Robert H. Smith School of Business Faculty Dominate 2011 Marketing Science Institute Young Scholars List

College Park, Md. – October 22, 2010 – The Robert H. Smith School of Business congratulates five of its scholars identified as the likely leaders of the next generation of academics by top industry group the Marketing Science Institute (MSI). Three Smith professors – Rosellina Ferraro, Yogesh Joshi and Sunil Mithas – and two marketing doctoral graduates – Lan Luo and Debra Thompson – were named 2011 Young Scholars by MSI. The Smith School has more 2011 Young Scholars than any other institution.

“Scholars from the Smith School make up a full 20 percent of the 2011 MSI cohort — a wonderful indicator of the quality of our young faculty and doctoral students,” said G. “Anand” Anandalingam, dean of the Robert H. Smith School of Business. “The Smith School is renowned for attracting and retaining some of the most prominent researchers in their fields and we’ve cemented our reputation as a source of top thought leaders and promising up-and-coming scholars. They are answering real-world questions and working across disciplines with their research, and then translating it in the classroom to our students.”

The group will take part in the Marketing Science Institute’s biennial Young Scholars Program, January 6-9, 2011 in Park City, Utah. Started in 2001, the program brings together the 20 invited most promising “young” academics (those who received their doctorates between three to six years ago) to enhance research collaborations.

Ferraro, assistant professor of marketing, focuses her research on consumer behavior and the effects of nonconscious social influence and external threats on choice, preference and consumption. Her work has been published in the Journal of Consumer Research and Journal of Marketing.

Joshi, assistant professor of marketing, researches competitive marketing strategies, market entry, optimal product portfolios, brand extensions, diffusion and innovation. His research has been published in Marketing Science and Management Science. His prior industry experience includes work as a strategy consultant on issues related to marketing, operations and technology.

Mithas, associate professor in the Decision, Operations and Information Technologies department, studies the strategic management of information technology resources. His research has appeared in top publications including Management Science, Information Systems Research, MIS Quarterly, Marketing Science, and the Journal of Marketing.

Luo earned her PhD from the Smith School in 2005 and is now an assistant professor of marketing the University of Southern California. Thompson earned her PhD from Smith in 2006 and is an assistant professor of marketing at Georgetown University.

With these latest scholars, the Smith School currently has eight MSI Young Scholars among its world-leading faculty. Other Smith School faculty members to previously have received this honor are: Rebecca Hamilton (2007), David Godes (2005), Wendy Moe (2003), Rebecca Ratner (2003); and Joydeep Srivastava (2001). Only the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania has more MSI Young Scholars among its faculty.

The Smith School’s marketing faculty has received numerous research honors and awards and the University of Texas – Dallas recently ranked the department No. 1 among all U.S. business schools for the number of publications in the top four marketing journals with 19 articles published in 2009. Smith’s marketing department has been recognized for its cutting-edge research on business issues related, particularly in areas related to customer equity management, service marketing, social media and digital products. The department sponsors the Center for Excellence in Service, the Center for Complexity in Business, the annual AMA Frontiers in Service Conference, and the Journal of Service Research.  

About the Robert H. Smith School of Business
The Robert H. Smith School of Business is an internationally recognized leader in management education and research. One of 12 colleges and schools at the University of Maryland, College Park, the Smith School offers undergraduate, full-time and part-time MBA, executive MBA, MS in business, PhD and executive education programs, as well as outreach services to the corporate community. The school offers its degree, custom and certification programs in learning locations in North America and Asia.