Spears Research
Discovering
the power of research
Business research impacts every discipline, from health care to agriculture to cybersecurity.
Our faculty and students combine academic prestige with applied research to improve
industries and lives.
Spears Business helps shape global research advancements, evident in our top peer-reviewed
journal publications and service on numerous editorial boards. We maintain strong
industry partnerships and interdisciplinary collaboration with scholars worldwide.
Our faculty have been awarded grants from entities that include the National Science Foundation and National Institutes of Health.
Faculty in Focus
Researchers create predictive algorithms to transform health care
Imagine a precise, data-informed algorithm that could assess your risk of developing
a disease, helping you manage or even prevent the condition. Dr. Dursun Delen, Dr.
Zhuqi Miao and Dr. William Paiva have worked within the Spears Business Center for
Health Systems Innovation to develop a patent-pending technology that can transform
diabetic retinopathy detection.
Graduate student research
Real-world impact
From economic forecasting to market behavior research, our graduate students are making
a lasting mark in the world of business. Graduate students have many opportunities
to publish and feature their research. Faculty researchers work closely with students
to foster intellectual curiosity, creativity and entrepreneurial skills.
Undergraduate student research
Impacting from the start
Students can begin research right when they set foot on campus. Through the Freshman Research Scholars Program, incoming freshmen can engage in cutting-edge research under the guidance of Spears
Business faculty researchers. After their freshman year, students have many other
opportunities through faculty mentorship and events like SAS Analytics Day to compete and present research.
The Undergraduate Research Symposium will be held on Tuesday April 21, 2026, and applications are due February 27, 2026. Undergraduate students from all disciplines may apply to participate.
Spears researchby the numbers
$1.1
Million
Grant research expenditures for Spears Business in 2025.
No. 2
Globally
From 2014-23, Spears Business MSIS faculty produced the second-most articles in Decision
Support Systems, a top-tier global journal.
59
Articles
Spears Business faculty totaled 59 articles in A+ or A journals in 2024.
Eye for data
Discover@Spears magazine highlights research
We proudly share the scholarly activity of our faculty and students. In our latest
magazine, we spotlight the ways Spears Business researchers use data analytics to
solve real-world problems.
Research CentersImpacting the world of business
Dr. Brij Thapa
Vice Dean for Faculty, Graduate Programs and Research
“Business serves as a foundational discipline that touches every field, each incorporating
some aspect of business practice.”
