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Research

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Research Council

Advancing knowledge to address the world’s most consequential challenges

The Research Council provides intellectual leadership on research at Bentley through three activities that support the university’s vision, mission and strategy:

  • Develop and articulate a perspective on why research is essential to continuing and enhancing the achievement of Bentley’s mission.

  • Present a clear vision of what constitutes quality research at Bentley and position this vision within the broader context of faculty scholarship.

  • Support Bentley faculty as they pursue and enhance the quality of their research endeavors and advise academic leadership about actions and platforms needed to further Bentley’s research agenda.

Meet the Council

Onur Altindag Headshot
Onur Altindag
Associate Professor
Economics
781.216.7111

Onur Altindag is an economist specializing in Applied Microeconomics, Econometrics, Health Economics, and Development Economics. His research focuses on Health, Migration, and Development. Onur also consults for international organizations such as UNHCR, WFP, and ILO, leveraging his expertise to address global challenges in humanitarian aid and labor issues.

Laure Astourian Headshot
Laure Astourian
Assistant Professor
Modern Languages
781.891.2195

Laure Astourian is a scholar in French and Francophone cinema, holding a Ph.D. in French from Columbia University. Her first book, The Ethnographic Optic: Jean Rouch, Chris Marker, Alain Resnais, and the Turn Inward in 1960s French Cinema, set for a June 2024 release by Indiana University Press, explores the influence of ethnography on 1960s French cinema. Laure's ongoing research includes projects on the origins of Francophone sub-Saharan African cinema and post-World War II French cinema, supported by a fellowship at the Institute for Advanced Study Aix-Marseille and a residency at the Museum of Civilizations of Europe and the Mediterranean.

Sung Choi headshot
Sung Choi
Associate Professor
History
781.891.2918

Dr. Sung Choi, a UCLA doctoral graduate, specializes in Modern Europe and issues of Empire and Decolonization, with a keen focus on French North Africa. Her research explores themes in Modern France such as immigration, national identity, and settler colonialism. She is a former fellow at the Institute of Advanced Studies in Nantes, France, and authored "Decolonization and the French of Algeria" in 2016.

Cynthia E. Clark Headshot
Cynthia E. Clark
Professor
Management
781.891.2015

Cynthia, author of "Giving Voice to Values in the Boardroom" and "Business & Society: Ethical, Legal and Digital Environments," is a renowned expert in corporate governance, conducting training on ethical decision-making and governance for top management and boards. She is an active speaker and member of the NACD, 50/50 Women on Boards, and the Society for Governance Professionals, with her insights featured in major media outlets and academic journals including The Wall Street Journal and Harvard Business Review. Formerly a faculty member at Boston University and a professional in the banking and securities industry, she now directs the Harold S. Geneen Institute of Corporate Governance at Bentley and serves on the editorial board of the journal Business & Society.

Bonnie Field Headshot
Bonnie Field
Professor
Global Studies
781.891.2865

Bonnie N. Field is a Professor of Political Science in the Global Studies Department and co-Editor of the journal South European Society and Politics, with a PhD from the University of California, Santa Barbara. Her research focuses on political parties and institutions in Europe and Latin America, particularly in Spanish politics, exploring minority governments, parliamentary dynamics, and democratization processes. Field has held prestigious positions as a Visiting Scholar at Harvard’s Center for European Studies, a Fulbright Senior Researcher in Spain, and visiting roles at universities in Barcelona, Oslo, and Irvine.

Marianne Kulow headshot
Marianne Kulow
Professor
Law and Taxation
781.891.2645

Marianne DelPo Kulow joined the Bentley faculty after a Boston legal career that encompassed defending businesses against a variety of claims as well as criminal prosecution and defense work. Professor Kulow has developed and taught four current Bentley courses. She continues to teach Laws that Oppress and Empower, while colleagues now teach the other three courses: Gender and the Law, Race and the Law, and Law and Society. Professor Kulow publishes on various aspects of discrimination law, with a recent focus on disabilities and LGBTQ+ discrimination. She holds an A.B. from Harvard, an M.A. from the University of Liverpool, and a J.D. from the Boston University.

Fred Ledley headshot
Fred Ledley
Professor
Natural and Applied Sciences
781.891.2046

Fred Ledley, M.D., is a Professor of Natural & Applied Science and Management at Bentley University, where he also serves as the Founding Director of the Center for Integration of Science and Industry. An accomplished physician-scientist, educator, and entrepreneur, Dr. Ledley has authored over 200 research papers on topics from genetic medicine to biotechnology and strategic drug development, and has founded several biotech companies. His research now focuses on enhancing the public value of scientific discoveries by fostering collaborations across science, business, and public policy, with a particular emphasis on pharmaceutical innovation and the integration of STEM subjects into business education.

