Rosanna Garcia, an expert on business innovation and marketing, was recently named WPI's Paul R. Beswick Professor of Innovation and Entrepreneurship in The Business School. She brings years of expertise and experience to her new role.
The Business School faculty members are thought leaders in their fields. At WPI, business curriculum includes a technical approach other business schools don't have. Students gain from faculty members' industry experience, in-depth knowledge, and their approachability. Students will use what they learn, through research collaboration or casual conversation, immediately in their current roles.
Accounting
Full Time Faculty
Fabienne Miller
Associate Professor
As one of my students once said, the only people who do not use accounting are people who are no longer alive. Yet, few people understand accounting well enough to use it to make informed decisions. Teaching gives me the opportunity to help students develop the skills they will need in their career and learn the language of business. ... View Profile
Part Time Faculty
David F. Miller
Adjunct Instructor/Lecturer
Entrepreneurship
Full Time Faculty
Kenny Ching
Assistant Professor
I am a researcher on organization behavior, people analytics and entrepreneurship related topics, with particular focus on applying advanced econometrics and big data based research designs. I have particular expertise in the digital economy, including Internet video, sports analytics, and electronic gaming I also teach classes on general business strategy, technology management and entrepreneurship.
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Rosanna Garcia
Beswick Professor of Innovation and Entrepreneurship
I love teaching entrepreneurship because of the amazing innovations that students ideate and then create businesses around. I like the quote attributed to both Homer (the philosopher, not the father of Bart) and Steve Jobs, "The journey is the reward." I'm honored to be able to guide the WPI students through their journeys of not only learning about business ownership, but also actually building something - whether it’s a prototype, a minimally viable product (MVP) or a company. Being in a university setting provides students with a safety net to fail fast and pivot their ... View Profile
Francis Hoy
Professor of Entrepreneurship
For many reasons, I am surprised to find myself at WPI. Previously, I lived in my hometown and was employed at my alma mater, never intending to leave. But WPI presented an opportunity that was too exciting to miss. This is an institution that stresses innovation and entrepreneurship, and those have been the focus of my career. The environment here is vigorous and challenging. Students expect to work hard and to be exposed to new ideas. The emphasis on project-based learning is a marvelous fit with the entrepreneurial mindset. ... View Profile
Part Time Faculty
Micah Chase
Adjunct Instructor/Lecturer
Micah Chase has been a founder and CEO for over 25 years successfully growing several startups into multi-million dollar companies. Experience in all phases of an enterprise, B2B, B2C, managing P&L, setting strategic direction, change management, product development, multichannel marketing, business development, contract negotiation, regulatory compliance, and M&A.
• Checkerboard Ltd (1992-2017) is a leader in the design and manufacturing of fine social stationery. ... View Profile
Leslie Lynn Dodson
Assistant Teaching Professor-Interdisciplinary
Jerome Schaufeld
Affiliate Professor of Practice
Finance
Full Time Faculty
Sébastien Bossu
Visiting Assistant Professor of Finance
Sébastien Bossu is currently completing his Ph.D. in Quantitative Finance (expected September 2021), where he is studying the static replication of European options and the dynamic replication of correlation swaps . He has been principal at his startup investment and consulting company in New York City since 2011. He also served as an Adjunct Professor of Finance at Fordham University, Pace University, and most recently at NYU Courant and Johns Hopkins Carey Business School. ... View Profile
Robert Sarnie
Professor of Practice
Rob joins WPI from Fidelity Investments, where he spent 23 years in the finance industry, holding multiple executive leadership positions including VP of Strategy and Planning, VP Human Resource Systems, and VP Finance, Procurement, and Accounting Systems. Rob also previously held positions in both the public and private sectors for companies in the manufacturing and nonprofit industries. ... View Profile
Part Time Faculty
Hansong Pu
Adjunct Teaching Professor
