Dean's Report 2025

2025 DEAN’S REPORT

Tune in to the Broad Matters podcast for faculty research, insightful conversations, and stories of real-world impact.

AWARD-WINNING FACULTY

EXPAND RESEARCH EXCELLENCE & VISIBILITY Advancing knowledge and shaping global conversations in business

Ranjani Krishnan, associate dean of faculty and administration and the Ernest W. and Robert W. Schaberg Endowed Chair in Accounting, received the Seminal Contribution to Accounting Literature Award from the American Accounting Association for her co-authored paper, “Honesty in Managerial Reporting.” This prestigious award has only been bestowed 10 times in the past 40 years and recognizes works that have stood the test of time and have contributed in a fundamental way to later research.

Using a mixed-methods approach, Carter’s team integrates multiple lines of evidence to understand how networked teams function in high-stakes, distributed environments. They have analyzed NASA archival documents, interviewed mission control personnel, and conducted high-fidelity experiments linking MSU “mission control” student teams in the Kesseler Team Leadership Lab at Broad with volunteer “spaceflight crews” living for 45 days inside NASA’s Human Exploration Research Analog facility. Their findings reveal that trust built before launch, clear and simple communication, and consistent interaction are vital for maintaining coordination and shared focus throughout long-duration missions. By uncovering how teams cooperate and maintain shared focus under extreme conditions, Carter’s research is helping NASA prepare for the next era of deep-space exploration. BUILDING BROAD’S FUTURE THROUGH ENDOWED FACULTY World-class faculty are the foundation of our reputation for research excellence and transformative education. Endowed faculty positions made possible by donor generosity ensure that we can attract, retain, and support scholars who shape their fields and inspire our students. This year, Broad celebrated the appointment of the Alan J. & Sue Kaufman Endowed Professorship in Insurance, with Ryan Israelsen named as the inaugural holder. Alan Kaufman, group chairman and chief executive officer of H.W. Kaufman Group, has long been a champion of advancing insurance education, and this professorship reflects his enduring commitment to developing the next generation of leaders in the field. This appointment strengthens Broad’s leadership in insurance and risk management scholarship, expands opportunities for students to learn from top experts, and deepens our connections to industry partners. A $3.1 million gift from Curt Hilliker (B.A. Hotel and Restaurant Management ’88) will likewise advance faculty excellence in the School of Hospitality Business. Hilliker, a respected leader in the investment management industry, has remained deeply connected to MSU, and his generosity will fund an endowed chair, professorship, or fellowship, ensuring that generations of Spartans benefit from learning with the very best in the field. Together, these investments highlight the essential role donors play in fueling Broad’s academic strength. By supporting endowed faculty positions, our alumni and friends help elevate the visibility of Broad’s research, strengthen the student experience, and secure our place among the nation’s leading business schools.

watermarking that protects intellectual property and modeling consumer behavior to improve business decisions. Musaib Ashraf, associate professor in the Department of Accounting and Information Systems, examines AI’s impact on financial reporting, finding that automation strengthens internal controls but can increase risk when human oversight is removed. These are just a few of the Broad College researchers exploring AI’s potential and implications across disciplines. Collectively, their work reinforces Broad’s leadership in guiding the responsible evolution of AI, ensuring technology serves business and society with integrity, fairness, and purpose. BROAD RESEARCH POWERS MISSION TO MARS Dorothy Carter, associate professor of management at Michigan State University, is helping shape the future of human spaceflight. As part of a NASA-funded research initiative, Carter and her collaborators are uncovering how astronaut crews and Earth-based mission control teams can stay connected, resilient, and effective on missions that will take humans farther into the solar system than ever before. Carter’s research focuses on three core questions: How is collaboration likely to evolve during a mission to Mars? What conditions, such as trust, cohesion, and collective attention, are essential for team success? And what countermeasures are needed to support those essential conditions?

10 CONSECUTIVE YEARS OF RESEARCH EXCELLENCE

LEADING THE WAY IN RESPONSIBLE AI Our faculty are driving research that ensures artificial intelligence is developed and applied responsibly, ethically, and with real-world impact. While AI continues to reshape industries, Broad scholars are working to make that transformation equitable, transparent, and human-centered. Among them, Anjana Susarla, the Omura-Saxena Professor in Responsible AI and faculty director of the Center for Ethical and Socially Responsible Leadership, is shaping national conversations on ethical and transparent AI systems, exploring how organizations can design technology that prioritizes accountability and fairness. Quan Zhang, assistant professor in the Department of Accounting and Information Systems, is advancing fairness and security in machine learning, from mitigating bias in automated decision-making to creating digital

The Department of Supply Chain Management has been ranked No. 1 in research by the SCM Journal List for 10 consecutive years, reflecting sustained excellence and global impact in analytical and empirical supply chain scholarship.