PhD | Student Directory
We welcome prospective applicants to contact our doctoral students directly should you have any questions about the application process, the Merage School PhD curriculum, educational climate, job market process or to even talk about what it is like to live in one of the best places in the United States.
Email: dennisda@uci.edu
Dennis Ahn is a PhD student in Accounting at the UCI Paul Merage School of Business. He is a California-licensed Certified Public Accountant, and his professional background prior to joining the PhD program includes working as an auditor at Grant Thornton LLP in Los Angeles, CA and then as an Associate at BlackRock as part of its Alternatives group in Santa Monica, CA. Dennis’ research interests include audit quality, financial accounting and reporting, and mergers and acquisitions.
Email: haomiaoh@uci.edu
Haomiao (Holly) He is a doctoral student in Accounting at the UCI Paul Merage School of Business. Her main research interest is in capital market research, especially the effect of financial and nonfinancial disclosure on market participants. She holds a Bachelor of Management degree from Renmin University and master’s degrees from Renmin University and University of Rochester.
Email: charl13@uci.edu
Charles Lee is a doctoral candidate in Accounting at the UCI Paul Merage School of Business. His research interests span the areas of taxation and financial accounting, and his research has predominantly examined 1) the real effects of tax policy, and 2) the tax consequences of non-tax motivated policy changes. His dissertation explores the unintended tax consequence of state anti-patent troll laws, which has been featured on the Taxes for the Masses podcast. Charles holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Notre Dame, and a master’s degree in finance from Johns Hopkins University.
Personal Website: https://sites.google.com/view/charles-lee/
Email: yliao18@uci.edu
Yifei (Leo) Liao is a doctoral student in Accounting at the UCI Paul Merage School of Business. His main research interests are debt contracting, corporate governance, and the application of machine learning in accounting and finance. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Northeastern University and master’s degrees from Shanghai Jiao University and the University of California, San Diego.
Emma Liu is a doctoral student in Accounting at the UCI Paul Merage School of Business. Her research interests include financial reporting quality, tax and the economic consequences of accounting policies. She received her MS from the department of Economics, UW-Madison.
Why did you choose to pursue a PhD in your discipline of Business?
After years of study and conducting a couple of internships, I realized that accounting is not an error-free bible book. With human discretion involved, nothing stays impeccable, and different roles played by the executives, accountants, auditors, brokers and investors can further complicate the picture. That’s also how I realized that the beauty of accounting is not what it does, but how it interacts with human factors, such as behavioral theories and principal-agent problems. These help me develop a strong enthusiasm for a research career that involves a continuous quest for new findings and knowledge creation. I believe only through academic research can we best explain the complicated phenomena that every practitioner may encounter in the real world and come up with solutions to the challenges we face.
Why did you choose to come to the Merage School for a PhD?
The faculty’s research at the Merage School is highly aligned with my interests, such as earning management, the behavioral mechanisms of senior managers and tax. I will be thrilled to work with and be guided by the leading experts in their fields. Besides, I also really like the fact that students can work closely with the faculty members and choose flexible and tailored courses inside and outside UCI based on their needs.
Hongjie Chen is a doctoral student in Accounting at the UCI Paul Merage School of Business. Her research interests include financial accounting, financial reporting and disclosure, and market efficiency. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, and a Master of Finance from University of California, Irvine.
Why did you choose to pursue a PhD in your discipline of Business?
I plan to conduct advanced research on the intersection of accounting information and capital markets and I believe pursuing a PhD in accounting can equip myself with crucial skills and knowledge needed to contribute to this field.
Why did you choose to come to (the Merage School) for a PhD?
I came to UCI Paul Merage School of Business as an undergraduate exchange student in my senior year. I met many supportive professors and participated in several research projects with them. UCI is where I found my interest in accounting and Merage School has many dedicated professors and graduate students to learn from. I believe these are the most important aspect of conducting research at the doctoral level.
Lin Ma is a PhD student in Accounting at the UCI Paul Merage School of Business. She obtained her
Bachelor of Science in Commerce at Santa Clara University in 2021. She is a Certified Public Accountant licensed in California. Prior to enrolling in the PhD program, Lin worked as an auditor at Ernst & Young LLP. Lin’s research interests include financial reporting and disclosure, capital markets and earning management, the roles of accounting information in equity valuation, and the information content of accounting measures.
Why did you choose to pursue a PhD in your discipline of Business?
With my academic training and experience in public accounting, I recognize that accounting plays a crucial role in the business world and that the financial information disclosed by companies have a great impact on investment decision-making in the capital market. This recognition strengthened my interest in pursuing my PhD studies in accounting. I believe the training through PhD study will better prepare me to be a scholar from a working professional.
Why did you choose to come to (the Merage School) for a PhD?
