The power of research

Issue:

Spring 2024

In the fall 2023 issue of this magazine, I wrote about the many ways we are embracing our strategic priority to “Be a positive force in our communities” — to increase Smith’s positive impact beyond the school, at the local, national and global levels. I hope you had a chance to read that issue and see the many ways our alumni are making a positive impact in their communities.

Another driving force of our strategic planning is the knowledge that business schools can contribute to solving the world’s biggest issues through research, partnerships and teaching.

Research plays a vital role in the fabric of higher education. By generating new knowledge and fresh perspectives, our research faculty investigate issues that help advance organizations and businesses while also tackling important societal challenges.

Two of the six strategic priorities outlined in Smith’s new Strategic Action Plan focus on research and thought leadership. They are:

Support a vibrant and productive research culture. Leverage and grow Smith’s research culture and capabilities to create new knowledge that positively contributes to business practice and to society.
Change the world with our knowledge. Be a thought leader by sharing evidence-based ideas and insights that propel business and society forward.

There are many great examples of how research at Smith positively impacts our communities. One in particular in which we are leading is in harnessing analytics and AI for social good.

Under the leadership of our Scotiabank Centre for Customer Analytics (SCCA), Smith faculty have launched the Healthcare Analytics Initiative, which looks at how to harness big data and AI to disrupt and transform health care in Canada. This is a collaborative, interdisciplinary effort that brings together Smith faculty from digital technology, marketing, organizational behaviour and management analytics. The Queen’s faculties of Health Sciences, Engineering, Arts and Science and the School of Computing are also involved.

The Healthcare Analytics Initiative has two key objectives: to improve the design and delivery of community-based mental health care; and to improve equity and access to health care in rural and remote communities. We plan to expand the initiative to include a lab that will support graduate students studying health-care analytics, bridging our research into teaching at Smith.

In addition to all the great research work Smith faculty are doing, in May we celebrated 45 years since the launch of the PhD in Management program. The event, held on May 10 at Goodes Hall in Kingston, featured a research symposium with PhD alumni from across Canada and around the world presenting their research. Alumni from as far back as the Class of 1984, current students, staff and faculty joined the celebration. Read more about our PhD alumni thought leaders.

You can also learn more about the great research and thought leadership at Smith with our Smith Business Insight newsletter, which offers monthly thought-provoking insights, perspectives and ideas delivered directly to your inbox.

Please visit SmithConnect to stay in touch with us and the alumni community.

One more thing

One of the best parts of my job is meeting our alumni in person and sharing updates from the school. In April, we held our West Coast Connection tour with alumni events in Calgary and Vancouver. Here I am with (from left) Liza Choi, EMBA’21, Ujal Thakor, AMBA’13, Uche Adiele, MMA’21, and Landon Modien, EMBAA’12, at the Calgary event, held at the Trolley5 Brew Pub. Special thanks also to Deloitte in Vancouver for hosting!