Michigan Tech College of Business Newsblog

Dan Batten Joins Dean’s Advisory Council

Published September 30, 2024

News

The College of Business is pleased to announce that Dan Batten ’88 ’90 has joined the College of Business Dean’s Advisory Council (DAC). The DAC is composed of business professionals with experience and expertise in leading businesses or public and nonprofit organizations, and for their commitment to the College of Business.

Batten graduated from Michigan Tech in 1988 with an associate’s degree in mechanical design technology, followed by a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with an emphasis on finance in 1990.

Batten is a seasoned strategic business and technology executive with over 34 years of experience driving IT transformations for global organizations. Throughout his career, he has consistently demonstrated expertise in aligning technology solutions with business strategies, ensuring operational efficiency, fostering innovation, and enhancing customer engagement.

Most recently serving as vice president and chief information officer for Ampacet, Batten has earned a reputation for leveraging cutting-edge technology to drive business growth, enhance customer engagement, reduce costs, and deliver visible ROI. His extensive expertise spans ERP systems, business process reengineering, digital IT strategies, Industry 4.0, cybersecurity, cloud computing, AI integration, and cross-functional team leadership.

Batten’s leadership style is rooted in collaboration, with a firm belief that business success is achieved through teamwork. Prior to his role at Ampacet, he held CIO positions at SAF-Holland and Kautex America, where he spearheaded IT transformations and modernized IT capabilities.

Batten also holds an executive MBA with high honors from Northwood University’s DeVos Graduate School of Management. He is a proud father of three adult children. In his spare time, he enjoys home renovation and building furniture.

The Dean’s Advisory Council (DAC) is dedicated to helping the College of Business to be a top choice for business education among students and employers. DAC provides a link to individuals and organizations that possess the resources, knowledge, and contacts the College requires to achieve its mission.

Rajath Nagaraj ’21 to Present Talk on Project Management in Data Science and AI Innovations in Insurance on Sept. 23

Published September 18, 2024

By Karen Johnson

Rajath Nagaraj ’21 MS in Data Science will present a talk by on Monday, September 23, 2024, from 12-1 pm, in MEEM 403. His talk is titled, “Nagaraj will discuss, “Navigating Project Management in Data Science and Exploring Al Innovations in Insurance.”

The talk is presented by the Institute of Computing and Cybersystems’s Center for Artificial Intelligence.

Rajath Nagaraj is a senior data scientist at Liberty Mutual Insurance, working with Al and ML, including LLMs. In this session. Rajath will first dive into the essentials of industry-level project management in data science, exploring best practices for successfully managing complex projects from initiation to execution. The second part will focus on the transformative role of Al in various domains, with a deep dive into how Al is revolutionizing the insurance sector through applications like claims processing, fraud detection, quoting, underwriting, and personalized customer experiences.

Gary Campbell, Professor of Natural Resource Economics, Discusses Resources Policy Journal in Podcast

Published September 18, 2024

By Karen Johnson

Gary Campbell, Professor of Natural Resource Economics in the College of Business, was recently a guest on the podcast “Journals 101,” which hosts discussions about the world of academic publishing.

The podcast was hosted by Dr. Brian Lucey, professor of international finance and commodities, at Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland.

Listen to the podcast.

In the podcast, Campbell discussed his work as reviewer and editor of Resources Policy, an international journal devoted to the economics and policy issues related to mineral and fossil fuel extraction, production, and use.

Campbell has been reviewing papers for the journal for close to 40 years, and for the past 12 years he has been editor in chief. Campbell will step down from the editor role this December.

In 1974 the Resources Policy journal published its first two issues with 11 research articles, book reviews, and conference information. In 2012, 52 articles were published. And, with significant growth in the number of submissions from around the world, a record 1,087 articles were published in 2023.

Campbell says the journal has led to many opportunities to present online and in-person talks around the world and to meet many interesting people.