The Merage School has top-notch accounting professors who are well known for their research. I found my research interests align with their specialities. There are tremendous opportunities to work with them. Furthermore, the Merage School graduate division and accounting faculties are very supportive.
Email: yichunh2@uci.edu
Yichun He is a doctoral student in Finance at the UCI Paul Merage School of Business. Her research interests include investments and empirical asset pricing. Yichun received a bachelor's degree in finance from Renmin University of China and a master’s degree in finance from University of Rochester. She previously worked at Citigroup as an equity research associate.
Email: bongk1@uci.edu
Bong Ko is a doctoral student in Finance at the UCI Paul Merage School of Business. His research interests are in empirical asset pricing, stock return predictability and financial econometrics. He holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree from Yonsei University.
Email: liy54@uci.edu
Yue Li is a doctoral student in Finance at the UCI Paul Merage School of Business. His main research interest is in corporate finance, especially corporate governance and its implications on capital market. He holds a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in Economics from Peking University.
Email: wanyiw2@uci.edu
Wanyi Wang is a doctoral student in Finance at the UCI Paul Merage School of Business. Her main research interests are behavioral finance, FinTech, and the application of textual analysis in finance. Her working papers explore the asset pricing implication of partisanship during the pandemic and investigate the role of technology in cryptocurrency pricing. Wanyi has presented her papers at several conferences, including CICF, AFA poster session, etc. She won Ray Watson Fellowship, Management Fellowship, and Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award at UCI. She holds a Bachelor of Science, a Bachelor of Economics, and a Master of Economics Degree from Peking University.
Email: fuxinz@uci.edu
Fuxin Zhai is a PhD candidate majoring in Finance at the UCI Paul Merage School of Business. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree and Master of Arts degree in Finance from Renmin University of China. He also received another Master of Arts degree in Economics from Boston College.
Fuxin’s research interest is empirical corporate finance, entrepreneur finance, innovation and Chinese economy.
Runxin Fan is a doctoral student in Finance at the UCI Paul Merage School of Business. His research interests are empirical asset pricing and corporate finance. He received his bachelor’s degree in statistics from Jiangxi University of Finance and Economics and his master’s in economics from Duke University.
Why did you choose to pursue a PhD in your discipline of Business?
I hope to understand the behavior of stock price and which factors drive the performance of companies.
Why did you choose to come to the Merage School for a PhD?
Great faculty, excellent research and the wonderful weather brought me here.
Hee Seo Han is a doctoral student in Finance at The Paul Merage School of Business. Her research interests include empirical study on asset pricing, institutional investors, behavioral finance, and text analysis. She received her bachelor’s in business administration and psychology from Ewha Womans University and master’s in finance from Seoul National University.
Why did you choose to pursue a PhD in your discipline of Business?
I have always been interested in behaviors of people and I found that financial markets are the best place to watch and study them.
Why did you choose to come to the Merage School for a PhD?
I was looking for faculty members who have the same interests as me. Also, the weather of southern California is perfect. I want to spend my five years in the best city.
Shiyan Wei is a doctoral student in Finance at the UCI Paul Merage School of Business. His research interests include Financial Market, Asset Pricing, Corporates Finance, and Real Estate. He received his BS in Public Finance and Public Policy from the China Academic of Public Finance and Public Policy, Central University of Finance and Economics in China. He received his MS in Economics and MS in Business from the University of Wisconsin – Madison.
Why did you choose to pursue a PhD in your discipline of Business?
I am pursuing a PhD in Finance as I would like to study how the information structure would change the efficiency of the financial market, and the agents’ behavior in this market.
Why did you choose to come to the Merage School for a PhD?
The faculty members at the Merage School are world-famous and doing frontier research about behavioral and information questions in finance. I believe the program at the Merage School would help me succeed in future academic research.
Zhaotian Lu is a doctoral student in Finance at the UCI Paul Merage School of Business. Her research interests include behavioral finance and asset pricing. She received her MS in Finance at Purdue university and BS degree in Accounting at Shanghai Maritime University.
Why did you choose to pursue a PhD in your discipline of Business?
I choose to pursue a PhD in business because I want to solve business problems in a rigorous manner and help others make financial decisions.
Why did you choose to come to (the Merage School) for a PhD?
I choose UCI because the faculty here are specialists in their fields. Also, they know their students, care about students, and try their best to help their students. The school has a very supportive environment created by all the staff and students.
Hannah Unterberg is a PhD student in Finance at the UCI Paul Merage School of Business. She received her BS and MS with majors in Finance and Computer Science at the Technical University of Munich in 2020. Prior to enrolling in the PhD program, Hannah worked in asset and risk management as a Quantitative Pension Consultant for Siemens. Her main research interests are related to asset pricing, mutual funds, behavioral finance, and machine learning.
Why did you choose to pursue a PhD in your discipline of Business?
