As artificial intelligence (AI) rapidly reshapes the business world, we at Goizueta Business School are intently studying its implications for our many stakeholders. Given the equally rapid pace of change in the AI field, this will be an ongoing and urgent investigation for many years. However, some lessons have already become clear during the early years of this new revolution in technology. We will describe a few of these lessons, and how they are already impacting our strategic initiatives at the school.

A Powerful Tool in the Right Hands

A first lesson is that, despite widespread fears, AI does not have to be a job killer but can instead be a productivity enhancer. When entrepreneurs can rapidly draft contracts and write code, many business opportunities will be created. When researchers can quickly gain insights into consumer behavior, new market segments will be created. In general, when employees need less time for rote tasks and can spend more time on higher-level thinking, that only makes them more valuable, and also makes their time at work more fulfilling. From this perspective, AI could be yet another form of technological progress that ultimately unlocks greater economic growth and a more satisfying career experience.

However, this perspective assumes that workers and managers will know how and when to use AI technology. For them to be in that position, there will be tremendous value in obtaining early career exposure to cutting-edge applications of AI across all domains. Indeed, it seems safe to say that future careers will revolve around recognizing and pursuing opportunities to deploy existing AI technologies to achieve solutions in new settings. This requires creativity, critical thinking, and leadership, all fundamentally human traits that cannot themselves be automated. Higher education is devoted to cultivating all these traits in our students, and our role will be more important than ever as AI literacy becomes a critical skill to future careers throughout the economy.

The Importance of Human Oversight

A second lesson is that, while generative AI is astonishingly fast at producing a solid first draft of any task, it cannot be trusted on its own to achieve production-quality output, cite sources, or explain its reasoning. Organizations that blindly deploy AI-generated content will be quickly noticed by their customers, employees, and other stakeholders, to the detriment of their brands. This means that, while the future of work will include heavy uses of generative AI to get started on difficult tasks, it will also involve extensive checking on the quality of their output, coaching and improving them to perform better, and anticipating the situations in which they can be deployed safely. Professionals will need deep awareness of how these models learn, the mistakes and biases they exhibit, and what nudges might improve their performance.

With these insights in mind, Goizueta Business School is rapidly rolling out a broad array of teaching, research, and administration initiatives that will strategically integrate AI technology into our curriculum and operations.

Building AI Fluency through Experiential Learning

At Goizueta, we have created four dimensions to enhance AI fluency through our curriculum: Foundational knowledge of AI, business applications of AI, technical application development with AI, and societal and ethical implications of AI. We have been reimagining business education to provide fluency in these dimensions with courses across all academic areas. Beyond the classroom, we focus on giving our students hands-on opportunities to utilize AI tools for their daily tasks, recognizing that some skills are best learned through experience and interaction. Our philosophy is that AI must be ubiquitous during the student experience to prepare them for a career in which it will be commonplace. We have to prepare our graduates to be fluent in the use of AI tools for generation or automation, preparing them for their first jobs upon graduation and enabling them to adapt to inevitable future AI developments.

AI as a Teaching Assistant

As one prominent example of our efforts, we have developed a platform for deploying Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG) based chatbots as virtual teaching assistants for any given course. The system is designed to be agnostic about the course in question: Faculty provide it with the materials that they are willing to share, and it quickly builds a knowledge base that it can use for discussions with students. This system is being rolled out across multiple courses in the fall, with plans for a broader rollout to all interested faculty by the spring semester. In our early testing, the system is remarkably adept at explaining complex concepts, walking through exercises and reviewing problems, and translating course material into foreign languages. Intended future developments include personalizing responses based on students’ level of understanding and using the virtual teaching assistant to follow up on classroom discussions.

With around-the-clock help from a virtual TA available at the push of a button, students will be able to progress more quickly through the foundational material of the course and arrive sooner at the frontier of knowledge where they must grapple with deeper and unsettled questions in their field. At this frontier, chatbots themselves struggle to provide correct answers, and start to exhibit characteristic overconfidence in unreliable answers. This too will be part of the learning experience for students, as we critically examine AI-generated output, and understand why it can exhibit shortcomings when the same tools excel at more basic tasks. In the end, the virtual TA is a way to help students with their knowledge of not only the course material itself, but also the promises and perils of applying AI to that same material.

