Smith Research
Smith Researcher Co Develops AdGazer, a Breakthrough for Predicting Attention to Digital Ads
AI Adoption Can Backfire: How Leveling the Playing Field Can Demotivate Top Employees
Smith Among Early Movers Bringing Vibe Coding into the MBA Experience
Alumni
January 20, 2026
Alumnus Helps Innovators Grow and Scale Products That Improve Personal Mobility
When William Chernicoff, PhD, EMBA ’21, started his career in the environment and sustainability space, he never thought he’d be where he is today, running the research program at the Toyota Mobility Foundation. O
December 05, 2025
A Bright Spot on Wall Street
Dan Ives, MBA ’00, a prominent tech analyst known for his bold style and Wedbush leadership, credits his Maryland MBA for shaping his career. Despite media fame, he stays grounded and aims to mentor others entering the competitive tech and finance world.
November 11, 2025
Rare Triple Smith Terp Gives Back To The School She is “Proud Of”
Cristina M. Giannantonio ’80, MBA ’82, PhD ’88, inspired by Professor Steve Carroll, pursued academia after her undergraduate studies at the Smith School. Now a Chapman University vice provost, she recently endowed fellowships honoring her parents and her enduring Smith connection.
February 09, 2026
AI-powered “vibe coding” is reshaping business education, enabling app development through natural language prompts. At the University of Maryland’s Smith School, marketing professor Wendy Moe taught MBA students to use AI tools to build near-launch-ready applications in fall 2025.
February 06, 2026
The Shape of Things to Come: The Attention Economy, AI Disruption and Confluence of Business Thought
A new Smith course at Universities at Shady Grove equips undergraduates with practical AI skills through simulations and free Google Coursera training, blending marketing, accounting and management to prepare students for data-driven decision-making and the future job market careers nationwide.
World Class Faculty & Research
Sean Cao Wins Two Best Paper Awards for AI Research
Smith associate professor Sean Cao, co-founder and director of the Smith AI Initiative for Capital Market Research, received two best paper awards for research showing how humans and artificial intelligence work together to improve stock analysis and corporate disclosure in capital markets.
Faculty Insights On Latest News
May 30, 2025
Summer Reading List 2025
Get ready for summer with the 22nd Annual Summer Reading List for Business Leaders—featuring Smith School faculty picks on investing, neuroscience, human connection, and more, including a novel inspired by a radio show turned TV series.
Management and Organization
April 24, 2025
“The Future is Not What it Used to Be”
Ambiguity arises when choices must be made despite unclear outcomes, says Professor J. Gerald Suarez. In today’s fast-paced world, discernment, flexibility, and embracing uncertainty—not rigid control—are key to navigating change, complexity, and an unpredictable future.
Marketing
October 04, 2024
Small Businesses Take Big Hit from Apple’s Privacy Regulation
Smith marketing professor Daniel McCarthy's research found that Apple's 2021 App Tracking Transparency (ATT) significantly impacted small direct-to-consumer businesses. ATT caused a 37% drop in ad click-through rates and up to a 60% revenue decline for smaller firms reliant on Facebook ads.
February 13, 2026
AdGazer, co-developed by Michel Wedel at the University of Maryland’s Smith School, uses AI and eye-tracking data to predict ad attention. It outperforms leading vision models by analyzing ads and context to optimize placement and increase brand engagement.
Decision, Operations and Information Technologies
In competitive workplaces, implementing AI by replicating the skills of top-performing employees can demotivate those star performers, potentially leading to lower overall firm productivity unless managers “dumb down” the AI or roll it out selectively.
January 16, 2026
Research From Smith Explores Partisan Lean in the Workplace
Reuben Hurst introduces VRscores, a public database linking voter registrations to 24.5 million U.S. workers, revealing partisan leanings across employers and suggesting workplaces may foster sustained interaction between Democrats and Republicans, potentially moderating political polarization.