I want to create new insights and further our understanding of capital markets. The structured PhD program will equip me with the research methods and skills to help me succeed as a future academic scholar.
Why did you choose to come to the Merage School for a PhD?
The Paul Merage School offers the opportunity to learn from and work alongside well-renown faculty in my fields of interests. Professors and staff have been welcoming and supportive from the start. In addition, UC Irvine is located in a perfect environment to live and study, with sunny weather and beautiful outdoors.
Xinwei Yao is a doctoral student in Finance at the UCI Paul Merage School of Business. His research interest includes asset pricing, financial market microstructure and behavioral finance. He received BA in Finance from School of Finance, Renmin University of China.
Why did you choose to pursue a PhD in your discipline of Business?
Finance is a field full of so many extraordinary and surreal stories that I would feel really bad if I leave them behind and go to making money in industry. The PhD program gives me a platform and opportunity to explore mysteries, glories and indignities in the financial market.
Why did you choose to come to (the Merage School) for a PhD?
Paul Merage School of Business has a distinguished faculty and enjoys very excellent reputation. Everyone here is warm and kind, and I really appreciate it that I have an opportunity to pursue my professional career with all lovely members in Paul Merage.
Email: donghwab@uci.edu
Donghwa Bae is a doctoral student in Information Systems at the UCI Paul Merage School of Business. His research interests are in economics of information systems, machine learning, and textual analysis. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Korea University.
Email: fatooreh@uci.edu
Sardar Fatooreh Bonabi is a doctoral student in Information Systems at the UCI Paul Merage School of Business. Sardar earned a master’s degree in Business Administration in the field of Strategy at the University of Tehran, and a bachelor’s degree in Computer Sciences at the Sharif University of Technology, the most prestigious university in Iran.
After establishing two companies, he realized there are numerous business problems that require careful and systematic examination. This experience led Sardar to apply for the PhD program at the UCI Paul Merage School of Business. He entered the PhD program in January 2021 to fulfill his passion and curiosity about business and management problems, to have the opportunity to examine real-world business phenomena and to provide valuable insights/solutions to complicated managerial problems.
Sardar is interested in the intersection of computer science and management. He believes the potential power of computer science can help business extract more values, and infers that today’s trends in Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence, Business Intelligence, Big Data, and Text Mining can be applied to numerous management and business contexts in order to achieve this goal.
Email: cdeharoa@uci.edu
Cristina M. De Haro is a doctoral student in Information Systems at the UCI Paul Merage School of Business. Her research focuses on how digital transformation impacts health. Additionally, she is a DECADE Student Representative and contributes to ensure inclusive excellence in graduate education at UCI. Outside of academia, she enjoys being outdoors swimming and camping.
She holds a MSc. in Economics from UCI, a MSc. in Economics and Business Administration from the Comillas Pontifical University -ICADE (Spain), a BA in Economics and a BA in Business Administration from the San Pablo CEU University (Spain).
Email: mgu3@uci.edu
Ming Gu is a doctoral student in Information Systems at the UCI Paul Merage School of Business. His research interests are in social media, natural language processing, and visual content mining. He holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree from Peking University.
Email: jinanl1@uci.edu
Jinan Lin is a PhD candidate of Information Systems at the UCI Paul Merage School of Business. Previously, he obtained Master of Philosophy in Economics and a PhD in Economics from The Chinese University of Hong Kong, and MA in Economics from UC Santa Barbara.
Jinan conducted research in 2019 as an Economist I (Level 4, Intern) with the Business, Technology & Solutions Team at Amazon Web Services, Inc. (AWS) in Seattle. In 2020, he interned as a researcher at the Office of the Chief Economist of the Microsoft Corporation in Redmond. Jinan worked as an Economics & Emerging Tech Researcher (Intern) of Nokia Bell Labs and was affiliated with WeChat/Tencent entitled as Tencent Rhino-Bird Research Elite in 2021.
He studies digitization, platforms, and more broadly, economic and societal impacts of information and technology. Specifically, Jinan's research topics cover impacts and strategies of platforms, sharing economy and review systems. His industrial collaborations extend to productivity, ML-based forecasting, computable general equilibrium models of AI and platform experiment design. Jinan received the Ray Watson Fellowship and the Long US-China Institute Research Fellowship, among others. Prior to joining the Merage School, he published papers on Transportation Research Part A, and Kybernetes.
Email: jsrho@uci.edu
Elia (Jung Suk) Rho is a doctoral student in Information Systems at the UCI Paul Merage School of Business. His research interests are in empirical studies on mobile application unbundling and optimal search results UI design. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Korea University and master’s degrees from the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor and University of Texas-Austin.
Email: jiaqis@uci.edu
Jiaqi Shi is a PhD student in Information Systems. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Quantitative Economics from the University of California, Irvine. He later received his double degree in Data Sciences & Business Analytics from ESSEC business school & CentraleSupélec engineering school.