Dr. Hansong Pu has decades of managerial and entrepreneurial experiences with international corporations and small businesses. He spent his past eight years teaching at Hangzhou Dianzi University in China and WPI. Meanwhile, he worked with colleagues at both universities to start collaboration programs that serve the students and faculties on both sides, including the WPI China IQP Center. ... View Profile
Kevin M. Sweeney
Adjunct Instructor
Kevin Sweeney's areas of academic interest are financial technology (FinTech), corporate finance, the financial sector, social enterprises, impact investing, and experiential learning. ... View Profile
Law
Part Time Faculty
Robert P. Lombardi
Adjunct Teaching Professor
I have been practicing law for 37 years with a concentration in corporate, business and healthcare law. I have been at Mirick, O’Connell, DeMallie Lougee, LLP since 1980. I am currently Of Counsel in the Corporate and Business Department. ... View Profile
James P. McKenna
Adjunct Teaching Professor
Management Information Systems
Full Time Faculty
Soussan Djamasbi
Professor-Business
I teach both graduate and undergraduate courses, as well as advise PhD projects, IQPs and MQPs. I enjoy teaching because it's a dynamic and innovative process that challenges me to continually evaluate and adjust my teaching strategies to prepare my students for today’s global and competitive business environment. Teaching is also one the most rewarding experiences in my career because it allows me to witness my students' growth and accomplishments. Similarly, research is a dynamic and innovative process, and I truly enjoy it. ... View Profile
Nima Kordzadeh
Assistant Professor
Dr. Kordzadeh joined the faculty of the Business School at WPI in July 2017. He received his Ph.D. in Business Administration with an emphasis on Information Technology from the University of Texas at San Antonio. His research interests include health informatics, social media, information privacy, and business intelligence and analytics. ... View Profile
Jim Ryan
Associate Teaching Professor-Business
Prior to accepting my faculty position with WPI in 2019, I held tenured positions with Troy University and Auburn University at Montgomery, retiring from the Alabama System in 2019. During this time frame, I also visited the University of Louisiana at LaFayette. My teaching philosophy focuses on practical application of Information Technology and I have taught courses across the spectrum of management information systems, concentrating on systems analysis, database management systems, e-commerce, computer networking, and information systems strategy. ... View Profile
Diane M. Strong
Professor & Department Head
WPI provides an environment that values both teaching and research, which is ideal for me. I enjoy teaching at WPI because students are interested in learning and willing to work hard. My teaching focuses on how business, healthcare, and nonprofit organizations can best use computing technologies, such as database systems, electronic health records systems, and mobile apps. Students in my classes learn to design computing applications that meet the needs of organizations. ... View Profile
Bengisu Tulu
Professor-Business
I enjoy teaching because it allows me to interact with students who have the potential to make the world a better place using technology. I continually innovate in my courses to ensure students enjoy the learning experience, learn the key concepts and skills related to information systems through real world examples, have an opportunity to learn from each other, learn to present themselves as professionals, and most importantly learn to use or develop technology to make a difference. ... View Profile
E. Vance Wilson
Associate Teaching Professor
Prior to arriving at WPI in 2010, I held tenure-track positions with the University of Wisconsin system. I have visited at Cal Poly-SLO, University of Toledo, and Arizona State University. My teaching centers on software development, large business systems, and innovative uses of IT. My overarching research addresses organizational aspects of human-computer interaction with special emphasis on e-health, computer-mediated communication, and technology support for software development teams. I have published more than 90 articles in peer-reviewed journals, books, and conference proceedings. ... View Profile
Part Time Faculty
Chris James Chagnon
ITSM Architect
Richard C Gram
Adjunct Teaching Professor
Kenneth J Wermann
Adjunct Instructor Lecturer
Marketing
Full Time Faculty
Edward Martins Gonsalves
Instructor
Professor Gonsalves is currently a full time instructor in the Business School. He is a graduate of Worcester Polytechnic Institute with a Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering and a Master’s Degree in Management Science.
