Class of 2023

The Foster School of Business welcomes seven new tenured or tenure-track faculty this year. Some are proven stars, others are newcomers with enormous promise. Here’s a closer look.

Ryan Allen

Assistant Professor of Management and Organization

Education
PhD (business administration), Harvard Business School, 2023
BS (economics), Brigham Young University, 2017

Expertise
Strategy and innovation; organization theory; data-driven decision making

Most insightful research discovery: “In one paper I demonstrate the value of what I call ‘methodological pluralism’ in a data-driven organization. When organizations rely more on quantitative data to make new product innovation decisions, they actually produce fewer products that achieve outsized commercial success. That is, unless they supplement the quantitative data with a high reliance on qualitative data as well. Organizations that use high levels of both quantitative and qualitative data launch the most highly successful new products.”

Experience
Data analyst, Amazon, 2015
Manager, More Good Foundation, 2013-2015
Volunteer Missionary (Taiwan), The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 2011-2013

Honors
Best Paper Award, Strategy Science Conference, 2022
Best Paper Award, Wharton Innovation Doctoral Symposium, 2022
Best PhD Student Paper Award, Strategic Management Society Conference, 2020

Teaching at Foster
MGMT 430 – Strategic Management

Extracurricular
If not a business professor, I would be: likely another kind of professor. Something involving wildlife and wildlands.
Something surprising about me: I have 4 kids! 
When not at work, I enjoy: bouldering, and I’m getting more into mountain biking
Favorite book: The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson (I read lots of sci-fi and fantasy)
Favorite movie: It’s a Wonderful Life
Favorite television/streaming series: Severance, Andor and The Chosen (this year’s favorites)
Favorite podcast: Hardcore History (with Dan Carlin)
Favorite technology/gadget: My new ultra-wide 49” computer monitor. Drop by my office, it’s a sight to behold!
Favorite company: Costco!
Top of my bucket list: I’ve got my eye on summiting Rainier soon

Léonard Boussioux

Assistant Professor of Information Systems and Operations Management

Education
PhD (operations research), Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2023
MS (applied mathematics), Centrale Paris Engineering School, 2019
BE (engineering), Centrale Paris Engineering School, 2017

Expertise
Artificial intelligence, machine learning and optimization; healthcare operations; environmental sustainability; analytics for social good

Most insightful research discovery: “My research introduces a unified AI methodology inspired by human multi-modality—the cognitive process of understanding diverse data types like tables, text, images and time series. Through a three-step approach, Collect-Extract-Predict, I’ve developed and deployed models that can harness and interpret varied data in sectors as diverse as healthcare, natural disaster management and ecosystem conservation. With Generative AI, I further enrich the framework to address the expert gap in low and middle-income countries and contribute to solving the UN Global Goals with robust, explainable predictive and prescriptive systems.”

Experience
AI research scientist consultant, Oxman, 2023-present
AI PhD Resident, Google X, The Moonshot Factory, 2022
Deep Learning Research Intern, Mila, Quebec Institute of Artificial Intelligence, 2019
Visiting Scholar, Sutardja Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology, UC Berkeley, 2018
Machine Learning Research Intern, French National Scientific Research Center, Linear Particle Accelerator Laboratory, 2018
Founder and Machine Learning Advisor, InsectUp and eButterflAI Research Efforts, 2017-present

Honors
Zetta Prize for Best Application of Artificial Intelligence in Industry, MIT 2023
Goodwin Medal for conspicuously effective teaching, MIT, 2022
Graduate Student Council Teaching Award, MIT, 2022
Outstanding Teaching Assistant, MIT Sloan School of Management, 2022
First place and Audience Prize, MIT Research Slam, 2022
Runner-up, Audacious Challenge Competition, Google X, 2022
First place, Cognex Poster Competition, MIT, 2022
First place, Common Experience Deep Learning Challenge, Operations Research Center, 2021
First place, INFORMS Poster Competition, 2021
First place, AI for the Planet Contest, UNESCO and VIVA Tech, 2021
William Pierskalla Best Paper Award, INFORMS, 2020
First place, IEEE Advancing Technology for Humanity Contest, 2020

Teaching at Foster
Analytics, Data Science, Machine Learning, AI, Operations Research

Extracurricular
If not a business professor, I would be: a unique combo of ornithologist, entomologist and AI digital artist.
Something surprising about me: I am a passionate naturalist. I can name and recognize thousands of bird, butterfly and dragonfly species—and I regularly exhibit my pictures.
When not at work, I enjoy: birdwatching, photography, hiking and trail running, soccer, reading, arts, generating AI images.
Favorite book: The Book of Joy by the Dalai Lama, Desmond Tutu, Douglas Abrams
Favorite movie: The Lord of the Rings trilogy
Favorite television/streaming series: Sherlock
Favorite technology/gadget: Slow-motion camera
Favorite company: Hugging Face
Top of my bucket list: to finally see northern lights!

Jessica (Huisi) Li

Assistant Professor of Management and Organization

Education
PhD (management and organizations), Cornell University, 2020
MA (international comparative education), Stanford University, 2013
MS (psychology), Peking University, 2012
BA (applied psychology), Jilin University, 2009

Expertise
Status and power; diverse teams; employee turnover

Most insightful research discovery: “Powerlessness also corrupts: lacking power can lead to unethical (e.g., self-promotional lying) and undesirable behaviors (e.g., covert competition).”