After earning his BA from UCI, Jiaqi worked for a venture capital firm as Business Analyst. He worked as Data Scientist and Research Engineer following his graduate studies.
His current research focuses on online marketing and online platforms.
Email: haonay4@uci.edu
Haonan Yin is a doctoral student in Information Systems at the UCI Paul Merage School of Business. She focuses on research in the area of electronic healthcare, especially physician service, patient behavior and the operation of online health communities. Haonan received her master’s in Management Science and Engineering from Beijing Institute of Technology and her bachelor’s in Information Systems from Qingdao University.
Email: mingg6@uci.edu
Ming Gao is a doctoral student in Information Systems at the UCI Paul Merage School of Business. Her research interests include AI in business, FinTech and Innovation. She holds a bachelor’s and master’s degree from Peking University.
Why did you choose to pursue a PhD in your discipline of Business?
I want to pursue a career as a professor at a business school, where I aim to conduct research on understanding the important role that information technology plays in business.
Why did you choose to come to (the Merage School) for a PhD?
Because in the Merage School, the research environment is very good, and also the faculties are very productive and friendly.
Email: jhenry3@uci.edu
Jazmin Henry is a doctoral student in Marketing at the UCI Paul Merage School of Business. Her main research interest is in consumer behavior, specifically race, class and culture in the marketplace. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management from Fayetteville State University and a Master of Business degree from the University of North Carolina, Greensboro.
Email: amking1@uci.edu
Angela King is a Marketing PhD student at the UCI Paul Merage School of Business. She studies consumer behavior with a focus on issues such as food choice, health decision-making and sustainable consumption.
Email: xuanx6@uci.edu
Xuan Xie grew up in a coastal city in southern China then moved thousand miles away from home to attend a British Columbia boarding high school at a very young age. Her journey extended further to the other side of the Pacific Ocean as she sung Hail to the Orange and became a proud Illini. Xuan had tried her luck in lots of snow working in corporate America before coming to sunny California embracing herself as a future scholar at the UCI Paul Merage School of Business.
Her diverse background shapes her keen research interests in identity, social influence and cross-cultural psychology. She has presented her research projects at Association of Consumer Research conference, competed as a semi-finalist in UCI Grad Slam, and won the 1st prize in a Merage Research Fest. At the Merage School, she was elected to and recently completed two consecutive terms as VP and Social Chair for the Merage PhD Student Association. At the campus level, she serves as the VP of Social Affairs for Associated Graduate Students, is a current member on Graduate Student Advisory Board and a student representative at DECADE council. She feels privileged to have the opportunity to provide mentorship to underrepresented undergraduate students through the DECADE PLUS program and to international graduate students through the Graduate InterConnect program. Being a multi-lingual, Xuan loves an adventurous life full of journeys embracing different cultures. She is an animal lover, a huge soccer fan and an enthusiastic trivia game player.
Email: xiajingz@uci.edu
Xiajing Zhu is a doctoral student in Marketing at the UCI Paul Merage School of Business. She received her bachelor’s and master’s degree (with honors) in Business Administration at Jiangnan University, China. She studies the effects of online misinformation, social media, message framing, self-concept and branding strategy on consumers. Her works appear in the Journal of Business Research and the International Journal of Advertising.
Saghar Ansaripoor is a PhD student in Marketing at the UCI Paul Merage School of Business. Her research interests include social media marketing, digital markets, and sharing economy. She obtained her BS in Electrical Engineering from the K.N.Toosi University of Technology and her MBA from Sharif University of Technology (Tehran, Iran).
Why did you choose to pursue a PhD in your discipline of Business?
Since more and more interactions with customers take place in online platforms where almost all actions are logged, there is untapped potential in using data to improve marketing practices and create value for all stakeholders. I do like to explore these digital revolutions that have radically transformed our lives and marketing practices.
Why did you choose to come to (the Merage School) for a PhD?
The quality of education and the research done by faculty members are my primary reasons for choosing The Paul Merage School of Business. I am confident that the school provides me the support I need to work on exciting research projects and offer new knowledge to the Marketing discipline.
Email: jeeh2@uci.edu
Jee Hae Ha is a doctoral student in Quantitative Marketing at UCI Paul Merage School of Business. Her research interests are the applications of AI/ML, NLP, causal inference, and mathematical economic modeling in the business field.
Working paper:
“The Potential Impact of Sharing Economy on Social Mobility”
Jacob “Jake” Williams is a PhD student in Marketing at the UCI Paul Merage School of Business. He obtained a BA in African American Studies at the University of California, Los Angeles. Jake also earned a MS in Financial Planning from Kansas State University. Prior to enrolling in the PhD program, he worked at Prudential Financial as a Financial Planner. His practice focused on personal financial planning including Investments and Life Insurance. Jake also founded the company JWINS centered on the small business market offering Employee & Executive Benefits, Risk Management, and Business Insurance Consulting services. He recently served as the Co-Chair for Prudential’s Inclusion & Diversity Advisory Council where he liaised between Senior Leadership and Field Professionals. Jake brings his industry experience along with his passions for racial equity into his research. He is currently researching African American investor behavior in the Cryptocurrency and NFT marketplaces.