Professor Gonsalves’ career has spanned thirty five years in the technology field, having held positions in design, applications, sales, marketing, business development and management. He is the holder of 9 patents and has presented at a variety of industry conferences in the area of RFID. ... View Profile
Adrienne Hall-Phillips
Associate Professor
Being an educator is more than just distributing facts and figures; it's demonstrating the importance of this knowledge in a way that can be relevant for every learner. It's not truly knowledge until the student can grasp and apply it. I consider myself to be an advocate for knowledge - encouraging learning and providing the tools needed to be successful and independent thinkers. I take any opportunity possible to introduce new technologies and social networking behaviors that I feel are relevant into my daily classroom activities. ... View Profile
Farnoush Reshadi
Assistant Professor
Dr. Reshadi joined the faculty of the Foisie Business School at WPI in July 2020. She received her Ph.D. in Business Administration with an emphasis on marketing from West Virginia University. Dr. Reshadi’s research interests include consumer well-being, financial and health-related decision making. Her research has been published in the Journal of Consumer Association, Journal of Public Policy & Marketing, and the International Journal of Marketing and Business Communication. Dr. ... View Profile
Purvi Shah
Associate Professor-Business
Email: pshah@wpi.edu
Office: Gateway II at 50 Prescott Street, Room 1315
Phone: +1 (508) 8315000 x4809
Purvi has 'done' marketing and now she 'teaches' marketing at the WPI Business School. She has a diverse industry experience in the marketing/brand management function of mid-size to large corporations across consumer goods, retail, and real estate verticals. In academics, she aspires to play her role as a researcher (knowledge creation) and teacher (knowledge dissemination). Her research questions, in the context of discovery, attempt to explain and understand interesting and challenging marketing phenomena that have not received much research attention. ... View Profile
Operations and Industrial Engineering
Full Time Faculty
Sharon Johnson
Professor
I enjoy teaching at WPI because students bring a lot of energy and enthusiasm to their learning, and I am often inspired by their optimism. My teaching also reflects topics that motivate me: detailed process design in our Industrial Engineering program, improving healthcare delivery as part of the Health Systems Innovation certificate, and exploring the implications of operational excellence in our MBA program. ... View Profile
Renata Konrad
Associate Professor-Business
The application of Industrial Engineering and mathematical knowledge has always been a rewarding challenge for me. Over the past several years, I have focused my research in the healthcare industry, which is particularly exciting given the current debates on healthcare reform. Current projects include evaluating anti-human trafficking efforts, computationally characterizing episodes of care from health insurance claim records and examining the impact of physician incentives on patient outcomes. ... View Profile
Sara Saberi
Assistant Professor
Since my first day of teaching, I believed that I loved being in the classroom. I enjoy my role as an instructor because it enables me to see directly the outcome of my effort. I like the fact that as someone in higher education, I have the opportunity to make a positive influence on a young person's life. I make every effort to not only deliver the material of the course, but to develop a mentoring relationship with each student to help them grow as individuals and strive for success. ... View Profile
Joseph Sarkis
Professor
Joseph Sarkis is a Professor of Management within Worcester Polytechnic Institute's Business School. He previously served as a faculty member at Clark University and the University of Texas at Arlington. His teaching and research interests are in the fields of environmental sustainability, operations and supply chain management. He is the author or co-author of over 450 publications. His research is widely cited and earned the designation of highly cited researcher for five years from 2016-2020 from Thomson-Reuters/Clarivate Analytics (Web-of-Science). ... View Profile
Walter Thomas Towner
Associate Teaching Professor
I am interested in manufacturing and industrial engineering. My main interests lie at the intersection of manufacturing processes and the financial aspect of the business that relates to these processes. I see my mission as enabling students to become leaders in a business environment and helping them extract value from the processes that drive the organization. We do this by using tools like axiomatic design and Lean Six Sigma methods. ... View Profile
Andrew C Trapp
Associate Professor
I am Associate Professor of Operations and Industrial Engineering at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), with courtesy professorships in Mathematical Sciences and Data Science. I hold a Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering from the University of Pittsburgh. My objective is to use science and technology to assist real human need by improving systems that serve vulnerable peoples, such as refugees and asylum seekers, survivors of human trafficking, and children in the foster care system. ... View Profile
Joe Zhu
Professor
Joe Zhu is Professor of Operations Analytics in the Business School, Worcester Polytechnic Institute. He is an internationally recognized expert in methods of performance evaluation and benchmarking using Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA), and his research interests are in the areas of operations and business analytics, productivity modeling, and performance evaluation and benchmarking. He has published and co-edited several books focusing on performance evaluation and benchmarking using DEA and developed the DEAFrontier software. ... View Profile
Part Time Faculty
Michael Ahern
Michael F Ahern
Director, Power Systems
Mike leads WPI's Academic and Corporate Engagement group. This includes developing, fostering, and managing strategic relationships with industry in a comprehensive manner and across academic disciplines, delivering long-term, measurable outcomes that result in mutual economic value. Reporting to the Provost within Academic Affairs, the group includes Corporate Partnership Account Executives, Program Developers, and the Biomanufacturing Education and Training Center.