In the 2022 Journal Citation Reports (JCR) of the Web of Science (WoS), the Resource Policy journal had an impact factor of 10.2, and was ranked in the eighth position out of 128 journals in the WoS category of Environmental Studies (Social Sciences Citation Index edition).

The podcast also touched on Campbell’s love of nature photography, and the host, was especially interested in Campbell’s photos of dragonflies, as well as birds and butterflies.

Gary Campbell began teaching in the College of Business at Michigan Tech in 1982. He helped establish the MS in Mineral Economics Program (currently named Applied Natural Resource Economics), which admitted its first students in 1983.

Research Focus: Minerals are a necessity for society, but they come with a number of concerns and problems. Dr. Campbell’s research looks at the economic behavior of mineral markets and the social issues of mineral extraction. Recent research has focused on the markets for rare earths and copper and at the social conflicts over opening and operating mines.

Campbell’s specialties include metal markets, sustainability of mining, and social decision-making about resource use.

The Michigan Tech College of Business prepares tomorrow’s business professionals through STEM-infused, AACSB-accredited degree programs and minors. The college’s bachelor of science programs are in accounting, business analytics, construction management, economics, engineering management, finance, management, management information systems, and marketing; master of science programs are in accounting and analytics, applied natural resource economics, engineering management, and the TechMBA®.

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Early Interest in Behavior Analysis Leads to Rewarding Career for College of Business Professor Sonia Goltz

Published September 18, 2024

By Karen Johnson

Sonia Goltz professor of organizational behavior in the College of Business at Michigan Tech, doesn’t like to repeat a presentation twice.

Sonia Goltz, professor of organizational behavior and the Mickus Endowed Faculty Fellow in Business Impact in the College of Business, applies behavior analysis concepts and principles to examine and understand the topics of power, coercion, and toxic leadership, as well as organizational change. Goltz has also conducted research in gender equity and its legal aspects. Her work, along with her community allyship, was recognized with the 2021 Michigan Tech Diversity Award.

The publication of Goltz’s 2022 paper, “On Power and Freedom: Extending the Definition of Coercion,” in the journal Perspectives on Behavior Analysis, prompted great interest among her colleagues and has led to numerous opportunities to present her research to organizations focused on behavior analysis.

Today, Goltz is exploring the topic of coercion and freedom, an extension of her previous work on power and equity. This year she published her paper, “An analysis of types and targets of coercive interference,” in the Journal of Theoretical and Philosophical Psychology.

Goltz has been invited to speak at the Texas Association for Behavior Analysis in spring 2025.

Goltz also presented her research at the 2024 Behavior Analysis Association of Michigan (BAAM) Conference. In 2023, she presented a webinar titled, “What About Coercive Interference with Positive Freedom?” for the Association for Behavior Analysis International. And in 2022, she presented her lecture,” Coercion is Going Undercover: Can Behavior Analysis Unveil the Disguise?” at the Nevada Association for Behavior Analysis.

Goltz’s talks often fulfill ethics continuing education requirements for attendees seeking continuing education unit (CEU) credits.

Researcher Keeps the Conversation Fresh and Relevant

Goltz doesn’t like to repeat her presentations, so she typically uses her speaking engagements to stimulate new thinking, which often results in another paper and a new presentation. For example, a discussion of coercion and toxic leadership at her spring 2024 BAAM lecture is informing a future presentation at the Texas Association for Behavior Analysis

Goltz’s interest in behavior analysis was inspired by her father, who instructed troubled youth at the Indiana Boys School in Plainfield, Indiana. Goltz said that his use of rewards and reinforcement to motivate his students prompted a psychology professor at the University of Indianapolis to visit his classroom to learn more about the approach. That professor would become Goltz’s main undergraduate advisor when she attended the University of Indianapolis a few years later, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology Goltz went on to earn her master’s and doctoral degrees in Industrial/Organizational Psychology at Purdue University.

