Isenberg Welcomes Fall 2024 Class of PhD Students

This fall, Isenberg School of Management welcomed 12 new doctoral students, with a diverse background in experiences and research interests.

Read below to learn more about these new members of the Isenberg community.

Jiajun Zhu

Accounting

Jiajun Zhu, originally from China, earned a master’s in professional accounting from the University of Texas at Austin in 2024. She holds two bachelor's degrees: one in agricultural and forestry economics management from China Agricultural University and another in agricultural sciences and natural resources from Oklahoma State University, both obtained in 2023. Jiajun’s research interests include judgment and decision making in accounting and behavioral research in audit.

Swati Nayak

Finance

Swati Nayak has a distinguished background in finance and analytics, combining impressive academic achievements with significant professional experience. Born and raised in Mumbai, India, Swati graduated with double gold medals in finance and analytics and economics and earned recognition with a “best research paper” award at a national E-Conference in Mumbai. Following her role as a senior financial analyst in India, Swati pursued an MS in quantitative finance from the University of California, San Diego, where she received both the Rady Fellowship Merit Award and the CFA Merit Scholarship. Professionally, Swati has worked as a finance analyst at Heraeus Precious Metals and as a consultant at Redhill Business Analytics in Los Angeles County. Her research interests include financial technology, empirical asset pricing, and quantitative risk management. Outside of her academic and professional pursuits, Swati enjoys playing chess, badminton, and exploring culinary arts.

Debojyoti Seth

Hospitality and Tourism Management

Debojyoti Seth is interested in resolving unexplored research questions in the hospitality financial technology domain and finding sustainable financial solutions for the tourism industry. Prior to coming to UMass Amherst, he was founder and CEO of Ecoluxplorer, a generative AI-based tourism management company. Debojyoti has nearly a decade of experience in researching machine learning and deep learning algorithms, and implementing them in emotion recognitions, facial recognitions, and early-stage cancer detection protocols. He has a bachelor's degree in electronics and communication engineering from India and an MBA in information technology management from Rivier University. His hobbies include landscape photography, exploring nature, and playing chess.

Ruyu Yan

Information Systems

Ruyu Yan is from China, and she completed her undergraduate studies in economics at China University of Petroleum (Beijing). She obtained a master’s degree in marketing and business analytics at the University of Pittsburgh. She is working toward her PhD in information systems. Ruyu’s research interests lie at the intersection of economics and technology, with a focus on the economics of artificial intelligence, machine learning, and text mining. Her diverse educational background and passion for innovative research drive her commitment to exploring the impacts of these technologies on businesses and economies. Outside of her academic pursuits, Ruyu enjoys playing badminton and singing.

Sichun Zhao

Information Systems

Sichun Zhao is from Tianjin, China, and he finished his undergraduate studies in mathematics at Miami University in 2020. Sichun attended George Washington University in 2021 for his master’s in information systems and technology management. During his studies there, he worked as a teaching assistant for two courses: Python programming and web and social analytics. Over the course of his studies, Sichun gained skills in data analysis, project management, and artificial intelligence. He has participated in a variety of research projects with his teammates, such as using machine learning algorithms to predict flight status and sound detection.

Ghazal Golshan

Marketing

Ghazal Golshan is from Iran. Having obtained an MBA with a marketing focus from the University of Zanjan, and a bachelor’s in civil engineering from the Imam Khomeini International University, she aspires to delve deeper into her research interests through pursuing a PhD in marketing at UMass Amherst. Ghazal’s research interests include—but are not limited to—exploring consumer behavior and consumer decision making in the digital realm, social media marketing, investigating the stimulus of E-WOM behavior across diverse cultures, and promoting social marketing through online marketing efforts. Her master’s thesis was on investigating the impact of a website’s e-servicescape, experience, and perceived risk on E-WOM generation behavior. Aside from her academic pursuits, Ghazal enjoys cooking, baking, Pilates, walking, re-watching her favorite movies, listening to instrumental music, and spending time with friends.

Shida Tang

Marketing

Shida Tang is an incoming PhD student in marketing. Before coming to UMass Amherst, he received his master’s degree from the Chinese University of Hong Kong in 2024 and his bachelor’s degree from Huazhong Agricultural University in 2023. His research interests are consumer behavior, marketing communication, product design, and culture. His work has been published in Computers in Human Behavior. In his daily life, Shida enjoys working out, playing basketball and mobile games, and watching the NBA. His Myers-Briggs Type Indicator is “INFP,” and he welcomes everyone to his hometown of Zibo—the "Barbecue Capital of China”—to taste the delicious food.

Yongdong Chen

Operations Management

Yongdong Chen, from China, holds a bachelor’s degree in logistics management and a master’s degree in business administration from Central University of Finance and Economics. Chen’s research experience has focused on electric logistics vehicles, and he is interested in sustainable operations management and transportation.

Josh Luker

Organizational Studies

Josh Luker is a management PhD student interested in social class, networking, relationships, and ethics. He received a BBA in finance and management as well as an MBA from Idaho State University. Josh is from Pocatello, Idaho, and enjoys spending time with his family and watching sports.

Will Park

Sport Management

Will Park is from Texas and is excited to bring his experience in collegiate athletics to UMass Amherst. Previously serving as assistant director of ticketing for the University of Maryland’s Athletic Department and later as coordinator of revenue generation at Lamar University Athletics, Will holds a bachelor’s degree in sports and recreation administration with a minor in business administration from the University of Maryland, and a master’s degree in sports administration from Texas A&M University. Outside his professional endeavors, Will enjoys running, fishing, and cheering on his Ole Miss Rebels. His research interests are consumer behavior in sports and the attention economy. With a solid academic background and a passion for developing the sports management professionals of tomorrow, Will is excited to make a meaningful contribution to the field.

Narjes Yousefi Koopaei

Strategic Management

Narjes Yousefi Koopaei holds bachelor and master’s degrees in management from University of Tehran. With a strong academic foundation, she has honed her expertise in strategic planning within the food and telecommunication industries. Throughout her education, she has been involved in various research centered on quality management and entrepreneurship. Narjes is passionate about the concept of anti-fragility and resilience, seeking to explore these areas through research and study interests.

Ritasha Sharma

Strategic Management

Ritasha Sharma has a diverse academic background in technology and arts, with a bachelor's degree in engineering focused on computer science. While completing her master’s in communication, she developed a strong interest in research, working on projects such as HIV/AIDS public service announcement campaigns in South Asia and a study on “Solar Energy through the Lens of Diffusion of Innovation” in Indian villages. Professionally, she has held positions as a communication manager at PMF in India and as senior marketing manager for Education APAC at the British Council in India. In these roles, she navigated challenges posed by the pandemic, implemented new technologies, and observed human adaptability to technological changes. These experiences have ignited Ritasha’s passion for exploring the impact of technology on management and human resources. She aspires to delve further into strategic management, technology adaptation, while aiming for a multifaceted career in academia and research. In her personal life, Ritasha loves watching and reading amazing stories, going on hikes, and exploring cultures, especially that of South and East Asia. She has travelled to various countries and hopes to complete her travels within India and live in Japan.