Marco Marabelli headshot
Marco Marabelli
Professor
Computer Information Systems
781.891.2318

I am a Professor of Computer Information Systems at Bentley University, teaching graduate courses in business analytics and PhD classes on information systems theories and qualitative methods. My research examines the DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) implications of emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and the metaverse, focusing on their misuse and the institutional inertia surrounding automatic decision-making processes that negatively affect underrepresented groups. Current projects include exploring hybrid scientific gatherings for DEI promotion, the role of training data in AI fairness, DEI impacts in the metaverse, and a forthcoming book on classification systems in AI and their DEI implications.

Kartik Raman headshot
Kartik Raman
Professor
Finance
781.891.2781

Prof Raman specializes in agency, product markets, and financial reporting choices related to corporate investment and financing decisions, with his work published in top-tier Finance and Accounting journals. He teaches courses on equity valuation, portfolio management, fixed income markets, and applied investments. His consulting expertise includes assessing the Fair Value of complex investments like private firm stakes, fixed income securities, and derivatives, in line with FAS 157. 

Axel Seemann headshot
Axel Seeman
Professor
Philosophy
781.891.0000

Axel Seemann works in the philosophy of mind and is particularly interested in the mind's social dimension, on which he has written numerous articles and a monograph. More recently he has become interested in loneliness as a prominent social phenomenon of our time. He worked as a management consultant for the Boston Consulting Group and used to be a television journalist in Berlin.

 


 

Jay Thibodeau
Jay Thibodeau
Professor
Accounting
781.891.2564

Dr. Thibodeau, a former auditor and CPA with a BS and Ph.D. from the University of Connecticut, has developed executive education programs for leading firms like Fidelity Investments and KPMG. He is the coauthor of widely used texts including "Auditing and Assurance Services" and has contributed over 70 scholarly articles to top journals in the field. Dr. Thibodeau has earned numerous awards for his work, including national recognitions for his doctoral dissertation, curriculum innovations, service contributions, and research excellence in accounting ethics and assurance education.

Val Wang
Associate Professor
English and Media Studies
781.891.2861

Ex-Officio Members

Mystica Alexander headshot
Mystica Alexander
Professor
Law and Taxation
781.891.2202

Mystica Alexander is a distinguished educator with teaching interests in the legal and ethical environment of business, legal research and writing, and various aspects of taxation, including federal income taxation of corporations and shareholders. Her research focuses on tax policy, state and local taxation, and corporate social responsibility. In her consulting practice, she specializes in tax issues concerning exempt organizations.

 

Jeff Gulati Headshot
Jeff Gulati
Professor
Global Studies
781.891.3177

Jeff Gulati is the Associate Dean of Arts & Sciences and a Professor of Political Science in the Global Studies Department at the University of Virginia, where he earned his Ph.D. in Government, following a B.A. in Political Science from UNC-Chapel Hill. His research and teaching focus on the U.S. Congress, electoral dynamics, race in American politics, and politics in popular culture, with recent publications exploring congressional scandals, campaign finance, and digital strategies in political campaigning. Dr. Gulati, a former survey researcher and legal assistant, now serves as the faculty adviser for Pi Sigma Alpha and is a senior editor for both the Journal of Information Technology & Politics and the Journal of Political Marketing.

Hope Houston
Executive Director
Library
Susan Richman
Director
Foundation Relations and Sponsored Programs
Gaurav Shah headshot
Gaurav Shah
Adjunct Lecturer
Academic Technologies & User Experience Design
781.891.3467
Paul Tesluk  headshot
Paul Tesluk
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs
Academic Affairs

Paul Tesluk is a national expert in leadership development, team design and effectiveness, and organizational change, with a prolific scholarly record published in top-tier management journals and service on numerous editorial boards. Before his current role at Bentley, he was the dean of the University at Buffalo School of Management, where he also led the Organization and Human Resources Department and founded the Center for Leadership and Organizational Effectiveness. His previous academic positions include chairing the Department of Management and Organization at the University of Maryland – Robert H. Smith School of Business, and serving as an assistant professor in the Psychology department at Tulane University; he holds a Ph.D. and master’s degrees in Industrial and Organizational Psychology from Penn State University and a bachelor’s degree in Industrial Relations from Cornell University.

Heikki Topi headshot
Heikki Topi
Professor
Computer Information Systems
781.891.2799

Primary teaching interests include telecommunications and networking, data management, and systems analysis & design. Research interests include the usability of data management tools and methodologies, the use of wireless technologies in e-business, and global telecommunications industry. He is the co-editor of Auerbach's IS Management Handbook. Previously taught at Indiana University and served as Director of the International MBA Program at the Helsinki School of Economics.

Non-Ex-Officio Members

Molly Mastantuono
Assistant Director
Academic Communications

Administrative Support

Renande Loayza
Senior Academic Coordinator