Experience
Assistant Professor in Organizational Behavior, Georgia Institute of Technology, 2020-2023

Honors
Best Student Paper Award, Academy of Management, 2015
Student Transnational Research Award, Academy of Management, 2015
Best Micro Paper Award, International Association for Chinese Management Research, 2018, 2021
Conference Theme Paper Award, International Association for Chinese Management Research, 2021
Student Recognition of Excellence in Teaching CIOS Award (Georgia Tech), 2021, 2022, 2023
Thank-a-Teacher Award, Center for Learning and Teaching (Georgia Tech), 2021, 2022
Bei Shan Tang Foundation Fellowship, Stanford University, 2012

Academic Service
Editorial board member, Organization Science (2023-present)

Teaching at Foster
Organizational Behavior, Staffing (Recruiting and Retaining Employees)

Extracurricular
If not a business professor, I would be: a therapist or psychologist
Something surprising about me: I used to write blogs that were viewed millions of times.
When not at work, I enjoy: yoga, painting (oil on canvas), cooking and baking, reading and writing
Favorite book: Atomic Habits by James Clear
Favorite movie: 12 Angry Men
Favorite television/streaming series: The Big Bang Theory
Favorite podcast: I do not have one, but recommendations are very welcomed!
Favorite technology/gadgets: massage chair, noise-cancelling headphones (essential for long flights)
Favorite organizations: art museums like The Met, MOMA and Guggenheim (especially if they are free to the public). 
Top of my bucket list: Getting to know my Foster colleagues and exploring Seattle

Xu Lu

Assistant Professor of Finance

Education
PhD (finance), Stanford Graduate School of Business, 2023
BA (economics and mathematics), Tsinghua University, 2017

Expertise
Asset pricing; macro-finance/financial intermediation; household finance

Most insightful research discovery: “Rebalancing by institutional investors turbocharges the stock market’s sensitivity to monetary shocks.”

Teaching at Foster
Banking and the Financial System

Extracurricular
If not a business professor, I would be: whipping up recipes, not lectures
When not at work, I enjoy: uphill rides
Favorite book: 21st Century Monetary Policy by Ben Bernanke
Favorite movie: Midnight In Paris
Favorite television/streaming series: Tour de France Unchained
Favorite podcast: The Indicator (from Planet Money)

Suresh Nallareddy

Associate Professor of Accounting
Durwood L. Akire Endowed Professor of Accounting

Education
PhD (accounting), University of Southern California, 2012
MMS (management), Birla Institute of Technology and Science, 2002

Expertise
Accounting information and the macroeconomy; accounting information and asset prices; empirical asset pricing

Most insightful research discovery: “Firms’ accounting information can help improve measures of the state of the economy.”

Experience
Associate Professor of Accounting, Duke University, 2016-2023
Assistant Professor of Accounting, Columbia University, 2012-2016

Honors
Innovation and Excellence in Teaching an Elective Class (runner up), Duke Fuqua, 2022
PhD Achievement Award, USC, 2012
Mary Pickford Foundation Doctoral Teaching Award, USC, 2009
Dean’s Fellow, USC, 2011-2012

Academic Service
Editorial board member, The Accounting Review (2019-present), Contemporary Accounting Research (2023-present)

Teaching at Foster
ACCTG 500: Financial Reporting & Analysis

Extracurricular
If not a business professor, I would be: a software engineer
When not at work, I enjoy: biking and spending time with family
Favorite book: The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle
Favorite movie: Margin Call
Favorite television/streaming series: Friends
Favorite podcast: Planet Money
Favorite company: Vanguard

Ming zhu Wang

Assistant Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship

Education
PhD (strategy & entrepreneurship), Washington University in St. Louis, 2023
MS (mathematics), Western Illinois University, 2016
BCom (mathematics), McGill University, 2015

Expertise
Entrepreneurship; confidence biases; competitive strategy

Most insightful research discovery: “Errors of omission and commission that arise from overconfidence in founding teams could be reduced by committing ex ante to a decision-making structure that complements the founders’ biases.”

Honors
Best Paper Award, Strategic Entrepreneurship Track, Academy of Management Meeting (2021)
Robert J. Litschert Best Doctoral Student Paper Award, Academy of Management Meeting (2020)
Moog Scholar Award, Washington University (2020 & 2022)

Teaching at Foster
Introduction to Entrepreneurship

Extracurricular
If not a business professor, I would be: an electrical engineer
Something surprising about me: I was raised in Japan (in a small city called Inuyama) and I’m conversational in Japanese.
When not at work, I enjoy: spending time/catching up with friends and family
Favorite book: The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin
Favorite movies: The Martian and Living
Favorite television/streaming series: Midnight Diner and How To with John Wilson
Favorite podcast: Lex Fridman Podcast
Favorite technology/gadget: iPhone
Favorite company: Studio Ghibli
Top of my bucket list: To vote in the 2024 U.S. elections—I recently became an American citizen!

Zikun Ye

Assistant Professor of Marketing and International Business

Education
PhD (industrial engineering), University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2023
BS (industrial engineering and mathematics), Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 2018

Expertise
Digital platforms; machine learning; data-driven decision making

Most insightful research discovery: “Leveraging adaptive algorithms and machine learning can uncover hidden individual preferences and increase the efficiency of online advertising.”

Experience
Data analyst, Walmart Global Tech, 2022
Economist, Kwai, 2021

Honors
Best Paper Award (second prize), CSAMSE, 2023
Jeff McGill Student Paper Prize (finalist), INFORMS, 2020

Teaching at Foster
Analytics for Marketing Decisions

Extracurricular
If not a business professor, I would be: a machine learning engineer
Something surprising about me: I am learning K-pop dance.
When not at work, I enjoy: traveling and cooking
Favorite book: My Life by Isadora Duncan
Favorite movie: 3 Idiots
Favorite television/streaming series: Modern Family
Favorite podcast: This American Life
Favorite technology/gadget: drone
Favorite company: Costco
Top of my bucket list: learning to ski