AI in the Classroom: Grading, Coding and More

We are building AI into the classroom experience along other dimensions as well. A team of Goizueta faculty is piloting an AI grading system this fall. The goal is not for AI to generate the ultimate grades, but rather to give students immediate, preliminary feedback on their projects, highlighting any significant issues that they might want to revisit before submitting. This tool amplifies the student learning experience by allowing students to stretch the limits of their own knowledge and develop deeper insights that will be reliable and robust for decision-making. This is a natural use case for AI in the real world of business, and we feel that it should be embraced in the classroom as well.

Similarly, classes that feature heavy coding will also use AI in the classroom to rapidly prototype code and focus on the concepts being illustrated, rather than the details of syntax or function definitions. Variations on an initial idea can be spun up in moments and constraints on the process can easily be imposed. Students will still need to study and learn the exact syntax behind in-class examples, but this can be done outside of class, again with the help of an AI such as the chatbots described above. While AI-assisted coding cannot replace the programmer, it can serve as a layer of abstraction between the programmer and the hardware, much like a programming language itself. As with all new tools, the future will belong to developers who know when and how to use this new layer of abstraction to their benefit.

Innovators in Business Education

The common theme with these ideas is that AI can allow students and faculty to avoid frustration and pain points and refocus our attention on the engaging and fulfilling work that brought us together in the first place. An equally important theme is that one cannot simply accept AI-generated answers uncritically but must apply critical thinking about its suggestions in order to be effective. This calls for human operators who are more knowledgeable about their fields than ever, making AI a productivity enhancer rather than a job killer.

At Goizueta, we have created many more such initiatives to transform business education and prepare our future workforce for a world in which AI is commoditized. Under the leadership of Dean Gareth James, these opportunities are being explored by a diverse task force of researchers, teachers, and administrators, with members including Rajiv Garg (Information Systems and Operations Management), Wen Gu (Information Systems and Operations Management), Allison Kays (Accounting), William Mann (Finance), Abraham Oshotse (Organizations and Management), David Schweidel (Marketing), Stephanie Adams (Academic Affairs and Instructional Design), and Pam Tipton (Executive Education)

The growth of AI technology has only begun, and the most important applications are yet to be seen. One safe prediction is that our current state of knowledge will be less important in the long run than the ability to study and react to the new ideas arriving over the next few years. We at Goizueta are hungry to know what the future will bring and will continue to position ourselves at the forefront of these impactful emerging trends.

Goizueta faculty apply their expertise and knowledge to solving problems that society—and the world—face. Learn more about faculty research at Goizueta.

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Goizueta’s Common Read program provides a forum for self-education and a safe space for honest dialogue for those seeking to be allies. Through books, faculty, staff, alumni, and students explore a range of topics including understanding stereotypes and unconscious bias, becoming effective allies, and developing anti-racism mindsets. The current common read is “The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together” by Heather McGhee who will join an Emory-wide virtual community event on November 10, 2021. The Common Read program is managed by Goizueta’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee. 

Ash Meenakumari Shankar 23BBA chose Goizueta Business School to prepare himself to create more equity for people of color in business. In his view, business leaders have been too comfortable with the status quo and look for convenient solutions to problems.  

“I fundamentally believe that businesses have the ability to create lasting equity,” Shankar said. “This book brings up the uncomfortable and inconvenient questions that we in business need to confront.” 

Shankar is among the 300 Goizueta students, staff, and faculty who are reading and discussing the bestselling The Sum of Us.   

“This shared reading has only reminded me of why I chose Goizueta,” Shankar said. “I am so glad that McGhee’s message has been received positively here. The classes and resources we have at Goizueta are working to remove these barriers. With greater knowledge and dialogue, we can create permanent equity at Emory and in the Atlanta community.” 

McGhee’s book explores themes that demonstrate the communal, global benefits when people come together across race to build an equitable future. The November 10 event, “The Sum of Us: An Emory Community Conversation with Heather McGhee,” is free and open to all in the Emory community including students, staff, faculty, alumni, and community partners. 

