In February, the Rawls College of Business brought together students and faculty through the first-ever Rawls Research Conference, designed to foster collaboration and exchange knowledge.
The first day of the conference featured a dynamic lineup of speakers focused on sustainability and innovation. R. Steven Tungate, vice president and general manager of supply chain management, service & innovation at Toshiba America Business Solutions, and Julie Dalzell, vice president of sustainable development at ConocoPhillips, presented their organizations’ strategies toward implementing sustainability. Kevin Dooley, Ph.D., distinguished professor of supply chain management at Arizona State University and chief scientist of the Sustainability Consortium, completed the trio of keynote speakers by discussing innovative approaches to reducing and managing indirect greenhouse gas emissions.
On day two, Paul Bliese, Ph.D., Jeff B. Bates professor of management at the University of South Carolina and deputy editor of the Academy of Management Journal, shared essential tips for publishing in top empirical journals. Later that day, Harry Wang, Ph.D., professor of management information systems at the University of Delaware and founder and CEO of Takin.AI, provided valuable insights into emerging AI trends in business.
The conference featured a comprehensive agenda, including three faculty panels, a doctoral student research poster session, and 36 concurrent sessions led by faculty and doctoral students. During the faculty panels, two Paul Whitfield Horn Distinguished Professors—Fred Davis, Ph.D., and William Gardner, Ph.D.—shared their experiences before and after being recognized with this prestigious honor. Junior and senior faculty panelists also offered firsthand advice on navigating an academic career in business and its broader impact on the academic community.
The concurrent presenters showcased their most innovative and impactful research, eagerly engaging with attendees during lively Q&A sessions. The doctoral student poster session was particularly impactful, with students benefiting from valuable feedback and mentorship provided by faculty and peers.
This event served as a unique opportunity to exchange ideas on cutting-edge, interdisciplinary business research addressing the challenges and opportunities of sustainability requirements and AI adoption. More than 100 participants attended daily, representing a diverse range of Rawls College areas and several other Texas Tech University academic departments. Each day began with welcome statements from Texas Tech leadership, including President Lawrence Schovanec, Ph.D., Provost Ron Hendrick, Ph.D., Vice President for Research Joe Heppert, Ph.D., Rawls College Dean Margaret Williams, Ph.D., and Rawls College Associate Dean for Research and Outreach Tingting Yan, Ph.D.
The Rawls Research Conference provided a valuable platform for fostering collaboration between industry and academic stakeholders, contributing to the future of business research and the excitement of Rawls College students and faculty to conduct impactful research that addresses the most pressing issues of tomorrow—today!