The magazine for alumni and friends of the UB School of Management
Issue link: http://ubschoolofmanagement.uberflip.com/i/1532169
2 Buffalo Business | Startups 3 centers expand school capabilities The School of Management has launched three new centers that serve as a bridge between academia and industry, and advance the school's strategic pillars by providing transformative education, thought leadership and societal impact. These centers will expand the school's capabilities by generating new research and grant funding, providing consulting assistance to area businesses, helping students develop business solutions while gaining real-word experience, and creating collaboration opportunities with industry experts and thought leaders. The Center for AI Business Innovation empowers businesses and the community through pioneering artificial intelligence research, education and consult- ing, driving innovation to help organizations succeed in an AI-driven world. In addition to resources and support for AI-focused research initiatives, the center provides executive education programs to help leaders integrate AI into their business strategies. Shaojie Tang, professor of management science and systems, serves as faculty director, and Dominic Sellitto, clin- ical assistant professor of management science and systems, is assistant faculty director. The Center for Marketing Analysis advances the disciplinary core of marketing science through research and collaborates with companies to help develop marketing solutions. The center also designs innovative training programs to prepare students for the era of big data analytics and apply the latest AI and machine learning methods to various marketing challenges. Dinesh Gauri, Melvin H. Baker Professor of American Enterprise, is the center's faculty direc- tor. In addition, the center is home to the school's new interdisciplinary Behavioral Research Lab, directed by M. Kim Saxton, clinical professor of marketing. The Center for Supply Chain Analytics is a multidis- ciplinary research hub that advances the application of cutting-edge supply chain analytics best practices in cross-border commerce, manufacturing, sustain- ability and health care. The center creates economic and social impact by contributing to improved supply chain policy and practice. The new Supply Chain Activation Network component of the Tech Hub will be housed in this center. Milind Sohoni, professor and chair of operations management and strategy, is the center's faculty director, and Jennifer Flagg serves as director. UB MBA No. 5 for ROI The School of Management is again one of the best business schools in the nation based on the return on investment it provides MBA graduates, according to Bloomberg Businessweek's ROI calculator. At No. 5 among U.S. business schools, the UB School of Management is ranked ahead of top business schools at Harvard (No. 42), University of Pennsylvania (No. 51) and Cornell (No. 45), as well as numerous other top schools in the Northeast, including NYU (Stern), University of Rochester (Simon) and University of Pittsburgh (Katz). Of the 73 schools in the ROI calculator, the School of Management is the only business school from the Buffalo Niagara region to make the list. "Being ranked No. 5 in the U.S. for return on investment is a testament to the value and impact of a UB MBA," says Ananth Iyer, dean. "Our commitment to providing a world-class education at an accessible cost enables our graduates to thrive in their careers, while also making an excellent financial decision. This recognition highlights the strength of our program and the exceptional outcomes our students achieve."