Common Read Program Draws Campus-Wide Participation 

Lead organizer Allison Kays, assistant professor in the practice of accounting, said 100 Goizueta students, professors, and staff are in the small groups, and another 200 are reading the book on their own. Of the 300 readers, 32 are faculty, 61 are staff, and the rest are students. 

“I’m encouraged and excited by the response across the business school, from BBAs to the deans,” said Ama Ampadu-Fofie, director of diversity, equity, and inclusion. 

“We’re having discussions as a family, treating each other as family, and creating spaces to have sensitive conversations together. That’s what I wanted us to walk away with: open gateways to have difficult and uncomfortable experiences with people who look different from each of us. I want you to know about my experience and I want to know about yours.” 

Ama Ampadu-Fofie, director of diversity, equity, and inclusion

Principled leadership, diversity and equity were priorities when Jesse Conyers 24EvMBA chose her graduate program. Her most meaningful experience with her student cohort has been the book and discussion group.  

“Participating in this common read on racial injustice in America affirms my decision to choose Goizueta,” said Conyers, an Emory physician radiologist. 

“I have gained a deeper understanding of the history of structural racial hierarchy in America, the zero-sum mentality that frames and perpetuates these systems and the impact on contemporary racial inequality. I have learned from the unique and shared experiences of my colleagues and gained an understanding of the systemic impact of racism and discussed potential solutions. We consider how, as McGhee writes, to become strategic partners in the fight for a racially just America.” 

Jesse Conyers 24EvMBA

Discussions Deepen as Perspectives are Shared 

For Goizueta faculty and staff, The Sum of Us follows their fall 2020 reading of Whistling Vivaldi: How Stereotypes Affect Us and What We Can Do. Kays teamed with Brian Goebel, managing director of The Roberto C. Goizueta Business & Society Institute, Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Ken Keen, senior lecturer of organization and management and associate dean for leadership, Brian C. Mitchell, associate dean for full-time MBA programs and Goizueta Global Strategy and Initiatives, and Melissa Rapp, associate dean of MBA admissions, to choose The Sum of Us, and secure sponsorships from Emory Advancement and Alumni Engagement, Emory Global Health Institute, Emory Law, Laney Graduate School, Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing, and Emory School of Medicine.  

The zero-sum paradigm was a key discussion point for Maya Caron 23BBA. “Just because one government program helps a certain population does not mean that it takes away any opportunities from someone else,” she said. “It was insightful hearing from everyone in our diverse group. We all valued and acknowledged our differences.”  

Chris Weakley 22BBA, a former Army explosive ordinance disposal officer, shared his experiences growing up in southern California.  

“Being a little bit older than most of my classmates, I’ve been exposed to a little bit more of history,” he said. “I specifically talked about the 1992 riots after four policemen were acquitted of beating Rodney King. For me, the discussion was an eye-opening juxtaposition between Jim Crow era laws, the Los Angeles riots, recent police brutality headlines, and reading The Sum of Us.” 

The discussions have helped Kegan Baird 22MBA to his goal of personal growth in business school by meeting people from around the world.  

“This initiative shows why Emory is such a great place to grow,” said Baird. “The book and corresponding discussions have taught me that it is important to dig deeper and understand the root causes of societal issues to ensure you aren’t unknowingly perpetuating any issues and are equipped to solve these issues and better society as best you can. It has been great to learn and hear the perspectives of others that have experienced these issues in different ways than I have.”   

Sustainability over Shortcuts? 

For Kays a main takeaway from the book is the powerful business choice of sustainability over shortcuts. She teaches two theories of the firm: shareholder theory and stakeholder theory. The former is the more widely recognized theory and states that the purpose of a firm is to maximize returns to shareholders. The theory relies on a zero-sum mindset and argues that if a corporation focuses on any other stakeholders, it is taking away from shareholders’ returns. Stakeholder theory, however, ties in well to McGhee’s book, which argues that there can be a powerful solidarity dividend for all when returns are maximized to everyone connected to the firm, including the employees, suppliers, customers, and the communities in which the firm operates.  

