The 25^th Annual University of Nebraska–Lincoln Robert Mittelstaedt Symposium hosted by the Department of Marketing attracted over 85 participants from 26 colleges and universities making it the largest symposium in history. A three-day event, the symposium features marketing doctoral dissertation research, from students across the country.

This year’s symposium also marked a milestone for Dr. James Gentry, Maurice J. and Alice Hollman College Professor, who will be stepping down as symposium coordinator. Gentry believes the event benefits both students and faculty by providing a unique opportunity to share doctoral research.

“It gives me the opportunity to network and make new friends just like our Ph.D. students,” Gentry said. “All our marketing faculty gain insights into what other universities are doing in the field of doctoral education. This event makes it possible to keep our Ph.D. program vibrant at the College of Business Administration.”

According to Gentry, the Mittelstaedt Symposium also benefits from a diversity of participants.

“Our event is modeled after another Big Ten school, the University of Indiana’s Haring Symposium. However, many schools don’t want to participate in more than one conference per year, so we get an eclectic mix of schools from many conferences, including the Big Ten, Big 12, Pac 10 and other schools with unique ties to Nebraska. The difference between the Mittelstaedt and Haring symposia is we invite our Ph.D. alums back which keeps them engaged with our program. We also have the presence of Robert Mittelstaedt’s expertise as he continues to return on an annual basis,” Gentry said.

Current CBA marketing Ph.D. students participate as both presenters of doctoral research and discussants of visiting Ph.D. student research. Arvind Agrawal, a third year Ph.D. student at CBA, presented his paper, “Do Payment Types Affect Consumer Preferences?” He said the experience was fascinating.

“The symposium gives me the chance to grow with the academic community, and the things I’ve learned here are sinking in,” Agrawal said. “After seeing other students present their research and by talking to our own faculty in preparation for the symposium, I learned what data and figures are most important to include.”

Agrawal enjoyed being able to put faces to the names he has read in academic journals.

“I’ve read the papers from many of the faculty who come to Nebraska for the event, and this gives me a chance to talk one-on-one with them in a context that expands your horizons. People explain the work they’ve done which helps me by making a connection to the research I’m presenting,” he said.

The Mittelstaedt Symposium now transitions into the hands of  new symposium coordinator, Dr. Meike Eilert, assistant professor of marketing. The 2017 symposium is scheduled for March 30-April 1, 2017.

Published: April 8, 2016