Why did you choose to pursue a PhD in your discipline of Business?
I chose a PhD in Marketing to do meaningful research and provide insight into power of the African American consumer marketplace.
Why did you choose to come to the Merage School for a PhD?
The Merage School offered me the path to work with world class faculty in my discipline as well access to academic and industry thought leadership to develop my research focusing on the cross-sections of Race & Money.”
Erica Bautista is a PhD student in Consumer Behavior at the UCI Paul Merage School of Business. She obtained an Associate of Arts in Fashion Technology at Los Angeles Trade Technical Community College as well as a Bachelor of Arts in Marketing and a Master of Business Administration at California State University Bakersfield. Prior to enrolling in the PhD program, Erica worked as an Assistant to the Associate Dean and Curriculum Analyst at California State University Los Angeles and as a Marketing Lecturer and MBA Program Coordinator at California State University Bakersfield. Her main research interests are related to the fashion industry, specifically luxury markets, fast-fashion cycles, and the psychology behind advertising.
Why did you choose to pursue a Ph.D. in your discipline of Business?
I’ve had a long-standing curiosity about human behavior, particularly in the context of consumer choices. My research interests began to develop while I was pursuing a Master of Business Administration. Engaging in marketing seminars and case studies, I explored various topics, including cultural representations in advertisements, luxury retail strategies, and fast-fashion marketing trends. As an instructor, I developed deeper insights into the interplay of social and environmental responsibilities among businesses, governments, and consumers. I found enthusiasm in discussing environmental challenges posed by the fashion industry. Through the Ph.D. program, I intend to leverage my experiences to address more profound questions, with a special emphasis on research within the fashion industry.
Why did you choose to come to (the Merage School) for a PhD?
I choose to come to the Merage School for a Ph.D. because it fosters research and has abundant resources to help develop future scholars. Additionally, the faculty have similar research interests which will help in the advancement of my knowledge. It is very important that I have supportive and experienced mentors in my field to deepen my understanding and develop my fullest potential as a future scholar.
Christine Hu is a Marketing Ph.D. student at UC Irvine’s Paul Merage School of Business. She earned her BA in English with an Emphasis in Creative Writing from UCI’s School of Humanities. As an undergraduate student, she also studied Shakespeare, politics, and film at the University of Cambridge. Additionally, Christine has spent her entire career in marketing starting at UCI’s Graduate & PostDoctoral Scholar Resource Center as a student and professionally in managerial roles across industries including broadcast and digital media, black-tie fashion e-commerce, and nonprofit. Christine also has experience as a social media consultant working with organizations and individuals to improve their digital presence. Prior to entering the Ph.D. program, she created viral content for a TV network while earning her MBA at Cal Poly Pomona.
Christine’s primary research focus is Consumer Culture Theory.
Why did you choose to pursue a PhD in your discipline of Business?
Business education is special because it significantly influences industry which affects our everyday lives. I’m pursuing my Ph.D. in Marketing because I love this area of study and want to make meaningful advancements to this scholarly and impactful discipline.
Why did you choose to come to (the Merage School) for a PhD?
I chose Merage for its world-class faculty, location, and fit. Merage has a longstanding and celebrated tradition of notable faculty members conducting research in the unique area of marketing that I study. Personally, as an Anteater alumna, I am delighted to be back!
Connect with Christine on LinkedIn here.
Hanzhi Li is a PHD student in Marketing at the UCI Paul Merage School of Business. Her research interests include digital marketing, social media and business economics. She received her BS in Finance from Changzhou University in China, MS in Economics from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Why did you choose to pursue a PhD in your discipline of Business?
I choose to pursue a PhD in Marketing because I want to learn more methods so that I can use data to explore more interesting marketing knowledge.
Why did you choose to come to (the Merage School) for a PhD?
I chose Merage School because of the excellent faculty and the great atmosphere. Also, the comfortable climate and beautiful coast of Southern California attracted me.
Operations and Decision Technologies
Email: xlin32@uci.edu
Xi (Henry) Lin is a doctoral student in Operations and Decision Technologies at the UCI Paul Merage School of Business. He is interested in devising and using tailored mathematical model to facilitate data-driven operational decision-making for newly emerged businesses. His ongoing work includes player matching for online competitive games and mixed-quality inventory allocation in subscription-based fashion rental business. He holds a bachelor’s degree in applied mathematics from the University of California, Los Angeles and a Master of Science in statistics and operations research from University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill.