“When you invest in employees and the communities you serve, that may reduce profits in the short term, but long term it should lead to higher profits because you are building more loyalty and allowing space for development and creativity.” 

Allison Kays, assistant professor in the practice of accounting

“Business has a really important role to play in reducing inequities,” agreed Omar Rodríguez-Vilá, the academic director of education for The Roberto C. Goizueta Business & Society Institute. “Not just as business leaders in our companies, but how we look at the marketplace and to what extent are we paying attention to the needs of the communities we are serving?” 

His discussion group worked on identifying ways to take action.  

“There is definitely a point in the dialogue where it’s easy to feel that you don’t have power; the issue is so complex and pervasive, what can I do?” he said. “We discussed making that very micro: What can I do in my class? Do I speak up when I see issues? What types of leaders and cases are we learning from? When we left the room, I feel there was a collective sense that there is power in our individual actions.” 

Register today to take part in this important conversation.

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How would the value of your company be affected today if you had to put a dollar figure on previously unaccrued DE&I maintenance?

What would investors say if you had to take an impairment write down against goodwill based on lack of diversity in your most recent acquisition?

What decisions would your CEO and CFO make differently if you had to invest your way out of a DE&I deficit instead of simply measuring it plus or minus going forward?

I’ve been speaking about the business case for diversity and inclusion for years. It just intuitively made sense to me, that selling DE&I as creating a positive business outcome would help corporate leaders embrace it. And they have in record numbers, even if outside of work some of those leaders weren’t otherwise particularly interested in understanding the lives of marginalized people. There are dozens of studies that show diversity across multiple (real) dimensions of diversity creates better decisions and better business outcomes; that companies with ENDAs or high HRC rankings have better employee engagement; that companies that take diversity and inclusion seriously do better in the stock market. How can you argue with evidence like that, and why would a CEO or CFO NOT want to create a DE&I program?

But year after year, in company after company, we’re seeing a revolving door of Chief Diversity Officers. We’re seeing companies talk big, use marginalized people in their marketing, and rainbow capitalism everywhere. Yet minimal progress is actually being made that makes a difference for the marginalized people who work in the field for these companies. We see corporate HQ level efforts that don’t make it into the local branches. We see diversity “officers” reporting into the wrong level or even wrong part of an organization. We see DE&I efforts under funded, and even treated as a profit center. More importantly, I can’t tell you how many transgender people I know who face discrimination in companies that have the best written policies and procedures.

A few minutes of rowing against the tide simply can’t keep you from being swept out to sea, particularly when you’re on a cargo ship.

So I’ve had this nagging feeling for a while now that something is wrong in the way I talk about the business case for diversity and inclusion. It seems that something inevitably makes every business case for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion that I’ve ever seen (even my own that I’ve written and talked about for years) eventually fall flat on its face. Because when we sell the business case for better profitability, we’re relying on statistical measures and probabilities. We’re sometimes talking about correlation, not causation, and we’re not taking into account how long a company has had DE&I as part of their strategy. So what happens when an individual operating unit or company doesn’t see, experience, or even have the right analytics in place to *show* their increased profitability? What happens when they don’t have the expertise to do it right? Simply, what happens when DE&I becomes unprofitable for that past year, or even just the last quarter? When we start to ask these questions, when we see Chief Diversity Officers leave a month, a quarter, or even a year after starting because they couldn’t get the budget they needed to make a difference, we begin to understand why the forward-looking business case just isn’t strong enough. A few minutes of rowing against the tide simply can’t keep you from being swept out to sea, particularly when you’re on a cargo ship.

My favorite benefit of working at Goizueta Business School is that there are so many amazing people who know a great deal more about accounting and business strategy than I do. So I asked a colleague, “What would you call deferring maintenance on your assets without setting aside the funds to pay for that maintenance in the future?” Allison Kays, assistant professor in the practice of accounting answered simply, “Bad accounting.” She went on to say, “Every year, the company should be putting in effort to maintain and/or create an inclusive culture. The cost of this effort should be recorded as an expense, a cost incurred to help earn revenue. Which lines up with the idea that maintaining an inclusive culture does help generate revenue as the employees will be more satisfied, less stressed and distracted, and more willing to work hard to benefit the company.”