Goltz began her career at the University of Notre Dame, joining Michigan Tech in 1996. In addition to teaching and research, she is active in several academic and business communities. She has served as director of business graduate programs at Michigan Tech. She is an editorial board member for the Journal of Management Education and the Journal of Organizational Behavior Management. Goltz also consults for local organizations, including the Portage Lake District Library and LaSalle Technology Group.

Presentation Citations

In addition to the citations listed here, publications Goltz has authored and co-authored can be accessed via Michigan Tech Digital Commons.

Goltz, S.M. “Toxic Leadership in Behavioral Terms: The Reliance on Coercion and Countercontrol.” Behavior Analysis Association of Michigan Conference, Ypsilanti, MI, February 22, 2024.
Goltz, S. “What About Coercive Interference with Positive Freedom?” Webinar. Association for Behavior Analysis International, Sept. 19, 2023.
Goltz, S. “Coercion is Going Undercover: Can Behavior Analysis Unveil the Disguise?” Presented at the Nevada Association for Behavior Analysis, Reno, Nevada, October 15, 2022.

About the College of Business

The Michigan Tech College of Business prepares tomorrow’s business professionals through STEM-infused, AACSB-accredited degree programs and minors. The college’s bachelor of science programs are in accounting, business analytics, construction management, economics, engineering management, finance, management, management information systems, and marketing; master of science programs are in accounting and analytics, applied natural resource economics, engineering management, and the TechMBA®.Follow the College of Business on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

Faculty Profile: Giridhar Reddy Bojja, Assistant Professor of Information Systems and Analytics

Published September 17, 2024

By Karen Johnson

Giridhar Reddy Bojja, Assistant Professor of Information Systems & Analytics

Giridhar Reddy Bojja, new College of Business assistant professor of information systems and analytics, brings academic expertise in management information systems, analytics, and computer science, as well as industry experience as a data scientist and engineer. His hire is part of a College of Business faculty hiring initiative that supports a new curricular emphasis on technology and business analytics.

Bojja comes to Michigan Tech from the University of Central Oklahoma – College of Business, where he was a visiting assistant professor of business analytics. His academic and industry background is well aligned with Michigan Tech’s tech-focused environment.

He cites several reasons for his interest in Michigan Tech, including the wide research opportunities, the entrepreneurial emphasis within the College of Business, and the AACSB accreditation of College of Business programs. He is also impressed that Michigan Tech is a Carnegie Institute-rated R2 university on the path to becoming an R1 institution.

Bojja’s research interests lie at the intersection of information systems and management science. In his health information technology research, he investigates IT capabilities and outcomes and design science research to build IT artifacts. In his data science research, he explores social network analysis and predictive analytics.

“Through a composite technology-enabled organizational excellence lens, my research addresses the optimization of technological resources and the effective appraisal of business leadership for optimal firm outcomes,” Bojja explains. “I am also particularly interested in building IT artifacts involving AI, machine learning, and blockchain for healthcare using a design science approach.”

Bojja started his career as a business intelligence developer at Sanford Health, where he was drawn to the vastness of the healthcare sector, which eventually became his primary research stream. He also worked as a data engineer at Johnson & Johnson and Sharecare and as an engineer for Amazon Business Upstream Analytics.

This academic year, Bojja will teach IS/IT Management (MIS 2000), Information Systems, Management and Data Analytics (BA 5200), and Information Systems Projects (MIS 4100).

Bojja received his PhD from the College of Business and Information Systems at Dakota State University in 2022. His master’s degree is in analytics, and his bachelor’s is in Computer Science.

Learn more about Giridhar Reddy Bojja on his faculty profile.

The Michigan Tech College of Business prepares tomorrow’s business professionals through STEM-infused, AACSB-accredited degree programs and minors. The college’s bachelor of science programs are in accounting, business analytics, construction management, economics, engineering management, finance, management, management information systems, and marketing; master of science programs are in accounting and analytics, applied natural resource economics, engineering management, and the TechMBA®.

Follow the College of Business on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.