Supported by the annual payout from a privately funded endowment, an endowed faculty position covers salary, research, travel and more. Named after the donor, it’s an enduring tribute.
Esma Gel, Cynthia Hardin Milligan Chair of Business
Gel earned her Ph.D. in industrial engineering and management sciences from Northwestern University and came to Nebraska in 2022. As a professor of supply chain management and analytics, she teaches a PhD seminar course, undergraduate operations management and the capstone to graduating supply chain management seniors.
Her work has been supported by funding from the National Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Health, as well as industry partners including the Mayo Clinic and Intel.
She has published in many leading journals, including Operations Research and Decision Sciences as well as elite medical journals, such as The British Journal of Medicine. Gel’s research interests include modeling, analysis and control of supply chains, manufacturing and service systems, and healthcare operations using optimization and stochastic modeling and control methodologies.
“The distinction of holding an endowed professorship has enabled me to expand the reach of my research due to the financial support and the recognition and visibility that this distinction brings,” Gel said.
Timothy Hodges, Joan Heiser Endowed Presidential Chair
Hodges is a three-time Nebraska graduate, executive director for the Clifton Strengths Institute and an assistant professor of practice in management. He teaches undergraduate courses including investing in strengths, leadership and organizational behavior.
Hodges spent 20 years as a research consultant at Gallup Inc., where he led research projects in strengths development, employee selection and employee engagement with a variety of clients in education and business. As a Gallup-certified CliftonStrengths coach, he works with individuals and teams to maximize their strengths and increase performance, engagement and well-being in their education, career and lives. He has delivered hundreds of presentations and written dozens of journal articles, research reports and academic book chapters.
“The Clifton Strengths Institute exists to build student selfawareness and confidence to help achieve success in college and throughout their careers,” Hodges said. “This transformational gift will provide ongoing support for the faculty, staff and students as we grow our mission and impact into the future.”
Alok Kumar, Steve & Jennifer David Chair in Business
Kumar earned his Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and came to Nebraska in 2013. A professor of marketing, he teaches undergraduate and graduate-level courses in marketing strategy, managerial marketing, marketing management and marketing channels.
Kumar’s research has appeared in the Journal of Marketing, Journal of Marketing Research and the Strategic Management Journal. His primary research interests are in business-to-business relationships, distribution channels, supply chain relationships and marketing strategy. Much of his research deals with value-creation and value-claiming issues that arise in marketing alliances.
He serves as an associate editor for the Journal of Marketing and the Journal of Academy of Marketing Science and on the Editorial Review Board at the Journal of Marketing Research. Kumar received the American Marketing Association’s Louis W. Stern Award (2022) and the 2020 Journal of Marketing Outstanding Reviewer Award.
“This endowed chair is a reminder of the faith from generous donors, and the expectations of high-quality, ethical research. It brings freedom to pursue new ideas,” Kumar said.
Nikolova earned her Ph.D. in finance from the University of Florida and came to Nebraska in 2013. A professor of finance, she teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in fixed-income investments.
Prior to Nebraska, she was a senior financial economist in the Division of Economic and Risk Analysis at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Her research centers on fixed-income markets, including regulating these markets and investing in them. Her work has been published in the Journal of Financial Economics, Review of Financial Studies, Journal of Accounting and Economics, and Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, among others. She also serves as associate editor of Quarterly Journal of Finance and secretary of the Midwest Finance Association.
“This recognition is especially meaningful to me because it carries the name of Alice M. Dittman, a trailblazer in the Nebraska banking industry. Her immeasurable impact on our community inspires me to continue to make a positive societal impact through my research and teaching,” Nikolova said.
Jennifer Ryan, Van Horne Family Endowed Chair
Ryan earned her Ph.D. in industrial engineering and management sciences from Northwestern University and joined Nebraska in 2015. As the department chair and professor of supply chain management and analytics, she teaches undergraduate courses in supply chain management, operations and logistics.
Ryan conducts research in inventory management, supply chain management and procurement, which has been published in journals including Management Science, Operations Research, Manufacturing & Service Operations Management, Production and Operations Management, Naval Research Logistics, Decision Sciences and IIE Transactions. She received National Science Foundation (NSF) grants, including an NSF CAREER grant.
She currently serves as the focused issue editor for supply chain and logistics at IISE Transactions. She served in the Big Ten Academic Alliance Leadership and Executive Officers programs.
”This prestigious professorship has been of significant assistance as I manage my responsibilities as a teacher, researcher, administrator and mentor,” said Ryan
Varkey Titus Jr., Amy and J. E. Van Horne Jr. Chair
Titus earned his Ph.D. from Indiana University and joined Nebraska in 2012. An associate professor of management, he teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in entrepreneurship on topics ranging from from ideation, feasibility and corporate entrepreneurship. He also mentors doctoral students.
He has published in a variety of outlets, including the Journal of Management, Academy of Management Review, Academy of Management Journal, Strategic Management Journal, Entrepreneurship Theory & Practice, as well as others. His research interests include issues at the interface of business and society, as well as the interface of entrepreneurship and strategic management.
“A major part of what excites me about this chair is the ability it gives me to facilitate doctoral students’ research, as there are research ideas I can now support in ways I couldn’t before this gift,” Titus said.
Published: January 18, 2024