Of course, change doesn’t work that way and it will likely be years of large expenses and cash outflows if they stick with it.

Kays continued, “If the company has not been putting in this effort, it has years of maintenance to catch up on. The result would be a large maintenance expense and cash outflow in the year it decides to make a change. Of course, change doesn’t work that way and it will likely be years of large expenses and cash outflows if they stick with it. My guess is that if the company had been putting in regular maintenance, the cost spread over many years would still be much smaller in total than the catch-up cost. Really, the concept is the same as maintaining machinery or equipment. If you don’t do preventative maintenance the cost of corrective maintenance will be much higher.”

Your accumulated inequity, your unmet DE&I maintenance, is holding you back and charging interest.

Professor Kays helped me form the context that causes so many DE&I efforts to miss the mark. The key issue is that the *size and longevity* of the diversity deficit you have created in your company matters. You can’t simply treat that behemoth of *inequity* that you have created over the last 20 years as sunk cost. It doesn’t just reduce your bottom line on the P&L here and there; it accumulates as accrued maintenance on your brand, whether you put it on your books or not. And eventually that debt takes life as an unseen impairment on your balance sheet. Your accumulated inequity, your unmet DE&I maintenance is holding you back and charging interest. And that interest is accruing faster than you’re able to pay it down with your “minimum payment” of hiring a Chief Diversity Officer. 

The paradigm shift of moving DE&I from the P&L statement to the balance sheet sets the context for leaders to understand is that diversity, equity, and inclusion are not a destination. These are ongoing needs. Creating DE&I is an action, and the minute you think you’re done and stop your DE&I efforts, you’ve fallen behind. 

So maybe it’s time for business leaders to ask the question, how big is our accumulated inequity? How much do we need to invest into DE&I today, next year, and every year after that, before we start making a difference?

Goizueta Business School values diversity, equity, and inclusion for every person without exception. Under the leadership of Jill Perry-Smith, senior associate dean for strategic initiatives and professor of Organization & Management, Goizueta will respond to justice, equity, and diversity needs by emphasizing actions that are strategic, structural, and sustainable. Learn more about Goizueta’s meaningful impact.

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Several Goizueta faculty were recently recognized by Emory University for their accomplishments over the past year, including Assistant Professor in the Practice of Accounting Allison Kays and Associate Professor in the Practice of Marketing Omar Rodríguez-Vilá.

The Emory Williams Distinguished Undergraduate Teaching Award

Presented annually to faculty with a record of excellence in undergraduate teaching, this year’s award was presented to Allison Kays. The Emory Williams Distinguished Undergraduate Teaching Award recognizes faculty who foster participation, exemplify the highest quality of teaching scholarship, serve as a mentor to students, retain an ongoing commitment to teaching, and make significant contributions to advance the university through teaching.

Kays joined the Goizueta faculty in 2018 and teaches a core accounting course to students. She recently developed and taught a new course in data analytics that helps prepare students in the usage of Python and Excel.

“The pandemic brought unique teaching challenges to all Emory faculty and Allison rose to the occasion in so many ways,” John H. Harland Interim Dean Karen Sedatole wrote in her nomination form. “In the spring of 2020, Professor Kays went above and beyond to make sure that students would maintain their academic experience during the switch to online course delivery.”

Outside of teaching, Kays has served on several committees, including the Accounting Area NTT Faculty Selection Committee, as well as the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council and the Experimentation Zone Committee.

“I am so honored to receive this award and so lucky to get to do the work that I do,” Kays said. “Goizueta has brilliant undergraduate students who keep me on my toes. Their passion, curiosity, and desire to learn fuels my own desire to constantly improve my content and teaching methods.”

Provost’s Distinguished Teaching Award for Excellence in Graduate and Professional Education Teaching Award

For his dedication to teaching within formal and informal educational settings, Omar Rodríguez-Vilá was honored with the Provost’s Distinguished Teaching Award for Excellence in Graduate and Professional Education Teaching Award. The award honors faculty who foster participation and engage students, dedicate their time to advancing the art and science of teaching and learning, make significant contributions that impact the university through teaching, serve as a mentor to students and form advising relationships with graduate and professional students.

