Internal Updates: January 2026
By Comms Team | 01/30/2026
Tags:Categories: Academics | Accolades | Announcements | Faculty/Staff | Research
From The Communications Team...
📸Faculty & Staff Photos
Our next staff photos will be as follows:
- Tuesday, February 24th - from 1:30 - 3:00 PM
- Wednesday, February 25th - from 9:30 - 11:00 AM
DeSantis Theater DS-202
Please confirm your date selection by sending an RSVP to cobcommunications@fau.edu to reserve your spot.
Sending on behalf of Melanie Lorenz...
🗳️Behavioral Insights Lab - (BIL) Accepting Research Studies
Hello Researchers,
The Behavioral Insights Lab is now accepting research studies to run online during the Spring semester (research studies will get posted whenever they come in, subject to approval and student availability). The BIL will close on the last day of classes - April 27th.
Please view the attached flyer for more details, as well as refer to our website: https://business.fau.edu/centers/behavioral-insights-lab/researchers/. If you have any further questions when preparing your study or need to set up a researcher account, please email us at CoBInsightsLab@fau.edu
We are looking forward to working with all of you and supporting your research endeavors.
Thank you,
Melanie P. Lorenz, Ph.D.
Harry T. Mangurian Fellow | Associate Professor of Marketing
Director of the Behavioral Insights Lab
Florida Atlantic University Announcement ...
🦉Next Strategic Plan Listening Session Scheduled
Following the work completed earlier this month across multiple colleges on the upcoming strategic plan, the next round of college listening sessions has been scheduled. These sessions will be held in the Majestic Palm meeting room in the Student Union on FAU's Boca Raton campus. Additional sessions will be scheduled across campuses throughout February and will be announced shortly.
Tuesday, February 3
2:30 – 4 p.m. | College of Business
Additionally, a new webpage has been created for participants to submit ideas for the strategic plan online. The webpage is available at https://www.fau.edu/strategic-plan, where you will also find a calendar of upcoming events.
Thank you for your participation. Your comments and ideas from earlier sessions have been extremely valuable, and we look forward to hearing from you in the sessions ahead.
Global Recognition for Hospitality & Tourism Management
We are proud to share that the International Hospitality Institute (I.H.I.) has recognized our very own Peter Ricci as a Top 10 Digital Thought Leader for 2026. Ranking #8 in the world through a global industry survey, this achievement highlights excellence in leadership, advocacy, and education within the hospitality and tourism sectors. Ranking #8 in the world through a global industry survey, this achievement highlights excellence in leadership, advocacy, and education within the hospitality sector. While this category honors those who excel at "telling the story" of the industry through digital engagement, this ranking is a testament to five years of consistent global impact, further distinguishing the College of Business. Please join us in celebrating this incredible achievement and the continued international accolades that elevate the profile of our program and college on the global stage. Congratulations, Peter!
Celebrating Excellence in Peer Review
We are delighted to recognize a faculty member whose dedication ensures the vibrancy of our academic community. Congratulations to Cony Ho, associate professor in the Marketing Department, who has been honored as a Best Reviewer of the Year by the prestigious journal, Psychology & Marketing. Because peer review serves as the backbone of academic publishing, this award highlights the exceptional dedication, deep insight, and generosity of time Cony provides to the global research community. Please join us in congratulating him on this well-deserved international recognition.
Peer-Reviewed Research
Jian Cao, Dean’s Distinguished Research Fellow & Associate Professor, School of Accounting, with co-authors Tanzila Upama and Yun Cheng (FAU Alumnus), has had their paper “Disclosure strategies for management earnings forecasts: Insights from the perspective of firm life cycle,” accepted for publication in Journal of Accounting and Public Policy (AJG 3).
Rebel Cole, Lynn Eminent Scholar Chaired Professor, Finance, has had his manuscript, "Entrepreneurial Overconfidence and SME Financing Decisions," accepted for publication in the Journal of Small Business Management.
Cony Ho, Associate Professor, Marketing, with co-authors, has had their paper, "The peril of perfection: how consumer power diminishes brand attitudes toward flawless virtual influencers," published in the International Journal of Advertising.
Cony Ho, Associate Professor, Marketing, with co-authors, has had their paper, "Unlocking Digital Collections: How Convenience and Personal Traits Shape Consumer Choices," published in Psychology of Marketing.
Melanie Lorenz, Associate Professor, Marketing, has had her paper, "When Service Becomes Surveillance: Pressures in FLE Guardianship," accepted for publication in the Journal of Services Marketing.
Public Scholarship Research
Steven Carnovale, Associate Professor, ITOM - Logistics Managers' Index
Bryan Cutsinger, Assistant Professor, Economics - Tri-County Business Tracker and Tri-County Labor Market Tracker
Monica Escaleras, Professor and Chair, Economics - Hispanic Index of Consumer Sentiment
William Luther and Eric Van Tassel, Associate Professors, Economics - Monthly Inflation Report at Florida Atlantic
-FAU-