School of Business Announces Faculty Professorships and Chairs

Dr. Jiaoping Chen, assistant professor of information systems, received the Lockheed Martin Chair. Dr. Chen is a scholar whose current research is actively shaping her field and commanding the attention of peers and practitioners alike, all while maintaining a commitment to sound teaching and vital service to the School of Business.

Her research explores Generative AI and creativity, AI ethics, and the societal impact of technology, utilizing methods such as Natural Language Processing, Machine Learning and Econometrics.

This award exemplifies scholarship integration bringing together excellence in both scholarship and teaching—the hallmark of integrated academic achievement.

Dr. Claire Guo, assistant professor of decision science, received the J. William Middendorf Chair, established to support faculty who bring teaching and research together in perfect balance. Dr. Guo the type of professor whose learner-centered excellence and research contributions grow together, signaling that Merrick is a place where great scholars teach. She concentrates her research in mathematical optimization of power systems and Manufacturing Systems

This award exemplifies scholarship integration bringing together excellence in both scholarship and teaching—the hallmark of integrated academic achievement.

Kathryn Demarest, the school's associate dean and a lecturer in accounting, received the G. Maxwell Armor, Jr. Lectureship, supporting faculty whose excellence in the classroom is enriched by real-world responsibility. As a leader in the school, her trademark is an unwavering dedication to student success.

This award honors faculty that placing students at the center of their work.

Dr. Hoang Nguyen, professor of finance, was awarded the John P. & Margaret Thompson Professorship. This honor supports faculty who prepare students for a future of working with technologies that don't yet exist, focusing on the practical application of technology to make Merrick graduates more competitive in a rapidly changing world. He has a research interest in market anomaly momentum, stock splits, institutional and investors behavior.

This award recognizes faculty who leverage emerging technologies to enhance educational outcomes.

Dr. Mikhail Pevzner, professor of accounting, received the Ernst & Young Chair in Accounting, which serves as a vital bridge between the rigors of the academy and the evolving demands of the profession, honoring a professor who advances the discipline while mentoring the next generation of practitioners

This award exemplifies scholarship integration bringing together excellence in both scholarship and teaching—the hallmark of integrated academic achievement.

Dr. Amir Pezeshkan, professor of management, was awarded the CSX Leadership Chair, recognizing a scholar-educator who leads by demonstration. His research contributes significantly to the field, while his teaching incorporates those key findings to help the School of Business grow. His research interests include international venture capital firms’ strategic behavior and performance, organizational capabilities, and institutional entrepreneurship and innovation.

This award exemplifies scholarship integration bringing together excellence in both scholarship and teaching—the hallmark of integrated academic achievement.

Dr. Praneet Randhawa, professor of marketing, received the Frank Baker Chair, established to attract and reward faculty whose presence elevates the school itself. The Frank Baker Chair holder is the kind of educator who mentors students, inspires fellow scholars, and embodies the unique value of a business education rooted in the city of Baltimore. Her research centers on understanding customer and managerial issues in marketing with special emphasis on the following topics: services marketing, customer experience management, innovation and new product development.

This chair's criteria aligns with leadership strenghths in regards to the fulfilment of the mission of the school.

Dr. Kalyan Singhal, professor of operations management, received the Doris E. and Robert V. McCurdy Chair. This chair is reserved for a faculty member whose research has defined a career of distinction, the McCurdy Chair recognizes a scholar whose lifelong body of work has shaped their field, influenced generations of peers, and elevated the global standing of the Merrick School. Singhal's research is known worldwide and has a focus on areas of trade dynamics, poverty-level income, and queuing theory. 

The McCurdy Chair honors a professor whose research career has made significant contributions to the field.

Dr. Jan Williams, professor of accounting, was awarded the Baltimore Gas & Electric Chair, established to recruit and retain faculty who are both strong scholars and tireless mentors. Dr. Williams is the kind of professor whose impact follows students into boardrooms and across industries, launching the careers that will shape the next generation of business in Baltimore and beyond. She has a research interest in financial reporting and ethics.

This award honors faculty that place students at the center of their work.

Dr. Nafeesa Yunus, professor of finance and real estate, received the Harry Y. Wright Chair in Finance. Dr. Yunus is the kind of professor whose research informs the decisions of policymakers and practitioners alike, and whose combined excellence across all facets of academic life defines the very highest aspirations of the Merrick School of Business. Her research interests revolve around financial econometrics, asset pricing, time-series econometric models, international finance, financial contagion, portfolio strategy, globalization of capital markets, real estate investments, and the housing market.

Dr. Yunus is recognized for research excellence that commands the attention of the global academic and professional community.

Dr. Ting Zhang, professor of economics, was awarded the Harry Y. Wright Chair in Economics. Her research distinction is matched by a deep dedication to quality teaching and service, providing the kind of scholarly insight that shapes the field while elevating the intellectual reputation of the school. SHe has research streams in areas of aging and entrepreneurship, labor and workforce development, human capital, employment and business dynamics, longitudinal administrative records and in regional science.

Dr. Zhang is recognized for research excellence that commands the attention of the global academic and professional community.

Dr. Cong Zhang, assistant professor of information systems, was awarded the Mary and William Baker Chair, recognizing faculty who translate the Merrick School's mission into tangible results for our students and our city through dedicated effort across teaching, research and service leadership. His research interests are business intelligence and analytics, data mining, online word-of-mouth, healthcare informatics, the sharing economy.

This chair's criteria aligns with leadership strenghths in regards to the fulfilment of the mission of the school.