Rodríguez-Vilá currently serves as the academic director of education at the academic research center, The Roberto C. Goizueta Business & Society Institute. His current research focuses on two areas: how the environmental and social sustainability considerations are changing the nature of marketing activities; and how brands communicate societal benefits in social media and into the marketplace practices of antiracists brands. His work has been published in Harvard Business Review, and includes one of his most recent works, “Is Your Marketing Organization Ready for What’s Next?”

“I think of my job as helping students ‘see more’ and ‘do more,’” Rodríguez-Vilá said. “However, keeping that promise to our students given the disruptions of the past year was one of the hardest challenges of my career. That is why this award meant so much to me. It has fueled my passion and courage to continue the work of innovating and improving our student’s experience at Goizueta.”

Twelve Additional Teaching Awards Bestowed on Goizueta Faculty

Kevin Crowley, senior lecturer of Finance, was awarded Weekend Executive MBA Distinguished Educator Award (Electives).

Renée Dye, associate professor in the Practice of Organization & Management, received the MBA Teaching Excellence Award (Junior Faculty). The award is sponsored by the MBA class of 1999.

George Easton, associate professor of Information Systems & Operations Management and Rajiv Garg, associate professor of Information Systems & Operations Management, were awarded MSBA Distinguished Core Educators.

Ray Hill, senior lecturer in Finance, received the MBA Teaching Excellence Award (Classic Faculty). The award is sponsored by the MBA class of 1999.

JB Kurish, professor in the Practice of Finance, was awarded MBA Capstone Lecturer.

Alvin Lim and David Sackin were awarded MSBA Distinguished Elective Educators.

Daniel McCarthy, assistant professor of Marketing, was awarded Evening MBA Distinguished Elective Educator.

Shehzad Mian, associate professor of Finance, received the Modular Executive MBA Distinguished Educator Award.

Usha Rackliffe, associate professor in the Practice of Accounting, was awarded BBA Distinguished Educator Award.

Omar Rodríguez-Vilá, associate professor in the Practice of Marketing, received the Evening MBA Distinguished Core Faculty and Weekend Executive MBA Distinguished Educator Award (Core).

Goizueta Business School is proud to present the accomplishments of these and other faculty members within our institution. To learn more about the teaching, specialized research, and core interests of each faculty member, visit here to review our faculty profiles and their related publications.

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Like many children, Eva Reiling 21BBA wanted to be an astronaut when she grew up. “I would always watch those ‘Future of Space’ or ‘The Future of Flight’ videos on YouTube, where it shows future models of airplanes and spaceships,” Reiling said. “I always thought that was so cool.”

Perhaps less typically, she also carried around a little notebook in which she wrote down business ideas. “I always wanted to start a company when I was little,” she said.

When it came time to apply to college, her interests hadn’t changed. Unwilling to set aside her love of STEM subjects or her passion for entrepreneurship, Reiling enrolled in the dual degree program—upon graduation, she will hold a bachelor of business administration from Goizueta and a bachelor of science in engineering from Georgia Tech.

Reiling’s talent and ambition have not gone unnoticed. This year, she was one of a select group of students to receive a Brooke Owens Fellowship. Created to honor space industry pioneer and pilot Dawn Brooke Owens, the fellowship facilitates mentorships and paid internships at leading aerospace companies for undergraduate women interested in a career in the aerospace industry.  

Reiling first heard of the fellowship at an internship fair she attended as a sophomore: A recruiter mentioned it and urged her to apply. She scrawled “Brooke Owens Fellowship” on the back of his business card and forgot about it.

Months later, she stumbled across the fellowship again on a college job board and began to read through the extensive application process. She knew well the value in programs geared toward women in STEM: In high school, she had attended an all-women’s engineering camp, which helped her realize she wanted to be an engineer. Moreover, she knew she would have to work hard to build a network in the aerospace industry. While she comes from a family of entrepreneurs, she is the first one to “go anywhere near” a STEM field, as she put it.

