Pamplin’s Undergraduate Research Summit champions responsible research for societal impact
Virginia Tech’s Pamplin College of Business recently hosted the first-ever “Undergraduate Research Summit: Responsible Research for Societal Impact.” This two-day scholarly event aimed to inspire and broaden opportunities for undergraduate students to pursue responsible research and academic pursuits centered on societal impact.
The event drew participation from over 100 students, faculty, and staff, bringing together academic and industry expertise to explore the transformative potential of responsible research in partnership with Race In The Marketplace (RIM). RIM is an international transdisciplinary research network dedicated to knowledge production on the historic, contemporary, and future interactions of race in the marketplace through scholarship and practice.
The summit kicked off with the first session, “Introduction to Responsible Research.” Facilitated by Pamplin faculty members Arianna Schuler Scott, Nancy McGehee, Cynthia Devers, Broderick Turner, and Meng Zhu, the session achieved its mission to educate and motivate students to explore undergraduate research opportunities and consider research-oriented career paths that will elevate the human condition and enhance global societal impact. Through interactive discussions, students had the opportunity to engage directly with faculty members, crafting their research questions and gaining insights into the world of responsible research.
Michelle Seref, interim associate dean of Outreach and Student Engagement, expressed enthusiasm about the exciting additions to future undergraduate course offerings, including the introduction of a dedicated research course tailored to empower students on their academic journeys. According to Seref, the new course will provide students with a unique opportunity to delve deeper into their research interests, engage with faculty mentors, and contribute meaningfully to solving some of today’s most pressing issues intersecting with business and society.
She also emphasized that this initiative aligns with Pamplin's commitment to excellence in education through innovative and responsible research practices. With a diverse range of programs and a dedicated faculty, Pamplin prepares students to excel in the dynamic world of business while making meaningful contributions to society.
The momentum continued with a RIM Speaker Series lecture titled, “Beyond the Bottom Line: Business Research as a Liberatory Practice.” Kevin D. Thomas, co-founder of the RIM Research Network, led this thought-provoking and interactive session. With over two decades of industry experience as a market researcher and current research associate with the University of California, Santa Cruz, Thomas captivated attendees with insights on how critical research fosters social liberation and ethical business practices, explaining various research paradigms and how they influence organizational approaches.
As part of the inclusive approach to knowledge dissemination, an interview with Thomas was conducted following his lecture, providing an in-depth exploration of his academic work and insights shared during Pamplin’s Undergraduate Research Summit.
“Race is under-conceptualized,” said Thomas. “It’s typically seen as just kind of a variable and treated like age or gender or socioeconomic level. While all these things are important, they are all situated within culture and amongst each other in very specific ways. Our [RIM] work tries to say that, if we are going to make the work around race more productive and generative, we need to have more nuanced and complex ways of understanding how race is operating in the marketplace.”
Following the lecture and interview, undergraduate students were invited to a luncheon, offering a unique networking opportunity to engage further with Thomas and explore research pathways that enhance societal impact.
The summit left attendees feeling inspired and motivated to pursue undergraduate research, with a promising future ahead. Many students expressed enthusiasm for the opportunity to collaborate with Pamplin faculty members as mentors along their research journeys, while also earning course and lab credits.
“The most impactful aspect of the summit was being able to see all the different viewpoints individuals can have to approach a problem,” shared Hudson Aikins, class of 2024 co-president of the Dean’s Advisory Board of Students and chief executive officer of the Pamplin Tech Fellows.
“There are a lot of challenges we face as a society in the 21st century and it will take out-of-the-box interdisciplinary thinking to solve them. Since I started my higher education journey, I have always strived to test my opinions and practice cultural humility. The summit gave me exposure to many different opinions from areas of ethics, business, and social sciences, making for a fruitful interaction. Students from all disciplines and classifications should attend in the future. Research is often something that many graduate students undertake as they are further along in their studies, but I would advise even undergraduates to get exposed to research and diverse research methods.”
The “Undergraduate Research Summit: Responsible Research for Societal Impact,” exemplified Virginia Tech's commitment to fostering academic excellence and empowering students to drive positive change in their communities and beyond.
“The Undergraduate Research Summit exceeded our expectations in terms of student engagement and enthusiasm,” said Janice Branch Hall, associate dean for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging and the lead summit organizer. “It was truly inspiring to see the next generation of researchers eager to make a positive impact on society through responsible research practices.”
- Written by A’me Dalton
