Smith Provides PhD Fellowships Named for Michael Ball

A fellowship program for students pursuing a Ph.D. in Operations Management and Management Science has been implemented by the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business. 

The Michael Ball Endowed Ph.D. Fellowship in Business and the Michael Ball Current-Use Fellowship in Business will provide stipends as well as other academic expenses, including, but not limited to, conference travel. Preference will go to students with secured external funding or an internship related to their studies. The first award, from the current-use fund, will be made in the fall of 2026.

The fellowships' namesake, Professor Emeritus Michael O. Ball, began his academic career as an assistant professor in 1978 and served in various administrative roles at the Smith School, including senior associate dean and associate dean for research.

"The Smith School has become a premier business school in the world, and being part of that journey has given me great satisfaction,” says Ball. “A very stimulating environment provided by my colleagues across the Smith School and university catalyzed my career development.”

Ball produced more than 200 scholarly publications, covering a range of subjects including air transportation, revenue management and pricing, supply chain management and system reliability. He additionally held a joint appointment with UMD’s Institute for Systems Research and co-founded Distinct Management Consultants and its subsidiary Routesmart Technologies (recently acquired by FedEx).

Ball says that the inspiration drawn from the students he mentored inspired his gift, leading to the fellowships. “As is typical of my colleagues, I worked closely with my PhD students for multiple years and have maintained close connections to them as they have progressed through their careers.”

Read more about Smith PhD programs.