Email: awillia7@uci.edu
Amy Williams is a PhD student in Operations and Decision Technologies at the UCI Paul Merage School of Business. She obtained a BA in Physics at Yeshiva University in 2010. Prior to enrolling in the PhD program, Amy worked in retail at Saks Fifth Avenue Off Fifth and Gilt as a Merchandise Planner, in tech at Fitbit as a member of the Research and Development team, and in healthcare consulting at Statistics Collaborative as Research Associate. Her main research interests are related to the retail industry, specifically around leveraging aspects of the e-commerce environment to help promote operational efficiencies and sustainable practices.
Meiling Wu is a PhD student in Operations and Decision Technologies at the UCI Paul Merage School of Business. She obtained an MS in Supply Chain Management from Olin Business School, Washington University in St. Louis; And a BA in Logistics Management from the School of Business, Tianjin Normal University. Her research interests are Supply Chain Management, Operations Strategy, Inventory Control, and Revenue Management.
Why did you choose to pursue a PhD in your discipline of Business?
I'm interested in doing research. I have done some research such as optimizing seed portfolios, optimizing healthcare supply chains, etc. I want to continue this research by doing a PhD to learn more about this field. In the future, I would like to be a lecturer at a university, doing research as well as sharing my knowledge to students. The primary requirement to achieve this goal is to have a PhD degree. Therefore, I want to complete my career plan by pursuing a PhD.
Why did you choose to come to the Merage School for a PhD?
The program suits my needs. It has influential faculty who have the expertise I seek in operations management. Moreover, the program successfully trains students to be excellent researchers and builds good academic career networks for students.
Jiamei Zhang is a PhD student in Operations and Decision Technologies at UC Irvine Paul Merage School of Business. She obtained her bachelor’s degree in Pharmaceutical Engineering in 2016 at Tianjin University in China, MS degree in Chemical Engineering at UC Berkeley in 2017 and MS in Statistics in 2020 at UC Riverside. Previously, Jiamei worked as a Management Consultant in SF Express Co., Ltd in China, focusing on business models of last-mile delivery services. Her research interests are statistical learning and applied optimization.
Why did you choose to pursue a PhD in your discipline of Business?
I am interested in research topics related to data science and operation optimization especially in logistics and transportation industries. A PhD in Operations and Decision Technologies would be a good starting point for pursuing a long-term academic career.
Why did you choose to come to the Merage School for a PhD?
The Merage School is a young but fast-growing business school with diversified and vibrant atmosphere. Students have opportunities working closely with faculty members early. This program matches my research interests, provides cross-discipline course plans, and organizes various seminar and training series to fit flexible individual development. In addition, Irvine is a perfect city to live and study with the finest weather, safest community, and the fresh coastal view.
Mobin Ghasempour Nejati is a PhD student in Operations and Decision Technologies at the UCI Paul Merage School of Business. He obtained a M.Sc. in Business Administration at Sharif University of Technology in 2020. Prior to enrolling in the PhD program, Mobin worked in Unilever as a member of the supply chain department. His main research interests lie at the intersection of operations and marketing.
Why did you choose to pursue a PhD in your discipline of Business?
I enjoy the application of quantitative methods in solving business related problems. A PhD in Business provides me with the opportunity to extend my knowledge in quantitative methods as well as theoretical literature under the supervision of adept faculty members. Moreover, the fact that the PhD programs in business are flexible and enable students to pursue their research in their desired path adds to their appeal.
Why did you choose to come to (the Merage School) for a PhD?
Paul Merage provides students with the chance to take related courses from almost every school in the university. The staff and faculty members are extremely supportive. It is located in one of best states in the U.S. which contains many top tier universities and international companies enabling students to expand their network by participating in academic seminars and come into contact with the industrial section. It offers a STEM program and students can follow their career both in academia and industry.
Email: rkharazm@uci.edu
Reyhaneh Kharazmi Pour is a Ph.D. student in the Operations, Decisions, and Technologies program at the UCI Paul Merage School of Business. Her academic journey began with obtaining an Industrial Engineering degree as an undergraduate student at Sharif University of Technology. Prior to pursuing her doctorate, Reyhaneh gained experience as a data analyst at Digikala, Iran's leading e-commerce company, where she collaborated with marketing and product teams. This experience illuminated the importance of continuous optimization in even the most substantial business processes and sparked her passion for research in the realm of business problem-solving. Reyhaneh's primary research interests encompass optimization, data analysis, and marketing, reflecting her interest in bridging the gap between academic theory and practical business solutions.
Why did you choose to pursue a PhD in your discipline of Business?
I decided to go for a Ph.D. in Business because I'm genuinely excited about exploring new ideas and solving real-world business problems. Working as a data analyst, I saw firsthand how much untapped potential there is for innovative solutions in the business world. This experience sparked my curiosity and made me want to dive deeper into areas like optimization, and data analysis in business applications. I believe that pursuing a Ph.D. is the best way to gain the knowledge and skills I need to make a real impact in this field.
