Onward and Upward!
Step into the world of cutting-edge research, innovation, and interdisciplinary collaboration. The 2nd SNAS Interdisciplinary Research Conference, held in the historic Hennessy Hall of FDU Florham campus on Friday, October 6, 2023, was a beacon of intellectual exchange and innovation.
Society of North American Scholars (SNAS) organized its 2nd Interdisciplinary Research Conference in collaboration with Silberman College of Business, Fairleigh Dickinson University (FDU). The daylong hybrid conference featured twenty-three presentations, attracting researchers from across the globe. Among those were researchers from Nazarbayev University of Kazakhstan and ISG Business School of Paris, France. I made the opening remarks and tried to set up the stage for the rest of the day. Consistent with the conference theme, Defining the Future: Research, Technology, and Innovation, the keynote address was on Trustworthy AI: Challenges and Opportunities. As an authoritative figure in the field, Dr. Mike Hind, a Distinguished Research Staff Member of IBM Research, provided a comprehensive view of the future and garnered strong interest.
The conference program included a special session, entitled “The Roles of the Top-Tier Journals and How to Aim at Publication,” by Dr. Vladimir Zwass, Lifetime Inaugural Gregory Olsen Endowed Chair & Distinguished University Professor Emeritus of FDU and the founding Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Management Information Systems and the Editor-in-Chief of International Journal of Electronic Commerce. This session included priceless pointers for the researchers aiming for high impact. Coincidentally evoking SNAS’ mission, Dr. Zwass emphasized the importance of discussing the societal roles of research in addition to its discipline-specific roles.
SNAS uses a blind review process and recognizes the best abstract in the conference based on an abstract’s relevancy to the conference theme as well as the organization’s mission. This year, Dr. Nedim Durmus of Grossman School of Medicine, New York University received the Best Abstract in the Conference Award with his abstract entitled, “New Technologies in Cancer Care and Future Prospects.” Later in the afternoon, Provost Benjamin Rifkin, University Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs of FDU made the closing remarks and emphasized the importance of aiming for impact and making a difference in the lives of our students. “I see in you the potential for change that will make our world a better place”, Provost Rifkin added. It was worth noting the smooth transition Provost Rifkin made to Russian when speaking to the Kazakh participants.
As a network of interdisciplinary scholars aimed at fostering socially responsible scholarship, SNAS inaugurated its Appreciation Award during this conference. The SNAS Appreciation Award is given to a person who shows exceptional support to the mission of the organization every year. Dean James Almeida of Silberman College of Business, FDU received the 2023 SNAS Appreciation Award for his extraordinary support and encouragement during the conference preparation efforts. In his acceptance speech, Dean Almeida praised the noble pursuit of SNAS and encouraged participants to continue creating social impact by moving beyond disciplinary boundaries. The day concluded with the official tour of the historic Hennessy Hall by Dr. Gary H. Darden, Chair of the Social Sciences & History Department at FDU. The Hennesy Hall, or the Twombly Mansion, was the country estate of Florence Vanderbilt and Hamilton Twombly.
The 2nd SNAS Interdisciplinary Research Conference was the first onsite conference organized by SNAS. As the conference drew to a close, it left a lasting impression on attendees and emphasized the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration in shaping the future. The event was covered by the FDU Whatsnew Magazine. To stay in the loop with our upcoming events and activities, consider becoming a member here! Your membership not only grants you access to a wealth of knowledge but also an opportunity to contribute to the growth of socially responsible scholarship. Annual membership dues include receiving periodic email newsletters, discounted or free entry to annual SNAS events, and voting rights in executive committee elections ($50 Student; $100 Non-student).
Sincerely,
Omer Topaloglu (SNAS President)