Mike also regularly serves as an adjunct instructor in WPI's Foisie Business School. ... View Profile
Paul Delvy
Adjunct Instructor
I enjoy teaching an interrelated series of topics that combine current industrial methodologies with the basics from academic study that form the foundations for commercial practice. The WPI classes give me an opportunity to share, mentor and steward students through simulated and practical problems, guiding them to plausible and realistic solutions. My research interests include; product, process and system design, with the integration of; innovation, development, selling and customer support. ... View Profile
Bill Forte
Adjunct Teaching Professor
Jamie Peter Monat
Teaching Professor-Engineering
Dr. Monat is a Professor of Practice and Director at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, where he teaches courses in Operations Risk Management, Systems Thinking, System Optimization, Operations Management, Business Practices, and Project Management. Dr. Monat has both management and teaching experience in the medical device, separations, food & beverage, consulting, and environmental industries, having served as President of Harvard Clinical Technology, President of Business Growth Specialists, Inc., as Sr. ... View Profile
Organizational Behavior
Full Time Faculty
Michael B. Elmes
Professor
Since arriving at WPI in 1990, I have framed my role in the classroom as helping technically-minded students to become more cognizant and mindful of the complex human and behavioral dimensions of life in organizations. I have done this in a variety of ways from experiential exercises to digital storytelling to classroom-as-organization designs. ... View Profile
Elizabeth Long Lingo
Assistant Professor
How do leaders work across disciplines, organizations, cultures, and networks to co-create and implement novel solutions, sustainable human-centered change, and entrepreneurial ventures? Over the past twenty years, this question has motivated Elizabeth’s research, innovative project-based teaching, and efforts to advance organizational transformation and policy change to forge more equitable and creatively vibrant organizations, cities, and fields of enterprise.
As an ethnographer of work and organizations, Elizabeth is especially interested in the situated and ... View Profile
Part Time Faculty
Brent E. French
Exec Dir, Finance & Operations
As a member of The Business School leadership team, Brent is responsible for accreditation, budgeting, and operations.
He was formerly an Associate Professor of Leadership at the Naval War College, and currently serves as an Adjunct Teaching Professor of Teamwork and Leadership. He earned a BA in Political Science from the University of Connecticut, an MBA from WPI, and a PhD in Leadership from Antioch University. Prior to beginning a career in higher education he worked in the information technology sector and served in the military. ... View Profile
William A. Krein
Adjunct Instructor/Lecturer
As an adjunct faculty member at WPI for 15 years and a WPI graduate, I am proud to share the experience of a successful multi-disciplined career with current WPI students. The foundation and preparation for my engineering, financial, general management, and consulting career and the confidence and resourcefulness to succeed as an entrepreneur resulted largely from my education at WPI.
It is a great privilege to contribute to the continuing achievement and reputation for excellence at WPI. ... View Profile
John Lindholm
Adjunct Teaching Professor
Jed’s organizational behavior experience is shaped through 15+ years as a human resource leader. His experience includes work as a Change Agent, Director/Manager, and Internal and External Consultant. His consulting services focus on performance management, total rewards, HR analytics, and workplace learning, and his research and teaching experience includes the areas of organizational performance improvement, competency identification, and rewards management. ... View Profile