Why did you choose to come to (the Merage School) for a PhD?
This school has an outstanding reputation for academic excellence, particularly in the fields of Operations, Decisions, and Technologies, which was a significant draw for me. The opportunity to work closely with renowned faculty members whose expertise aligns with my research interests was incredibly appealing. Moreover, the school's location in Southern California's thriving business community provides a unique advantage, allowing me to engage with real-world challenges and connect with industry leaders.
Email: cjlam1@uci.edu
Chris Lam became a PhD student in Organization and Management at the UCI Paul Merage School of Business in 2020. He received a Bachelor of Business Administration from Emory University’s Goizueta Business School in 2017, concentrating in Organization and Management. After graduation, he worked as a Workday consultant at Alight Solutions for three years, leaving as a senior consultant in 2020. His current research stems from his workforce experience in Atlanta in the wake of the 2016 election, centering around the study of political minorities in the workplace at the intersection of company culture, diversity & inclusion and stigmatization.
Email: seongbiy@uci.edu
Simon (Seongbin) Yoon is a doctoral student in Organization and Management at the UCI Paul Merage School of Business. His research interest lies labor market, online platform, and entrepreneurship. He received his master's degree from Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, and bachelor's degree from Hankuk University of Foreign Studies.
Patrycja Arundel is a PhD student in Organization and Management at the UCI Paul Merage School of Business. Patrycja graduated from UCLA with a BA in Psychology with the highest Departmental and College Honors distinctions. With UCLA Anderson School of Management Professor Craig Fox as her advisor, she won the prestigious 2019 Nissim and Arlyne Levy Endowed Award for outstanding senior thesis paper. Prior to entering a PhD program at UCI, Patrycja has worked in operations and business development at AIIR Consulting, a global leadership development consultancy. Her research interests encompass perception and impression formation, ethics and morality in human-AI interactions (HAI), expert identities, and women in leadership.
Why did you choose to pursue a PhD in your discipline of Business?
I decided to pursue a PhD in Organization and Management because of my passion to generate novel, meaningful insights that could inform human-centered business practices.
Why did you choose to come to the Merage School for a PhD?
I chose Merage School of Business because of the outstanding faculty, the collaborative departmental culture, and the beautiful Southern California location.
James Fernando Rodriguez is a PhD Student in Organization and Management at the UCI Paul Merage School of Business. He received his BA in Psychology with minors in Management and Informatics at UC Irvine. His research interests lie in the future of work and AI/automation implementation.
Why did you choose to pursue a PhD in your discipline of Business?
I’m pursuing a PhD in Organization and Management because I want to be on the leading edge to explore how our jobs will change in the face of technological advancement.
Why did you choose to come to the Merage School for a PhD?
I chose the Merage School because having graduated from UCI, I know how the faculty welcomes interdisciplinary approaches as well as how open-minded and forward-thinking the university is in general.
Taryn Williams is a Graduate Opportunity Fellow studying Organization and Management at the UCI Paul Merage School of Business. Her research interests include internal labor markets, team dynamics, and corporate social responsibility. She currently holds a bachelor's degree with a double major in Management and Operations & Supply Chain Management from California State University, Long Beach and dual associate's degrees in Business Administration and Economics from Long Beach City College.
Taryn has presented research on community pushback to farmers' markets, multiple-regression analysis of opioid overdoses in the U.S., and bias and judgment as barriers to human growth and upward mobility. Most recently, her honors thesis explored the creation of faculty development diversity training focusing on formerly incarcerated (FI) students. For her doctoral studies, she plans to investigate the experiences of FI job seekers and jobholders. Some of the questions that she wants to pursue are: How are FI turned away from higher levels of employment? Are bias, judgment, and discriminatory hiring practices impacting FI's ability to advance within an organization? Does educational attainment for FI serve as a catalyst for employment or promotion? What perspective do FI bring to teams and organizations? And how do FI mediate stigma in the workplace?
Taryn aspires to create programming and change policies in support of the FI community getting and maintaining employment, as well as help companies understand the value that FI brings to team dynamics and organizational outcomes.
Why did you choose to pursue a PhD in your discipline of Business?
During application season, I struggled between pursuing a doctorate in management or criminology. Although I could have done my research from either field, I felt my work could have a more significant impact on management. Management scholarship on diversity, equity, and inclusion lacks research on FI as a marginalized population in the labor market. I hope to change that!
Why did you choose to come to the Merage School for a PhD?
Ultimately, I decided to join the Merage School because I felt supported and celebrated from the very start. I applied to twelve programs all over the country but never had I experienced faculty reaching out to me! It made me feel like my ideas were worth pursuing and that my perspective was valuable. The Merage School has already surpassed my expectations by offering me an individualized program and one-on-one mentorship with faculty.