She applied for the fellowship. “I felt like if I put the work in, that I could be pretty competitive,” she said.

Allison Kays, assistant professor in the practice of accounting, more than agreed. “When Eva first told me about the program I thought, ‘Wow, was this program made for you?’” Kays said. “Eva’s charisma, work ethic and enthusiasm for life make her a natural leader. These qualities in combination with her unique dual degree in business and engineering make her the perfect candidate for the fellowship.” Kays, who taught Reiling for two semesters, wrote her letter of recommendation.

Still, when she received the good news, Reiling was in shock. She is the only industrial engineer in the 2020 cohort. She is the only business student, too. “It was a very good surprise,” she said.

The fellowship matched her with Airbus, where she will work as a space systems intern for OneWeb Satellites, a joint venture between Airbus and OneWeb that aims to mass produce satellites for the first time.

“I’m really excited to work at Airbus. I don’t really know what to expect,” Reiling said—the company has been vague about her job duties until her background check clears. But she is most excited to meet the other young women who received the fellowship: Six of them attend Georgia Tech, and the group met for coffee recently. “They all seem so happy to be in the fellowship also. They’re constantly talking in the group chat. I think it’s very awesome, the community that they all have been making.”

Despite her childhood dreams of space travel, Reiling never expected to end up pursuing a career in the aerospace industry. After landing an internship at NASA as a high school senior, contract work with a NASA contractor as a Goizueta student, and now the fellowship match with Airbus, Reiling said, “I guess the universe wants me in aerospace.”

One thing her experience has taught her is that anyone can thrive in the aerospace industry—not just engineers. During her internship with NASA, she met a UGA School of Journalism graduate who was in charge of nasa.gov’s online newsletters. “You wouldn’t expect a writer to work at NASA,” Reiling said. “If you have a love for space but you’re not going into engineering, you can still be part of that community, which is really cool.”

As for her plans in the industry, Reiling said, “I’m very excited to just jump right in.” But her ultimate goal is start her own business in the tech industry.

Kays is confident Reiling will achieve whatever she puts her mind to. “I am so impressed with Eva’s ability to juggle both business and science classes, all while maintaining a big smile on her face,” she said. “She is one smart cookie, and I have no doubt that she will continue to impress us and her future employers.”

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Allison Kays, assistant professor in the practice of accounting

Allison Kays holds a BS and an MS in accounting from the University of Florida, as well as a PhD in accounting from the University of Southern California (2018). Prior to earning her PhD, Professor Kays worked as a tax accountant for Ernst & Young in Atlanta. She remains an active CPA in Georgia. Professor Kays’ primary research interests are the efficiency and effectiveness of tax authority policies as well as the effects of such policies on business decisions.

Omar Rodriguez-Vila 12PhD, associate professor in the practice of marketing

Prior to joining Goizueta, Omar Rodriguez-Vila was a faculty member at the Scheller College of Business of the Georgia Institute of Technology. Professor Rodriguez-Vila’s primary scholarly focus is on two areas transforming the practice of marketing. First, he is studying how firms are evolving their marketing capabilities in order to compete in technology-led market environments. Second, he studies how environmental and social sustainability considerations are changing the nature of marketing activities. Prior to his career in academia, Professor Rodriguez-Vila held leadership positions in marketing at The Coca-Cola Company.

Justin Short, assistant professor of accounting

Justin Short completed his PhD in accounting at the University of Tennessee in 2018. As a licensed CPA in Tennessee, Professor Short held positions at Ernst & Young in its Nashville office prior to joining the Emory faculty. He primarily focuses his scholarship on corporate governance and auditing.

Kendra Taylor, adjunct assistant professor of information systems & operations management

Kendra Taylor holds a PhD in industrial engineering from Georgia Tech and has held positions at AECOM, CH2M Hill and Booz Allen Hamilton. Most recently, Professor Taylor worked as president and CEO of KEYfficiencies Inc., a consulting firm that guides its clients to increased efficiency in operations and decision strategy using key principles of industrial and systems engineering. Her primary scholarly focus is in the area of community-based operations research.

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