More

Spotlight

Each employee below has been submitted for this recognition by their colleagues. 

Submit staff and faculty for upcoming issues here: tbprice@vt.edu

Upcoming Events

For more events, check out https://pamplin.vt.edu/events.html