WPI Experts

Why are consumers using futuristic AI tools to buy gifts that remind them of the past? 

Purvi Shah, associate professor of marketing in The Business School, can explain how shoppers are using artificial intelligence to research products, compare prices, and hunt for holiday bargains, even as they gravitate toward retro toys, nostalgic brands, and experiences. 

Shah’s research on “nostalgic brand love,” a term she coined, helps explain the emotional connection consumers have with familiar brands and why long-retired products can suddenly become popular again. 

She can also explain how: 

• Economic pressures are influencing gift budgets 
• Retailers use marketing strategies to influence purchases 
• Consumers can use AI tools to save money and time without falling for misleading deals 
   

Hear Shah break down holiday marketing on The WPI Podcast.

Zhenglun “Alan” Wei is aiming to improve prenatal diagnosis of the most common cardiac birth defect by going with the flow … of blood in tiny hearts. 

Wei, an assistant professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering, is leading a four-year project funded with $2,915,519 from the National Institutes of Health to develop a personalized model that will use detailed blood flow information collected from noninvasive tests to detect obstructions of the aorta in fetuses.