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/taryndeannewilliams/
Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=pBKlUKUAAAAJ&hl=en
Link to Research presentation (5-minute video)
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ZMNsM5h-XpUz-S-5MNT1Hh38ccM6bOen/view?usp=sharing
Saray Garcia is a McNair doctoral student in Organization and Management at the UCI Paul Merage School of Business. Her research interests include understanding how sustainable practices affect stakeholders through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives, sustainable management practices, and sustainable development. She received her BS in Business Administration with a concentration in Management and International Business from the College of Business, CSU Monterey Bay in May 2022.
Why did you choose to pursue a Ph.D. in business?
For me, finding new ways to provide solutions comes from my passion for learning and educating others. Much of that passion comes from who I am as a person. I've always valued knowledge and the impact it has. I'm a caring individual who understands that environmental, societal, and economic issues are impacting underrepresented communities in Business.
Why did you choose to come to the Paul Merage School of business for your Ph.D.?
My passion is advocacy for the natural environment and the social factors that affect it. I give back through research efforts. More importantly, I understand how that research can extend past borders; the business has an impact that transcends boundaries through connections with stakeholders. My research interests in sustainable management and corporate social responsibility show the collaboration between multinational companies. On an individual level, advocating for the rights of individuals through complex social challenges bring connections for your community, and that was learned through experience at numerous non-profits.
Email: jeesoo.k@uci.edu
Jeesoo Kim is a doctoral student in Strategy at the UCI Paul Merage School of Business. Her research lies at the intersection of cognitive and social psychology and transaction cost economics. Her work mainly examines how psychological factors affect interfirm relationships. She also conducts research on managerial cognition, capability development, and learning. Jeesoo serves as an ad-hoc reviewer for the Journal of Organization Design and Long Range Planning. She holds a bachelor’s degree in economics and business administration (double major) and a master’s degree in management from Korea University.
Email: jay.park@uci.edu
Jay (Jinwon) Park is a doctoral student in Strategy at the UCI Paul Merage School of Business. His research domains are concentrated on the antecedents and consequences of organizational decision-making. He is currently interested in how temporal horizons impact organization’s feedback, how feedback in user community influences community-level attention, and how changes in information communication technology impacts organizational structure. He is conducting research projects in professional sports, video gaming and healthcare industry setting. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Korea University and a master’s degree from Seoul National University.
Email: anshus1@uci.edu
Anshu (Anshuman) Sinhais a PhD candidate in Strategy at the UCI Paul Merage School of Business.
His research primarily examines antecedents and moderators of organizational adaptation, with a focus on entrepreneurship. He is currently focusing on questions related to the relationships between entrepreneurial aspirations, firm performance, managerial attention, and organizational change.
Apart from research, Anshu focuses on bringing passion and energy to the classroom as a teacher. He has assisted in several MBA and undergraduate courses.
Prior to graduate school, Anshu helped established firms search for and execute change during his tenure at Mckinsey & Company, in projects across the areas of strategy, operations, M&A due diligence and product development. During this time, he also served as a leader for knowledge creation and dissemination initiatives within the firm and to clients.
Wenjun Wang is a doctoral student in Strategy at the UCI Paul Merage School of Business. Her research interests include alliance management, relation management, and contract governance. She received her BA in Tourism Management from the School of Management, Donghua University. And she got her Master of Management Business Administration from the School of Management at Xi'an Jiaotong University.
Why did you choose to pursue a PhD in your discipline of Business?
I wanted to pursue a PhD in strategy because I developed my research interest during my master's research experience. I am passionate about doing research. Also, it is my dream to be a professor after graduation because there were many teachers and professors helping me through my learning journey.
Why did you choose to come to the Merage School for a PhD?
I chose the UCI Paul Merage School of Business because my research interest is very aligned with my advisor, professor Libby Weber. I hope that I can work with her more in the future.
Haoran Zheng is a doctoral student in Strategy at the UCI Paul Merage School of Business. His research interests lie in strategic decision-making, behavior strategy, organization design, and corporation governance. He received his MS in Business Analytics, BA in Quantitative Economics, BS in Mathematics with minors in Accounting at UC Irvine. Prior to enrolling in the PhD program, Haoran worked in a regional accounting firm as Accountant, in a private equity as Investment Specialist.
Why did you choose to pursue a PhD in your discipline of Business?
Strategy studies could not provide the “best solution”; The beauty of the field is that any new perspective might lead to a different result for the problem. I would like to keep exploring new angles to pursue better explanations of this fast-changing environment.
Why did you choose to come to (the Merage School) for a PhD?
I chose the Paul Merage because of the encouragement of interdisciplinary approaches by faculty members, the advancement in behavioral and qualitative research methods in the field as well as the opportunities to cooperate with multiple faculty members across the university.
